nghi lễ gia đình của người mảng ở việt nam bản tóm tắt tiếng anh

VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
***
NGUYỄN VĂN THẮNG
FAMILY RITUALS OF MANG
PEOPLE IN VIETNAM
Major: Cultural anthropology
Code: 62 31 65 01
SUMMARY OF ANTHROPOLOGY PHD DISSERTATION
Ha Noi, 2014
THE THESIS WAS COMPLETED AT
GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
VIET NAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
***
SUPERVISORS
1. Assoc. Prof. Bùi Văn Đạo
2. Assoc. Prof. Nguyễn Văn Minh
Judge 1: Assoc. Prof. Lâm Bá Nam
Judge 2: Assoc. Prof. Nguyễn Duy Bính
Judge 3: Assoc. Prof. Nguyễn Ngọc Thanh
The dissertation will be presented to a PhD committee at Graduate
Academy of Social Sciences at: 2014
Readers can look up this Dissertation at:
- National Library
- Library of Graduate Academy of Social Sciences
- Library of Institute of Social Sciences of Central Highlands
LIST OF PUBLISHED WORKS RELATING TO THE DISSERTATION
TOPIC BY PHD STUDENT
1. Nguyễn Văn Thắng (2013), "Rituals of birth delivery and baby rearing of Mang
people in Viet Nam", Journal of Ethnography, No 3, pp. 25-35, Hà Nội.
2. Nguyễn Văn Thắng (2013), "Local knowledge of Mang people in Viet Nam",

Vietnam Social Sciences Review, No 6, pp. 93-100, Hà Nội.
3. Nguyễn Văn Thắng (2013), "Agricultural rituals of Mang people in Viet Nam",
Journal of Social Sciences of Central Highlands, No 2, pp. 62-71, Hà Nội.
4. Nguyễn Văn Thắng (2012), "Funerals of Mang people in Lai Chau province",
Journal of Ethnograpy, No 4, pp. 11-19, Hà Nội.
5. Nguyễn Văn Thắng (2012), "Weddings of Mang people in Viet Nam", Journal of
Social Sciences of Central Highlands, No 2, pp. 60-71, Hà Nội.
6. Nguyễn Văn Thắng (2012), "Livelihood of Mang people in Viet Nam and
sustainabble development of a race", Journal of Sustainable Development Studies, No 3,
pp. 29-38, Hà Nội.
7. Nguyễn Văn Thắng (2012), "Local knowledge of Mang people in Viet Nam in
health check-up and treatment", Journal of Forklores, No 3, pp. 55-60, Hà Nội.
INTRODUCTION
1. Background
Mang people in Viet Nam is an ethnic minority group. According to
the 2009 Population and Housing Census, Mang group has a population of
3,700 people and locate in 14 provinces and cities in the country: Dien
Bien, Son La, Dak Lak, Dong Nai. Most of Mang people are living in Lai
Chau province with 3,631 people, accounting for 98.13% of total ethnic
minority groups. Mang people often live in the disadvantaged and remote
areas. Many villages of Mang people are located along the Viet Nam –
China borderline. In the last years, there have been some works and
studies on Mang people but a comprehensive study on family rituals of
Mang people is absent.
Family rituals include the rituals and practices on birth giving, child
rearing, wedding, funeral, health treatment and check-up, occupation,
peace-seeking worship. This is the longstanding cutural values of a race
and important factor of spiritual culture reflecting their morals and
outlook on life. Family rituals of Mang people in Viet Nam are changing
to adapt to new contexts and environment. Thus, researching family

rituals is to point out basic aspects of Mang culture in Viet Nam.
Socio-economic life of Mang people in Viet Nam has seen changes,
especially since Doi Moi in 1986 that was followed by changes in their
traditional rituals and has both positive and adversed impact on their lives.
Therefore, researching family rituals of Mang people in this context points
out traditional cultural values and its changes that helps identify the trend
of changes and find out appropriate solutions to reserve and develop good
cultural values.
Under the influence of globalisation, although State and Party has
paid due attention to reserving and developing ethnic cultural values to
serve the industrialisation and modernisation, the rapidly ongoing
acculturation has brought about opportunities for the ethnic minority
groups to access and integrate into the global economy and culture. This
also brings about challenges in the development, especially in
harmonising the development and reservation of ethnic minority groups’
culture.
Given such theoretical and practical issues, a study on Family rituals
of Mang people in Viet Nam is not only of scientific significance but also
contributes to maintaining and developing traditional culture of Mang to be
in line with the existing socio-economic development context shaped by
Doi Moi and integration. The study is also to provide scientific foundation
for state management bodies in their making policies and developing socio-
economic development solutions to reserve and developing ethnic cultural
values according to the direction of “building and developing a progressive
and intensively traditional Vietnam culture” stated at the National Congress
5th of the VIIIth Party.
2. Objectives of the dissertation
First, present clearly and systematically family rituals of Mang
people in Viet Nam.
Second, contribute to examining the values of Mang family rituals

