Pathen Culture

How do they live? The Pathen live in small villages, usually with only five to ten houses. Their houses are usually built on slopes and hillsides. Pathen houses can be constructed like the two most common types found among tribal groups: stilt houses and ground level houses. But some are a hybrid built on slopes, half on stilts and half on the ground. The Pathen sometimes build houses with large posts and beams, which makes a strong and attractive structure. They usually build near rivers and place emphasis on providing water by means of pipes. Modern pipes are of plastic or steel instead of the traditional bamboo.

Villages. Many Pathen in Vietnam are situated along the banks of the Gam River. Their villages average 30-40 houses, and are often located at the foot of a mountain. If no river is nearby, they will build near a large stream.

Crafts. Pathen women are famous weavers. Their woven cloth is highly sought after by traders. They are also noted for related skills, such as ebroidery. Men are excellent carpenters, skilled at building furniture and household items from rattan. They also construct building from wood, rattan and bamboo. Some are blacksmiths, and do seasonal work in that field. They hire themselves out for work at different times of the year between harvest times.

Society. Pathen society is based upon the nuclear family, which is patriarchal. The family is also patrilineal, which means that ancestry is viewed mainly through the male line. Monogamy is the rule and the clan structure is strong There were eight original clans in China, and some other clans have originated through the Yao people (Ban and Trieu). Each clan has its own sacred totem and is divided into branches and families. A village may have many families, but often they are all of the same clan. If several clans share the same village, one clan will be considered the lead clan, usually the clan that first established the village. This arrangement gives great cohesion, and the Pathen place great emphasis on maintaining harmony with their neighbors. Families give mutual assistance during harvest or large construction projects. They also care for and help each other during times of need. Detailed taboos exist that define how one clan relates to and treats another.

Marriage. Members of the same clan may not intermarry. A Pathen man must never have sexual relations with any woman of his clan. This taboo is strictly enforced. Pathen children are told horror stories of what will happen if they break this taboo. This prohibition applies to all people of the same family name, even if they live in a different province and have never previously met. After marriage the new husband is required by tradition to live with his in-laws for 12 years. After six years, however, he is able to take his wife and make their own home if he has the consent of his wife's family. He usually has to pay a token sum for leaving early. The Pathen are monogamous and divorce and polygamy are rare. If a divorce does occur, however, the children remain with the father.

Music. The Pathen have a well-developed musical heritage. They use a variety of musical instruments, including flutes and brass trumpets. They have continued to develop their music and sometimes appear on stage. They have a large store of oral literature. Folk tales tell of the wandering of their ancestors, and trace the close relations that they have maintained between the Yao and the Tay peoples. Their folk songs and alternate verses are similar to the Yao, Hmong, Tay and other north Vietnam people groups. These songs are performed at weddings and festivals. Their graphic arts are realistic. Even the embroidery uses realistic motifs reflecting animals, plants, and cultural implements.

Livelihood The Pathen traditionally grew their crops using slash and burn methods in upland areas. More recently they have also learned to grow wet rice in terraced fields. In the lower fields they practice typical paddy agriculture by transplanting rice seedlings. Besides upland rice, and corn (maize) they grow taro, beans, pumpkins, gourds, sweet potatoes and other vegetables. They sometimes break up the soil in upland areas with small hand tools and plant seeds in a hole made with a digging stick. But they also plough other upland fields and sow crops in more modern ways. They do raise domestic livestock such as chickens, other poultry, pigs, water buffalo, and horses. They still supplement their diet with wild plants and animals.