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 Home●Montagnard
or minority groups●Si
La |
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Montagnard or minority groups - Si La |
Derivative:
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Cu
De Xu |
Population:
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About 600 people. |
Locality:
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Lai
Chau Province. |
Customs:
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The Si La live in houses built level to the ground. The
kitchen is usually placed at the centre of the house. Relationships between the
members of a lineage are very close. The head of a lineage is usually the oldest
man who plays an important role in the village. He also acts as a leader in
charge of internal affairs, and especially during worship. The "mo" (sorcerers)
are well respected. The Si La wedding ceremony is celebrated in two stages with
one year passing in between the stages. The family of the groom must hand
wedding presents to the bride's family prior to meeting the bride and bringing
her home.
The burial ground of the dead occupies a plot at the end of the village. Graves
of members of the same lineages are grouped together. The Si La often build the
funeral house for the dead first, then dig the grave for the house. The coffin
is made from a hollowed tree trunk. When a person dies, the Si La organize
different kinds of ceremonies. They never clean the graves or exhume the dead's
remains, but they maintain the custom of mourning their parents for three years.
The Si La also worship their ancestors and the spirits of the village. |
Culture:
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The Si La language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman Group. |
Dress:
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The
attire of women is quite unique. The upper part of their dresses are different
colors and decorated with silver and tin coins. Their headgear varies according
to age. When travelling, they always carry a woven handbag with red fringes
attached to the hems of the handbag. In the past, men have painted their teeth
red and women have painted theirs black. This custom is no longer observed by
the young people. |
Economy:
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The
main forms of income are rice and corn cultivation. Hunting and gathering are
also a significant part of the life of the Si La. |
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Questions,
comments,
tips? Click on E-mail. |
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