The Li ethnic group, the original inhabitants of the island of Hainan, are traditionally coastal people. However, as Hainan's beaches have been developed for tourism the Li have had to move to the higher elevations in the interior of the island. The Li have their own language which is related to the Tagalog of the Phillipines as well as Malay spoken in Malaysia. This Li woman is selling sections of a medicinal tree at the market in Baoting, Hainan.
The Li, like many autonomous groups in China, can have more than one child. Kalila made friends quickly with the swarms of kids in this Li village outside of Baoting.
This Li 'Ayi' (auntie) took Kalila for a stroll around the neighborhood.
A kind Li grandmother we met near some terraced rice paddies wanted to give Kalila a piggy back ride up the mountain. Hainan's tropical climate makes it possible to have three rice harvests a year. These fields were planted in early January and will be ready to harvest in April.
We were invited to eat some bananas that had just been cut down from the tree. Most of the younger generations of Li can speak Mandarin and wear modern clothing but there are still older people that speak only Li hua and wear their traditional headdress.
The Li ethnic group, the original inhabitants of the island of Hainan, are traditionally coastal people. However, as Hainan's beaches have been developed for tourism the Li have had to move to the higher elevations in the interior of the island. The Li have their own language which is related to the Tagalog of the Phillipines as well as Malay spoken in Malaysia. This Li woman is selling sections of a medicinal tree at the market in Baoting, Hainan.
The Li, like many autonomous groups in China, can have more than one child. Kalila made friends quickly with the swarms of kids in this Li village outside of Baoting.
This Li 'Ayi' (auntie) took Kalila for a stroll around the neighborhood.
A kind Li grandmother we met near some terraced rice paddies wanted to give Kalila a piggy back ride up the mountain. Hainan's tropical climate makes it possible to have three rice harvests a year. These fields were planted in early January and will be ready to harvest in April.
We were invited to eat some bananas that had just been cut down from the tree. Most of the younger generations of Li can speak Mandarin and wear modern clothing but there are still older people that speak only Li hua and wear their traditional headdress.
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