A multi-ethnic country, Vietnam’s history parallels that of its ethnic groups. Closely linked to that of Vietnam, the history of ethnic groups takes place over thousands of years.
Young Hmong Flower © Mr Linh's adventures
Brief history of the formation of different local communities in Vietnam
Referring to the many multidisciplinary studies conducted on the subject, it can be said that from the protohistory, Vietnam was a land of welcome for many tribes. Discovering agriculture, these nomadic communities abandon hunting and gathering to settle down – excavations will reveal the great diversity of these prehistoric cultures, throughout the Dragon Land. Driven by hunger, and by extension, seeking to adapt to other sites, but also driven by wars or conflicts and therefore seeking to unite to fight them, populations of different origins, each with its own language, culture, customs… voluntarily grouped themselves in the same community, unknowingly giving birth to current ethnic groups. Within this grouping of ethnic communities, some are indigenous, others settled there as a result of various migrations. Migrations that took place roughly until the August 1945 Revolution, creating in their wake a both dispersed and interlocking distribution of the population of Vietnam. Thus, in March 1979, the General Statistics Office of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was able to announce that the country had 54 ethnic groups, including the Kinh (Việt) representing more than 85.4% of the total population. So it will be the majority ethnic group.
Ethnic groups in Vietnam, disparities
Before getting to the heart of the matter, it is not useless to recall here the very strong social disparity between Kinh and minority communities. This gap will increase between 1993 and 1998. It is generally accepted that this very clear disparity arises in conjunction with the economic growth of the 1990s. This growth would have benefited the majority Kinh, Hoa, Khmer and ethnic minorities in the mountainous regions of the north of the country. The impact of this growth can be seen by seeing four social groups emerge:
- First the Kinh- and Hoa, making up the social majority
- Next come ethnic minorities who have allied themselves with the majority,
- Followed by those who try to integrate economically while keeping their cultural and ethnic specificities
- And finally, it is the abandoned minorities, those excluded from economic growth, that are closing the gap.
This somewhat abrupt classification is to be qualified by specifying that the ethnic minorities having custom to live in altitude, or at least in the mountainous areas of Vietnam, they are excluded from the systems of care and education. Moreover, since the majority of families are rural and agricultural, it is not uncommon for children to not attend school regularly. Let us add that some ethnic groups do not speak Vietnamese, and it is easy to understand that the local communities, to be a formidable human and cultural kaleidoscope, are nevertheless a thorn in the side of the local authorities, in terms of cultural and socio-economic disparities.
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Lunch at the local market © Mr Linh's adventures
Ethnic groups in Vietnam, some figures
The Country with the two Delta officially announces 54 ethnic groups, including the Kinh, ethnic majority, represent more than 85.5% of the population. It follows that the remaining 53 ethnic groups are called ethnic minorities, representing about 14.5% of the population of Dragon Land. While local communities are scattered throughout the country, they have a predilection for mountainous, border, remote and remote areas. About 6.7 million people live in mountainous northern provinces, about 2 million in the Central Highlands, 1.9 million people in the North Central and Central Coast and 1.4 million people in the Southwest. The rest live scattered in provinces and cities across the country.
Ethnic groups in Vietnam by language group
It has become customary to «classify» ethnic groups according to their belonging to a particular linguistic field. Also, know that each group has its own traditional costume - perfectly identifiable - and a lifestyle, folklore, customs that are unique to it.
1. Viet Muong Group
- We now know the Kinh (or Viet), the majority ethnic group in Vietnam, which settled a long time ago in the north and north-central Vietnam. To put it another way, when you come to Vietnam, most of the inhabitants you will meet will be Kinh, who have settled all over the country.
- The Muong build their villages at the foot of the mountains or on the hillside. They are famous for their Ruou Can - a fermented rice wine that is drunk with the long bamboo straw.
- The ancestors of the Tho have Kinh and Muong ancestors, which explains many customs similar to these two ethnic groups.
- The Chut ethnic group stands out from the rest of this group. A small community of about 6,000 people, you will certainly come across them on the bushy roads crisscrossing the mountainous regions of Quang Binh province. Some historical documents attest to their presence for more than 500 years.
Traditional Tay Music © Mr Linh's adventures
2. The Tay Group - Thai
- Some groups like Bo Y, Giay, Nung and San Chay migrated from China between 150 and 400 years ago. Some of their ancestors were really good at working in wet rice fields. However, once they arrived in Vietnam, they settled in the highlands of the Northeast and Northwest, which prompted them to grow maize on every available plot of land.
