WA People

The Wa people live in Yunnan along the Burma border and in northern parts of Shan State as well as in adjacent border areas of Kachin State. They speak a Mon-Khmer language, grow corn and vegetables, and raise pigs and chickens. The British never managed to conquer them completely and referred to them as the “terrible Wa.” They are also called Va, Kawa, or Awa. The Wa have a large, relatively well-armed military force that has been battling the central Burmese authorities for years; they are also notorious in modern times for trafficking in opium and other narcotics.