The Akha language is one of 90 members of the Sino-Tibetan family, and is most closely related to

   Hani, Lisu and Lahu. It is conjectured that the Akha people were originally from near the eastern

   edge of Tibet or from Yunnan. It may be that Akha were once Lolo who were forced from the

   Paoshan and Teinchung plains to the mountains by 16th century Chinese Ming Dynasty invasions.