Name of ethnic group: Ta Oi (Toi Oi, Pa Co, Ba Hy, and Ba Ghy). Population: 34,960 people (Year 1999). Locality: A Luoi District of Thua Thien-Hue Province and Huong Hoa District of Quang Tri Province.  Customs and habits The communal house of the Ta Oi is called the Rong. It is built at the centre of the village and is a fairly elongated house. The children take the family name of the father and only sons have the right to inherit the family estate. The head of a lineage plays an important role in village affairs. Young Ta Oi men and women are free to choose their partners. They believe in animism and organize many ceremonies for Giang. Several years after the burial of a deceased person, the dead's lineage organizes a ceremony to exhume the dead's remains and build a funeral house with sophisticated decoration and statues around the fence of the funeral house. Culture The Ta Oi language belongs to the Mon-Khmer Group and is close to the Bru-Van Kieu and Co Tu languages. The...

Name of ethnic group: Tay (Tho, Ngan, Phen, Thu Lao, and Pa Di). Population: 1,477,514 people (Year 1999). Locality: The Tay lives along the valleys and the lower slopes of the mountains in Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Kan, and Quang Ninh provinces, and in some regions of Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces.  Customs and habits Ancestor worship is a religious rite of the Tay. The altars for the ancestors are placed in a central location in the house. The altar room is such a sacred place that guests is not allowed to sit on the bed in front of the altar. After giving birth, women are also not allowed to sit on the bed in front of the altar. Tay villages are always built at the foot of a mountain and are often named after a mountain, field, or river. Each village contains about 15-20 households. Culture The Tay language belongs to Tay-Thai Group. There is a rich traditional folklore with all kinds of poems, songs, dances, and music. Tay songs include the "Hat Luon" (a kind of duet...

Name of ethnic group: Thai (Tay, Tay Dam, Tay Khao, Tay Muoi, Tay Thanh, Hang Tong, and Pu Thay). Population: 1,328,725 people (Year 1999). Locality: Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Hoa Binh, and Nghe An provinces.  Customs and habits The Thai worship their ancestors, the heavens, the earth, ban, and "muong". They also hold rituals to pray for good crops.The Thai live in houses built on stilts. Among the Black Thai, they prefer roofs that are shaped like a tortoise carapace with decorations called "khau cuts" at each ridge. A Thai man first lives with his wife's family for several years until the couple has a child; they then move to the house of the husband's family. The Thai organize funerals as a farewell party to see off the dead to the other world. Culture The Thai language belongs to the Tay-Thai Group. They have a valuable legacy of myths, legends, ancient tales, versed stories, and folksongs. They like to sing and recite the "khap" along with the accompaniment of string...