The COMMUNITY of 54 ETHNIC GROUPS in VIETNAM – Section 2
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… be continued for Section 1:
PHAM DUC THANH, Dr. Assoc. Prof.1
Brilliant Cultural Zones
Four ethnic groups mainly reside in plains, including Kinh, Hoa, Cham and Khmer. They live on wet-rice cultivation, fishing and handicrafts.
The remaining ethnic minorities settle in mountainous areas in the Northwest Northeast Central Vietnam and Central Highlands.
The Northwest consists of four provinces: Hoa Binh14, Son La15, Lai Chau16 and Dien Bien17 where ethnic mnorities hold the majority of the population (72-85%). They account for 79.2% of the total population of the region and 16.8% of the total population of ethnic minorities in the country.
In this region, the Thai is the majority – about 32.3% of the region’s population and 54% of the total population of the Thai in Vietnam. In Son La15 Province, the group accounts for 55% of the population.
The Muong account for 24% of the region’s population and 48.5% of the Muong community in the country. In Hoa Binh14 Province, the Muong is the majority group, accounting for over 63% of the population.
Other ethnic groups settling in the region include H’mong (13% of the region’s population and 36.7% of the H’mong community) and Dao (3.1% and 11.1% respectively).
The Northeast consists of 11 provinces. Ethnic minorities make up 41.3% of the region’s population and 34.6% of the total population of ethnic groups in Vietnam.
The provinces with highest population of ethnic minorities are Cao Bang16, Ha Giang17, Bac Can18, Lang Son19, Lao Cai20 (67%-95%). Yen Bai21 and Tuyen Quang22 possess a population in which more than a half come from ethnic mnontes. Thai Nguyen23, Phu Tho24, Bac Giang25 and Quang Ninh26 have a oa pencertage of ethnic groups, ranging from 11% to 25%,
The Northwest is the home of the Thai while the Northeast is the concentration of the Tay and Nung. Here, the Tay account for 15% of the local population and nearby 90% of the total Tay population. These figures for the Nung are 8% and 85% respectuly, and the H’mong 5% and 57%. The Tay and Nung are the ethnic groups living in low areas near water sources. They are experienced in cultivation and other trades.
The northern part of Central Vietnam covers six provinces from Thanh Hoa27 to Thua Thien-Hue28. The ethnic minorities residing in the region are mainly the H’mong, Thai, Kho mu, and Muong. They make up 10.6% of he local population and 10% of the population of ethnic minorities in Vietnam.
Though the ethnic minorities account for only 14-16% of the population of Thanh Hoa27 and Nghe An28, many districts of these two provinces are sndowed with high mountains.
The Thai living in Thanh Hoa27 and Nghe An28 make up nearly 37% of the total Thai population. The Muong in Thanh Hoa27 make up nearly 30% of the total population of the group. The Tho, a small group with around 70,000 people, mainly reside in Thanh Hoa27 and Nghe An28 (95%). Most of over 55,000 Bru-Van Kieu people live in the two provinces of Quang Ninh29 and Quang Tri30.
The southern part of Central Vietnam with six provinces are the settlement of the ethnic minorities Ho Re, Bru-Van Kieu, Co Tu, Ta Oi, Gie Trieng, Raglai, and Cham. These groups make up 5.5% of the local population and below 3% of the total population of the ethnic minorities in the country. They concentrate in some specific areas.
About 98% of the Ho Re group, 33-36% of the Raglai, 15-16% of the Cham reside in this region.
The Central Highlands consist of the provinces: Dak Lak31, Dak Nong32, Gia Lai33, Kon Tum34 and Lam Dong35. This is the habitat of more than 40 ethnic minorities, including 12 indigenous groups (Gia Rai, E De, Ba Na, Xo Dang, Mnong, Gie Trieng, Ma, Chu Ru, Raglai, Co Ho, Brau, and Ro Mam). Over recent ten years, the migration of some ethnic minorities H’mong, Tay, Nung, Dao) from the North helps to diversify the population structure of the region. Here, ethnic minorities account for over 33% of the local population and about 13% of the total population of the ethnic minorities in Vietnam.
ln the Mekong Delta36, the majority ethnic minorities are the Khmer (97% of the total Khmer population) and Hoa (23% of the total Hoa population). The Cham also reside here in small quantity (12300 people, making up 10% of the total Cham population), mainly in An Giang37 Province.
The anthropologic diversification brings about the culturral diversification. ln the plains and midlands, ethnic groups grow wet-rice, etablish prosperous villages and hamlets in which the center is the communal house, also the worshipping place dedicated to the village tutelary god. Many other familiar images such as banian trees, village water-wells, green bamboo ramparts and boisterous festivals are the inspiration and stimulants for the birth of female long dress, pink brassies, flat plam hats, quan ho38 folk songs, popular opera (cheo)39 in the Red River Delta40, or attractive chanties and folk songs in Central Vietnam, or loose-fitting blouse (ao ba ba)41 and folk songs accompanied by monochord sounds, resounding in canals and rivers in the Mekong Delta36.
The Northwest has a most brilliant and diversified ethnic culture in Vietnam. High mountain ranges and valleys, big water wheels, water-powered rice mortars seem to keep the time flow at a standstill. Terraced fields covered with yellow rice are endless stairs leading to the immense blue sky. On the rugger nock mountains in Dong Van37 and Meo Vac38, the locals plant crops in small hollows in the rocks. This method of cultivation reflects their unlimited industriousness and ability to conquer nature.
In the “self-sufficient” economy, the girls in the mountainous areas, with their diligence and skillfulness managed to weave colorful skirts, shirts, blankets embroidered with vivid decorative patterns, creating various-characteristic identities of different ethnic groups. Houses-on-stilts, earthen-walled houses, dovetail boats, papooses, pack-horses, local specialties (stewed com flour, sticky rice cooked in bamboo segments, meat soup, rice liquor taken with straws), mountain markets, love markets, festivals, agricultural rituals, folk songs have become real attractions to visitors.
The culture of the ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands has its onw features, with tall communal houses-on-stilts, long communal houses-on-stilts and gong performances which was recently recognized by UNESCO39 as the humankind’s cultural heritage. In the Central Highlands, kayaks and tamed elephants are the major means of transport. The culture here is featured with the lithophone40 sets, klong put41 zithers, khan42 (religious songs) tunes, epics, and xoang43 dances.
The Community of 54 Ethnic Groups in Vietnam
For thousands of years, 53 ethnic minorities, together with the Viet (Kinh) people, have formed a great united and powerful Vietnamese family. In such an abundant and diversified panorama, the cultures of different ethnic groups are special and valuable colors. The incomparable cultural treasure of each group or in each region, though different and abundant is a component of the Vietnamese culture which has been promoted and introduced to the world.
At present the culture is considered the foundation and target of the national development. So the image of a Vietnamese country of 54 ethnic groups will be imbued with national identities, modernity and progressiveness.
SEE MORE:
◊ The COMMUNITY of 54 ETHNIC GROUPS in Vietnam – Section 1.
◊ 54 ETHNIC GROUPS in Vietnam- Introduction.
◊ Vietnamese version (vi-VersiGoo): CONG DONG 54 DAN TOC Vietnam – Phan 1.