Unique features of the Pa Then ethnic group

Many studies show that the Pa Then people have a close relationship with the Hmong and Dao people, and are a unique ethnic minority, residing mainly in the provinces of Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang... Let's find out information about the Pa Then ethnic group, Vietnam with iGuide.ai!

Historical origin of the Pa Then ethnic group

Pa Then belongs to the Hmong-Dao language group, with a much smaller population than these two ethnic groups. Many studies suggest that the Pa Then people have a close relationship with the Hmong and Dao people. Some studies suggest that the Pa Then people are the 8th group out of 12 Dao groups that previously migrated from China to Vietnam. However, the fact that the Pa Then people are called Meo Lai, Meo Do, Meo Hoa by some ethnic groups shows their cultural similarities with the Hmong people. The Pa Then people, along with the Dao and Mong people, migrated to Vietnam about 2-300 years ago.

About ethnic names: In addition to the name Pa Then, there are also names Pa Hung, Pa Ung, Meo Lai, Meo Do, Meo Hoa...

Population of the Pa Then people

8,248 people as of April 1, 2019. Of which, 4,137 are male and 4,111 are female (According to the results of the survey collecting information on the socio-economic status of 54 ethnic minorities in 2019 by the Vietnam Ethnic Committee - General Statistics Office).

Language of the Pa Then ethnic group

Belonging to the Hmong-Dao family.

Geographic distribution

The Pa Then people mainly reside in the districts of Bac Quang, Quang Binh (Ha Giang); Chiem Hoa, Yen Son, Lam Binh (Tuyen Quang). In general, the residential area of the Pa Then people is lower than that of many other ethnic groups, mainly in the mountainous areas and valleys around the Lo River, with an average altitude of 500 - 1,000m, which is favorable for the formation of residential areas and the development of agricultural and forestry economy.

Main characteristics of the Pa Then people

- Housing: Depending on the location, the Pa Then people are used to living in stilt houses, houses on the ground or half stilt houses and half ground houses. Nowadays, in many places, people have built spacious and sturdy houses with pillars.

- Family structure: Patriarchal.

- Traditional costumes: The Pa Then people use red as the main color. Women's costumes include: shirt, skirt, inner scarf and outer scarf, very colorful. Some decorative motifs on their clothes are similar to those of the Dao people. Men only wear traditional clothes on their wedding day, with some decorations such as long scarves with patterns, tassels at both ends; two pieces of white cloth crossed over each other on both shoulders and tied at the waistband behind and in front; wearing a few necklaces...

- Cuisine: Mainly eat rice, three meals a day including rice, vegetables, meat, spices such as salt, chili...

- Festivals: The Pa Then people celebrate Lunar New Year and other festivals like other ethnic groups in the Northeast region.

- Beliefs: In the past, due to limited access to education, they still believed that the world and all living things were created by Mr. and Mrs. Quơ Vo and Me quơ O, that illnesses were caused by ghosts and were cured by worship. The Pa Then people believe in the existence of supernatural beings and that all things have souls. Ghosts and gods are of two types: good and evil. The good type includes gods in the sky, ancestors, local gods...; the evil type includes river ghosts, stream ghosts, ghosts of people who died unexpectedly... they often destroy crops and harm livestock.

Mainly worshiping ancestors in the house. The altar is made of an upside-down U-shaped wooden board. On the table there is an incense bowl and a bowl of water. The Pa Then people have many beliefs related to agriculture such as: worshiping before sowing seeds, the new rice offering ceremony. The legend of the appearance of rice plants is due to 3 animals: dogs, cats, pigs stealing rice seeds from the sky for humans, so when offering new rice, the 3 animals must be fed first. When there is a long drought, the villagers hold a ceremony to pray for rain. Rituals related to animal husbandry and hunting are also emphasized. Currently, the number of Pa Then people who understand general knowledge is increasing. The system of ghosts, gods, and idealistic concepts no longer completely control their lives.

Economic and social conditions

Mainly farming by slash-and-burn cultivation, raising livestock, planting forests, and exploiting natural resources. In addition, the Pa Then people also do some household crafts such as weaving, knitting, forging, carpentry, silver carving, and paper making. According to the "Basic characteristics of 54 ethnic minorities in 2019" conducted by the Ethnic Committee and the General Statistics Office, the poverty rate is 50.2%; The rate of near-poor households: 20.6%; The unemployment rate: 0.20%; The rate of trained workers with degrees and certificates: 16.6%; The rate of workers working in the non-agricultural sector: 11.6%; The rate of workers working in management or high and medium-level technical and vocational jobs: 1.8.

Educational conditions of the Pa Then people

According to "Basic characteristics of 54 ethnic minorities in 2019" conducted by the Ethnic Committee and the General Statistics Office, the rate of people aged 15 and over who can read and write: 75.4%; The rate of people attending primary school: 101.4%; The rate of people attending lower secondary school: 95.5%; The rate of people attending upper secondary school: 67.1%; The rate of out-of-school children: 7.8%.

Above is some interesting information about the Pa Then ethnic group in Vietnam. Let's plan to visit, exchange and meet the culture of the Pa Then people with iGuide.ai in the near future!

Source:
- Ethnic groups in Vietnam (National Political Publishing House Truth)
- Basic characteristics of 54 ethnic minorities in 2019 (Committee on Ethnic Minorities and General Statistics Office)
- Website of the Ethnic Committee, Website of Nhan Dan Newspaper
- Survey results collect information on the socio-economic status of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam)