Name of Ethnic Group: Kho Mu (Xa
Cau, Mun Xen, Pu Thenh, Tenh, and Tay Hay).
Population: More than 43,000 people.
Locality: Nghe An, Lai
Chau, Son La, Thanh Hoa, and Yen Bai Provinces.
Customs and Habits:The Kho Mu
still live a nomadic lifestyle. Their houses are built with temporary
and
rudimentary materials and have very little furniture. The husband must
live with his wife's family for one year after marriage. Marriage
between
the same lineage is strictly forbidden. The Kho Mu believe in the existence
of spirits. The heavens, the sound of thunder, the earth, the forests,
and the field are all assisted by spirits. The worshipping of spirits
of the village and of ancestors is very common. They also pray for
bumper
harvests and good annual production.
Culture: The Kho Mu language belongs
to the Mon-Khmer Group. A rich heritage of tradition and culture can
be found in this ethnic group.
Costumes: The garments of the Kho Mu resemble
the Thai group, but the women's ornaments are unique to this group.
Economy: The Kho Mu
live on slash-and-burn cultivation, hunting, and gathering. Basketry
is also a very developed skill among the members of this group.