54 GROUPS: TAY PEOPLE OF VIETNAM

This page provides some details about Tay people. They are one of the 54 groups of people in Vietnam.

Name Of Ethnic Group

Tay (also known as Tho, Ngan, Phen, Thu Lao, and Pa Di)

Tay People Population

1,845,492 people (2019 Census)

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. They also live in some regions of Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces.

Customs & Habits

Ancestor worship is a religious rite of the Tay. The altars for the ancestors are in a central location in the house. The altar room is such a sacred place that guests are not allowed to sit on the bed in front of the altar. In addition, after giving birth, women can’t sit on the bed in front of the altar.

Offroad Vietnam Motorbike Tours - 54 Groups: Tay People Of Vietnam. Tay people, Tho, Ngan, Phen, Thu Lao, and Pa Di minority, Tay ethnie, montagnard

Tay villages are always at the foot of a mountain and are often pick a name after a mountain, field, or river. Each village contains about 15-20 households.

Culture

The Tay language belongs to Tay-Thai Group. There is rich traditional folklore with all kinds of poems, songs, dances, and music. Tay songs include the “Hat Luon” (a kind of duet between lovers), wedding songs, and lullabies.

Costumes

Tay women wear knee-length dresses, which are split at the right side with five buttons along the armpit, and narrow sleeves.

Economy

The Tay people have developed agricultural practices quite well and are able to cultivate all kinds of plants including rice, maize, and sweet potato.

For more information about 53 more ethnic groups of people in Vietnam, please follow this link

Top of page Offroad Vietnam Motorbike Tours - 54 Groups: Tay People Of Vietnam