Who are the Tay people?

    Dwelling in the rugged mountains of Northern Vietnam, the Tay are the largest of Vietnam's minority groups.   They came south from China centuries ago, though an estimated 100,000 still live in China.  Their appearance and dress are striking.  They have been considered one of the most physically attractive people groups in the region.  Their villages are typically at the foot of a mountain or near a stream.

   
   In the past, the Tay were noted as hunters and often had to defend themselves from being slaughtered by their warlike neighbors.  They have had to adjust to growing rice and other crops, though some in remote areas still practice their traditional hunter ways.

Name Change:
   The Tay were previously known as Tho,  but that name is not used much anymore, and is considered insulting.  The name Tay is pronounced to sound like  Dai. 

There are four local subgroups in Vietnam:  the Phen, Thu Lao, Pa Di, and Ngan.

Note:  Much of this information is from: The Peoples of Vietnam, A Collection of Prayer Profiles by Asian Minorities Outreach, Darawan Printing, November, 1998.