Tanka

The “boat people” (Tanka or Danjia), who live on boats in the streams and estuaries, are not recognized as a separate group.

…Boat People—the Tan (Dan) or Tanka (Danjia in the Cantonese language)—are not officially designated as a national minority. Whereas some scholars believe they are descendants of aboriginal people, others regard them simply as a people who live on boats and speak Cantonese. They generally live along the rivers in the…

The “boat people,” or Tanka as they are locally known, are essentially fisherfolk living on junks and boats, as their ancestors did for centuries before them. They inhabit fishing towns, such as Aberdeen, Shau Kei Wan, and Cheung Chau, and typhoon shelters in the harbor areas. With the advance…