- Lu and Tay are two groups that settled in Vietnam thousands of years ago. These two communities live in North Vietnam, where they are very famous for their unique know-how in brocade weaving.
- If Thai and Lao are also in this group, we will also meet in other countries of Southeast Asia. Thai people are also of Chinese origin, but their culture is quite different from that of Bo Y and Giay because of different living places. As for the Lao, they are part of the Thai ethnic group and therefore have comparable characteristics. Tay and Thai are in the top 5 most populated Vietnamese ethnic groups – along with the Kinh, Muong and Khmer.
The colors of life © Mr Linh's adventure
3. Mon - Khmer Group
The
Mon - Khmer Group is made up of 21 ethnic groups, most of them originally settled in the Tay Nguyen - the Central Highlands region of Vietnam - or in the Northwest region.
- Among these groups, the Bana, with a population of 220,000, is one of the most populated and important ethnic groups. This group branches into several subgroups, some of which - such as O-du or Ro-mam - see no more than 300 to 400 people.
- The Bru-Van Kieu ethnic group likes grilling (!). If, in summer, the Brau, men and women, like to be half naked, the Xinh Mun, Mang, Kho Mu and Khang prefer their traditional clothes, otherwise quite identical to those of the Kinh or Thai. The other groups living in the same region are Co-ho, Co-tu, Gietrieng, Xo-dang, X-tieng, Ta Oi, Hre, Ma and M'nong.
- The Khmers are a little different. Until the 12th century, they played an important role in the culture and life of the community scattered throughout the Mekong Delta region. Known for their expertise in fishing, weaving, sugar making and pottery, the Khmers send their young boys to pagodas – with fascinating and typical architecture – for 3 to 5 years to learn Buddhism and the Khmer language.
- Originally from southern Indochina, the Cho-ro now live in Dong Nai province. Peaceful and discreet ethnic group, we know the particularity of leaving to the girl the right to ask for the hand of a boy, who will later become his Co. Other «bizarre» : while other ethnic groups usually organize a big wedding to show the importance and value of the bride, the ethnic Co is content with small ceremonies.
4. Mong Group - Dzao
Mong, Dzao and Pa Then are the three ethnic groups that occupy this group. Originally from China, they moved to Vietnam several centuries ago. They now live in the Northern Highlands, near the border between Vietnam and China. The three groups have different customs, but they have in common colorful clothes and silver accessories.
5. Kadai Group
6. Austro Group - Polynesian
The
ethnic groups of this group have resided for ages in the central highland’s region and the central coast region of Vietnam. They are characterized by a matriarchal system and therefore, children will bear the surname of their mother and that the smallest daughter will inherit from the position of matriarch.
Cham, Gia Rai, E de, Raglai and Chu Ru are the ethnic minorities of this group.
7. Chinese Group
China is the origin of
three ethnic groups in this group: Hoa - the most populated, Ngai and San Diu. However, most of them do not know how to use Chinese as fluently as their predecessors. There are more than 820,000 members of the Hoa ethnic group living throughout Vietnam, and they still keep many practices from their homeland. Confucianism and Taoism have a significant impact on their beliefs and behaviours.
Traditional House © Mr Linh's Adventures
8. Tibeto Group
The six ethnic groups that belong to the Tibeto group live in the same regions as the Mong - Dzao group and the Kadai group. This is why there are many similarities between these ethnic groups. On the other hand, one of the most important differences is their timing. In this group, Cong and Si La - two minorities from Laos - use the lunar calendar. The other four ethnic groups have their own notions of time. For example, a year among the Lo Lo contains only eleven months, each of them being represented by an animal. There is no written form on the calendars of the Phu La and Ha Nhi. The last ethnic group is the La Hu, who believe that the hats given to them at birth can keep souls.The six ethnic groups that belong to the Tibeto group live in the same regions as the Mong - Dzao group and the Kadai group. This is why there are many similarities between these ethnic groups. On the other hand, one of the most important differences is their timing. In this group, Cong and Si La - two minorities from Laos - use the lunar calendar. The other four ethnic groups have their own notions of time. For example, a year among the Lo Lo contains only eleven months, each of them being represented by an animal. There is no written form on the calendars of the Phu La and Ha Nhi. The last ethnic group is the La Hu, who believe that the hats given to them at birth can keep souls.