Phauic
P̐a'uik | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the Phauic People | |
| Total population | |
| 6,878,886 (2021) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Eastern Prei Meas | |
| Languages | |
| Phau, Minean, Bi, others | |
| Religion | |
| Phau Spiritism, Kammism | |
The Phauic ethnic group are isolate with no known connection to surrounding ethnic groups. |
The Phauic people are a collection of various similar peoples living in the densely forested regions of Eastern Prei Meas primarily in the provinces of Phau, Minea, and Tri B. The Phauic peoples consist of numerous distinct tribes and groups largely making up 3 main parts, the Phau, the Mineans, and the Bii.
History
Early History
Not much is known of Phauic early history pre contact with the Western Preimeai due to a lack of Phauic written records so what we do know comes primarily from oral history, mythology, and occasional archeology.
Post Preimeai Contact
When Preimeai traders started exploring down the Phlauvkhmaw river they first encountered the Phau Tribal Kingdom who at the time already had a rich weaving and metal working tradition. Following the initial encounter and trade the Preimeai named this new people the Phau in honor of the first tribe they met and soon started discovering more tribes such as the Inzali and the Yee tribes. Due to the natural protections of the dense jungles in which the Phauic tribes inhabited they maintained their independence for centuries and thrived on the trade that came through the Phlauvkhmaw river The Minean tribes were discovered in much the same way being named in Preimeai after the Min tribe and the Ea tribe.
First Nokor Period
After Preimeai imperial expansion into much of modern day Khon Khon Khangcheung the Ste chs and royal councils called upon a conquest of the region. The Phauic tribes having been accustomed to fighting amongst themselves and relying on their hard to reach territory for protection fell relatively quickly to the more advanced Preimeai army. The Mineans who had a more martial culture at the time would resist for another century up until the 17th century.
End of the Nokor and Colonial period
The First Nokor towards the end of the 18th century experienced a heavy decline caused by court corruption and economic stagnation leading to a period as a Neuew colonial protectorate beginning in the 19th century until independence in 1947. During this time the Phauic people enjoyed relative self rule in comparrison to the Phnom people to their north and the Preimeai due to it being near impossible for Neuew authorities to reach leading to a golden age in Phauic culture.