Who Are We? Dynamics of Ethnic Identity among the Malimasa People of South-west China

Abstract

While the Chinese government officially recognises only 55 ethnic minorities, vernacular identification is becoming increasingly dynamic in the context of modernisation and globalisation. Rather than adopting the perspective of dichotomy of assimilation and ethnic competition that followed after official Chinese identification, this research reveals the complexity and heterogeneity of ethnic identity by examining the identification process of the Malimasa people in Yunnan province, south-west China, who are an officially unrecognised group. Using an ethnographic approach to conduct an in-depth case study, this research examines the differences in the identification processes and local narratives of three Malimasa communities. The research findings suggest that three forces, i.e. the multicultural ethnic context, economic policy and government policy, have shaped the Malimasa people's identification process in different ways, even though all three communities were settled in a small geographic area and share a common history. As such, the research calls for further research on officially unrecognised groups, deeper reflection on policy reform and greater attention directed to ethnic variations and diversity. These measures will help to improve ethnic consolidation and conservation of cultural diversity in response to the Chinese central government's concerns.