Some maintain that Tay have been living in the Quang Ninh - Lao Cai region since 500 BC.  Certainly the Tay have had a long period of contact with the Viet people, and have adopted a number of Viet practices.  Sometimes they are simply described as "indigenous" to north Vietnam.

  There is evidence, however, that the Tay migrated south from China to escape the Mongol armies that invaded in the 13th century.   But this is not the only time that they have been the target of hostile invaders.  They were the only hill people group in northern Vietnam to refuse to submit to the Hmong king, Sioung in the late 19th century.  The Tays were brutalized for 12 long years.  Thousands of Tays were murdered, scores of villages were burned and many Tays fled the mountains to the lowlands.  

  The Tay are patriarchal, and enter into monogamous marriages.  The father is the decision maker for all family affairs, and settles disputes.  This does not preclude respect for the maternal ancestors, and parents-in-law and maternal uncles are also respected.  The greatest share of the inheritance goes to the eldest son.  Generally, family life is harmonious, and divorce is rare.  Marriage and funeral customs are similar to those of Vietnamese society in general.

    An artistic people, the Tay have a rich heritage of songs, poems and dances.  One unique kind of duet is the luon where lovers sing romantic stanzas to each other.  Traditional Tay houses have two rooms.  The front room is for the men, and the back, secluded room is for women.  Both sexes wear unique head coverings often somewhat resembling a turban or chef's hat and often in black.  Men's clothing is dyed with indigo.  Women of the Phen group wear indigo skirts and short vests like the Nung, except that the vests are usually white.  Pa Di women wear vests that are decorated with silver buttons shaped like beehives.  Tay women wear large quantities of silver jewelry.

    Villages are often fortified, reflecting the centuries of tribal warfare.  Moats, ditches and palisades or hedges  are  found, even in modern times.   Perhaps also for security reasons, the villages are typically small, with 15-20 houses, and are named for a nearby mountain or river.  It is not uncommon, however, for Tay people from several villages  to congregate during market days at a regional center.  

  The Tay were formerly known as great hunters and trappers. But now few Tay hunt or trap (except those living in remote mountains). Most Tay have become skilled rice farmers.  They also grow a number of specialized crops such as soy beans, tobacco, cinnamon, tea, anise, cotton, indigo, and fruit trees.  They are also skilled at raising farm animals.  Fish raising in lakes and ponds is something of a Tay specialty.

06/27/2003