in Viet Nam and its changes in existing context, analysing influencing
factors to the changes.
Third, provide a reference on Mang people in Viet Nam, scientific
foundation for comparative research on ethnic minority groups sharing
same language in Viet Nam.
Fourth, provide scientific foundation for state management bodies
in designing appropriate policies on reserving and developing cultural
values of Mang ethnic minority group.
3. Subjects, scope, and study site
3.1. The subject of the dissertation is Mang ethnic minority group.
The dissertation scrutinises the system of family rituals and its changes
in existing context.
3.2. The scope of the dissertation is family rituals of Mang ethnic
minority group in Viet Nam. However, because the scope is wide and
relates to various aspects of ethnic people’s lives, the dissertation focuses
on some specific rituals: life cycle rituals, occupational rituals, peace-
seeking worship, God and ancestor worship, check-up and treatment.
The dissertation also examines the changes and roles of rituals in the new
context. Traditional rituals of Mang families are the rituals prior to 1986.
Since Doi Moi, the market mechanism has strongly impact on lives of
Mang people in Viet Nam, including family rituals.
3.3. The study site is in Lai Chau province, including 5 communes
in 2 districts: Pa Ve Su, Bum Nua, Vang San communes of Muong Te
district and Chan Nua, Nam Ban communes of Sin Ho district. These
communes are home of many Mang people in Viet Nam and reserve
intensively culture of the ethnicity and ensure the representativeness of the
sites where are influenced by market mechanism at different levels. In
addition, the study compares with Mang people in other localities so that
the study results are better comprehensive.
4. Reference source

Besides the results of published works and related secondary data,
the dissertation is based on the primary data collected by the author since
2005.
5. Contribution of the dissertation
First, the dissertation is the first work providing comprehensive
and systematic information on family rituals of Mang people in Viet
Nam;
Second, point out the values of family rituals of Mang people and
the changes of their rituals in current context;
Third, through synthesis and analysis, the dissertation points out
the similarities and differences of Mang cultural values in comparative
with other ethnic minority groups;
Fourth, the dissertation provides scientific foundation and suggest
recommendations and solutions for making policies on socio-economic
development and maintenance and development of Mang cultural values
in current context of Viet Nam.
6. Structure of dissertation
In addition to the Introduction, Conclusion, Reference and Index,
the dissertation composes of 5 chapters:
Chapter 1: Literature review, theoretical background,
methodologies and study site
Chapter 2: Life cycle rituals in traditional society
Chapter 3: Occupational rituals, ancestors and Gods’ worship
and festivals in traditional society
Chapter 4: Changes in family rituals since 1986
Chapter 5: Results and discussion
Chapter 1
LITERATURE REVIEW, THEORETICAL BACKGROUND,
METHODOLOGIES AND STUDY SITE
1.1. LITERATURE REVIEW

There are very few research in Viet Nam and abroad on Mang people, hence,
the number of related studies and published works are very limited and
unsystematically. The materials on Mang people can be found mainly in regional and
area studies, assessment reports or brief papers. In this literature review, the author has
tried to gather all materials and publications on Mang people, focusing on directly
related works on family rituals for the study purpose.
There are some works introducing briefly on social, cultural, economic,
historical characters and the origin of Mang people in Viet Nam as follows: The races
with Southern Asian origin in Northern Vietnam by Vuong Hoan Tuyen (1963); The
races with Southern Asian origin in Northwestern Vietnam by Dang Nghiem Van
(1972); Races of Southern Asian language system in Northwestern Vietnam by Dang
Nghiem Van, Nguyen Truc Binh, Nguyen Van Huy and Thanh Thien (1972); Ethnic
minority groups in Vietnam (northern provinces) by Institute of Ethnology (1979);
Historical origin of races in northern border provinces in Viet Nam by Nguyen Chi
Huyen, Hoang Hoa Toan, Luong Van Bao (2000); Lai Chau and ethnic minority
groups in Lai Chau edited by Hanh Lien (2007).
In-depth works on Mang people in Viet Nam include: Thanh Thien and brief
introduction of Mang people in Lai Chau (1972); Ngo Duc Thinh and Community
relationship in “Muy” organisation of Mang people prior to Liberation (1972);
Dissolution process of extended families of Mang people currently (1974); Mang fairy
tales by Mac Dinh Di, Chau Hong Thuy, Ly A San (1985); Vi Van An introduces
mouth tattoos practice of Mang people in his work of Those who keep the practice of
chin tattoos (1999); Mang people in Nam Ban by Tran Minh Thu and Lo Ngoc Bien;
Ngoc Hai with several works, including: Cultural identity of Mang ethnicity (2003),
Mang folklores and fairy tales (2004) and Some customs of Mang ethnicity (2006);
Local knowledge of Mang ethnic minority group in Sin Ho district of Lai Chau
province in caring for pregnant women and newborn babies by Pham Manh Duong
(2006); Marriage of Mang people in Lai Chau by Nguyen Van Nam (2006); Mang
people in Chan Nua of Sin Ho district, Lai Chau province by Hoang Son (2007);
Nguyen Van Thang and Customs and belief of Mang people in Nam Ban commune,

