Maru
The Maru are the second major sub-group of the Kachins. One legend has it that they ar e the descendants of a woman of the Lahpai clan and a Chinese man.
Like the Azis and Lashis, the Maru are supposed to have come to Myanmar (Burma) by means of the N'Mai Hka branch of the Irrawaddy River, while the Jingpaws and Hkahkus came by the Mali Hka route.
While recognising kinship with Jinghpaws, Marus usually marry more freely among Azis and Lashis to whom they are more closely related. Their dress and customs are not always ditinguishable from other Kachins, but they have adopted more Burmese words into their everyday language. The Jinghpaws, by contrast, use a purer Kachin vocabulary.
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