The CHAM Community of 54 Ethnic groups in Vietnam

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   The CHAM are also called Cham, Chiem Thanh and Hoi. They have a population of about 148,021 people concentrating in the provinces of Ninh Thuan¹ and Binh Thuan². A part of the CHAM lives in An Giang³, Tay Ninh⁴, Dong Nai⁵ and Ho Chi Minh City⁶.

   The CHAM language belongs to the Austronesian⁷ family. Apart from indigenous regions, the CHAM follow Mohammedanism⁸ and Brahmanism⁹. There are two Muslim¹⁰ groups: Bani¹¹ and Islam¹².

   Brahmanism⁹ drew about three-fifths of the CHAM population in Ninh Thuan¹ and Binh Thuan².

   The CHAM live in the plains and have a tradition of farming wet-rice. They are experienced in intensive farming with irrigation and fertilizers. The CHAM are involved in trade. Pottery making and brocade weaving are two well-known sidelines.

   In the past, the CHAM did not plant trees within villages. They have a habit of arranging the houses in shape of the chess-board. Each lineage or a group of relative families may get together in a square or rectangular-shaped piece of land, separated by the paths. The houses face the south or the west.

   Matriarchy has still existed in the CHAM society, especially in Central Vietnam¹³. Though men play major role in the family but the heads of the families are often the aged women. The CHAM custom dictated that children must take their mother’s family name. A woman’s family marries the groom for its daughter. After the marriage, the groom comes to live in his wife’s house. The right of inheritance is reserved for daughters only. The youngest daughter who must foster the aging parents is divided a greater part of inheritance than her sisters.

SEE MORE:
◊  The COMMUNITY of 54 ETHNIC GROUPS in Vietnam – Section 1.
◊  The BA NA Community of 54 Ethnic groups in Vietnam.
◊  The BO Y Community of 54 Ethnic groups in Vietnam.
◊  The BRAU Community of 54 Ethnic groups in Vietnam.
◊  The BRU-VAN KIEU Community of 54 Ethnic groups in Vietnam.
◊  The CHO RO Community of 54 Ethnic groups in Vietnam.
◊  Vietnamese version (vi-VersiGoo): CONG DONG 54 Dan toc Viet Nam – Phan 1.
◊  Vietnamese version (vi-VersiGoo):  Nguoi BA NA  trong Cong dong 54 Dan toc anh em o Viet Nam.
◊  Vietnamese version (vi-VersiGoo):  Nguoi BO Y trong Cong dong 54 Dan toc anh em o Viet Nam.
◊  Vietnamese version (vi-VersiGoo):  Nguoi BRAU trong Cong dong 54 Dan toc anh em o Viet Nam.
◊  Vietnamese version (vi-VersiGoo):  Nguoi BRU-VAN KIEU  trong Cong dong 54 Dan toc anh em o Viet Nam.
◊  Vietnamese version (vi-VersiGoo):  Nguoi CHO RO trong Cong dong 54 Dan toc anh em o Viet Nam.
◊  Vietnamese version (vi-VersiGoo):  Nguoi CHAM trong Cong dong 54 Dan toc anh em o Viet Nam.
◊  etc.

BAN TU THU
06 /2020

NOTES:
¹ : … updating…

NOTE:
◊  Source & Images:  54 Ethnic Groups in Vietnam, Thong Tan Publishers, 2008.
◊  All citations and italic textes has been set by Ban Tu Thu – thanhdiavietnamhoc.com