ABSTRACT
This chapter extends the discussion of three groups of local villagers who were distinguished by their physical and spiritual distance from the village. It presents a detailed ethnographic description and analysis of three interviewees who can be considered as exemplars of their respective group, namely: those who had always lived in the village; those who had travelled outside for education or work but had now returned; and those who had chosen to live outside for an extended period or on a permanent basis. Following the analytical model of linguistic ethnography proposed by Rampton, Maybin and Roberts, the chapter examines the interviewees’ narratives in relation to their social connections and ethnic relationships, their acceptance of and attitudes towards Kam identity, and their accounts of the government’s practices in reconstructing Kam ethnic culture and ethnic identity.
