*Alternate Name: Thổ
*Local Groups: Ngạn, Phén, Thu Lao, Pa Dí
*Language: The Tày people are part of the Tai-Kadai language family.
* Population: Approximately 1.2 million, making them the largest minority group in Vietnam.
* Residency: The Tày people primarily live in valleys and on the lower slopes of mountains.
* Economy: The Tày have a well-developed traditional agriculture, cultivating a variety of crops such as rice, corn, sweet potatoes, and seasonal fruits and vegetables.
* Housing: Tày villages are typically situated at the foot of mountains or near streams. Villages are often named after local hills, fields, or river bends. Each village generally consists of 15 to 20 houses, with larger villages divided into smaller hamlets. Housing types include stilt houses, earthen houses, and in some border regions, fortified houses. Within the home, there is a distinction between male areas, usually located outside, and female areas, which are situated in the inner rooms.
Illustrative Image
*Clothing: The Tày people usually wear indigo-dyed cotton clothing. Women’s garments extend to the calf, with narrow sleeves, a right-side slit, and five buttons.
*Family: The Tày generally favor sons and have clearly defined roles among family members. Marital relationships are characterized by mutual affection, with divorce being rare. The practice of bride-taking has long been discontinued
Illustrative Image
*Ancestral Worship: Ancestral worship is the primary religious ritual for the Tày. The ancestral altar is the most central and sacred place in the home. The space in front of the altar is kept clear, and strangers are not allowed to sit or lie on it. There are also taboos, such as not stepping on burning firewood or the stove’s edge. Those returning from funerals must be clean before interacting with livestock or poultry, and new mothers are not permitted near the ancestral altar.
*Culture: The Tày have a rich traditional cultural heritage, including a variety of genres such as poetry, songs, dance, and puppetry. Proverbs and folk songs are significant, with popular forms including "hát lượn" (a type of folk singing), wedding songs, and lullabies.
*Social Relations: The Tày are known for their hospitality, openness, and friendliness. They value peers of the same age highly and consider close friends as siblings or relatives once a bond is established
Translated by Huyen Vu