*Alternate Names: Táy
*Sub-Groups: The Thai are divided into several local groups, including Táy Đăm, Táy Khao, Tày Mười, Tày Thanh, Hàng Tổng, Pu Thay, and Thổ Đà Bắc.
*Population: There are currently over 1 million Thai people.
* Residency: The Thai predominantly reside in the provinces of Lai Châu, Sơn La, Hòa Bình, and Nghệ An.
*Language: Thai belongs to the Tày-Thái language group.
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*Economy: The Thai people possess extensive knowledge of traditional irrigation techniques, such as building terraces, digging ditches, and using water wheels. Rice paddies, especially glutinous rice, are a staple food source. They also practice shifting cultivation for growing various crops and maintain livestock, poultry, and engage in weaving, basketry, and pottery in some areas. Thai textiles, particularly their intricately patterned and colorful brocade fabrics, are renowned.
*Clothing: In recent decades, Thai men have commonly worn Western-style suits, but women continue to adhere to traditional attire, including skirts, blouses, and headscarves, along with distinctive ethnic jewelry.
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* Housing: The Thai traditionally live in stilt houses, with each village typically comprising about 40-50 adjacent homes. The Black Thai community decorates their rooftops with images of the "khau cút." Two distinguishing features of Thai stilt houses compared to those of other ethnic groups are the design of the stairs and the traditional "khau cút" decorations.
Black Thai House - Illustrative Image
*Marriage: The Thai practice a tradition where the groom lives with the bride's family for a few years before moving to his own home after they have children.
*Clan: The Thai have numerous clans, each with specific taboos. For instance, the Lò clan avoids eating "táng lò" birds, while the Quàng clan abstains from consuming tiger meat.
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*Funeral: The Thai people believe that death transitions to continued existence in the afterlife, so funeral rites are ceremonies to send the deceased to the "mường trời" (heavenly realm).
*Worship: The Thai worship ancestors, deities of heaven and earth, and the spirits of their village. Agricultural rituals, including ceremonies for the new season, start with the annual welcoming of the first thunder.
*Culture: Thai literature includes rich folklore such as myths, fairy tales, and poems. Notable works include "Xống chụ xon xao" and "Khun Lú, Nàng Ửa." The Thai also have a tradition of written records on paper and leaves. Their cultural expressions include "khắp" (reciting or singing poetry), with popular dances like the "xòe" and "sạp" performed locally and internationally. Unique cultural practices include "hạn khuống" and "ném còn."
Translated by Huyen Vu