Abstract:
A Study of Values of Myidu in Lisu women: Capital Relations in Livelihood Diversification aims to: 1) study forms of livelihood of Lisu women from Ban Doi Lan who went to work outside the community after the implementation of the highland development projects ; 2) Analyze forms of capitals used by Lisu women to differently diversify their livelihoods and 3) Analyze the values of working of Lisu women which potentially affected by the changing livelihood. In this study, five Lisu women from Doi Lan Village, Mae Suai District, Chiang Rai Province with diverse backgrounds of ages, education levels, and works were selected as cases of study. The study found that the implementation of the highland development projects in Ban Doi Lan played the significant roles as push and pull factors in which Lisu women used to diversify their forms of livelihoods. This leads to the reproduction of economic, social, and cultural capitals at distinct levels. In particular, the social and cultural capitals have been used by the women to diversify their livelihoods. Through interactions with people in various social institutions, women have absorbed the set of beliefs and values which leads to the emerge of patterns of behavior that are tied to various concepts of dignity. Each Lisu woman has adapted different explanations of her dignity or Myidu that relates to her role in a particular social space which are not necessarily attached to the traditional value or meaning. In the other hands, the concept or meaning of dignity is constantly applied to maintain womens status in a particular social space.