A hand-drawn; hand-coloured watercolour from the late 19th century by an unknown Burmese artist.

The name of the ethnic group featured appears near the top of the picture in Shan script (left); Burmese script (Centre) and Khun script (right). Khun script was formerly used in Kengtung / Kyaingtong in eastern Shan State and in Lan Na or Lanna; northern Thailand.

The Lahu are an ethnic minority hilltribe that is indigenous to Thailand; Burma; Laos; Vietnam and China's Yunnan Province with a total population estimated to be about 750;000. The Lahu divide themselves into a number of subgroups; such as the Lahu Na (Black Lahu); Lahu Nyi (Red Lahu); Lahu Hpu (White Lahu); Lahu Shi (Yellow Lahu) and the Lahu Shehleh. Where a subgroup name refers to a color; it refers to the traditional color of their dress.