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Zayein People

Zayein people are one of the red Karen tribe native to Pekon and Pinlaung Townships of southern Shan State, mountainous part of eastern Pyinmana Township and western Kayah State of Myanmar. There are about 65 Zayein villages and 13,500 native speakers(2010 estimated) in that region.

The formerly rulers of Lawelon(Loilong) region (now Pinlaung township) are Zayeins. Pinlaung town is founded by Lalui, an authority of Zayein people, in the year 1794. The nearby Shan and Pa-o people were allowed to settle in the town area. A Sawbwa of Zayein, named Lanore was the first suzerain accredited by the king of Burma. Shwe Ne, one of the sons of Lanore, married a Shan girl and a son, named Nga Po was born. Later Nga Po and his Shan-Zayein relatives became the chief of the region.

Because of tradition of only cousins could intermarry, the population growth rate of Zayeins are very low. And gradually, most of them were influenced by the living styles of Shan and the Pa-o. A revolution to the Sawbwas of Shan States was happened in 11th December, 1949. Pinlaung is one of the areas where the revolution was affected. It was general Nay Win, the governor of Myanmar, who invited the Sawbwas of Shan States in 1959 and forced them to abjure their authorities. After that, the power of Zayein of Sawngtüng is ended. During the current decades, most of the native Zayeins villages located in eastern part of Pinlaung Township became the villages of Pa-o. They become Zayein-Pa-o who understands only Pa-o language. A few Zayein villages can be found in the mountainous parts where transportation is not easy and a tropical disease like Malaria is caused. Most villages of the Zayeins are undeveloped and very few educated people can be seen. Some villages of Zayein people were sank during the project of the Dam of Paung Laung.