Sin Ho district, Lai Chau province (2007); The customs of giving a name to Mang
people in Nam Ban (2007); Livelihoods of Mang people in Viet Nam and the
sustainable development of a race (2012); Wedding of Mang people in Viet Nam
(2012), Funerals of Mang people in Lai Chau (2012), Local knowledge of Mang people
in Viet Nam in check-up and health treatment (2012), Rituals of giving birth and child
rearing of Mang people in Viet Nam (2013), Local knowledge of Mang people in Viet
Nam (2013), Agricultural rituals of Mang people in Viet Nam (2013).
Some authors study on the language of Mang people, including: Nguyen Thi
Loan and Some traites of Mang language in Northwestern Viet Nam (1976), Ta Van
Thong and Exclusion of Mang language (1997), Nguyen Huu Loi, Nguyen Huu Hoanh
and Ta Van Thong and The position of Mang language in Mon-Khmer languages
(1998), Nguyen Van Loi, Nguyen Huu Hoanh and Ta Van Thong with Mang language
(2008).
It is found out that the published works have more or less mentioned Mang
people in Lai Chau but not Mang people in other provinces in the country. In addition,
the rituals of Mang people have yet to become the subject of studies, thus, a systematic
and comprehensive study on this topic has been absent. It is necessary to have in-depth
and comprehensive research on the rituals from the perspective of ethnology and
anthropology to contribute to the overall picture of Mang people’s culture in Viet Nam.
It is to maintain and develop cultural values of this ethnic minority group in current
context. Despite of that, previous works are valuable references for this dissertation in
addition to the primary data collected by the author to delineate a relatively complete
picture on family rituals of Mang people in Viet Nam.
1.2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGIES
1.2.1. Basic concepts
The dissertation uses several concepts, including: rituals, family, family ritual,
practice, customs, taboos as the research tools. The concepts are divided into categories
and presented according to the practical process. The purpose is to provide the overall
knowledge of family rituals of Mang people in Viet Nam.
1.2.2. Theoretical ground

The dissertation applies the approaches of Marxism, Ho Chi Minh thoughts, and
viewpoints of Viet Nam state and Communist Party on ethnicity and culture. The
author uses two theories of functionism and acculturation as theoretical ground for
analyses.
1.2.3. Methodologies
Ethnography is the main method of this study, including observation,
participation observation, in-depth interview, focus groups to collect information from
the research subject. In addition, expert consultation, statistics, comparison, analysis,
photography are used.
1.3. STUDY SITE AND SUBJECT
1.3.1. Natural traits
Lai Chau is a border province, bordering Yunnan province of China in the north
and northwestern; Dien Bien province in the West and Southwestern; Lao Cai and Yen
Bai province in the East and Southeastern; Son La province in the south. As of December
2012, Lai Chau has 7 districts, including Muong Te and Sin Ho districts where are homes
to Mang people. Sin Ho is located in the border highlands, covering an area of 1,925
square kilometer, a population of 77,085 people, population density of 40.05 people per
square kilometer. Sin Ho district, 60 kilometers away from the province centre, is bounded
by Yunnan province (China) in the north, Muong Te district in the West, Tam Duong and
Than Uyen districts in the East and Quynh Nhai district (Son La province) and Tua Chua
district (Dien Bien province) in the South. Muong Te is also a border district, around 180
kilometers away from the province centre in the northwest. The district borders with
Yunnan province (China) in the north, Muong Lay and Muong Nhe districts (Dien Bien
province) in the south and west, Sin Ho district (Lai Chau province) in the east. The
district has a natural area of 3,670 square kilometers and a population of 50,490 people.
1.3.2. Mang people in Viet Nam
1.3.2.1. Overviews of race history
Mang people is also called with different names, such as, Mang, U, Xa Xam
Cam, Xa Mang, Xa Ba O, Ra Mang, etc. There are two groups of Mang people,
including Mang Gung and Mang Le. Mang people, one of Mon-Khmer language

groups and South Asian origin, has been living in Lai Chau province for rather long
time and considered a native group in Lai Chau province. The prehistorically
archaeological relics found in Nam Tum cave and Tham Khuong cave in Lai Chau
indicate that humans were present in this site and it concurs with folk stories of Mang
people. However, there is no evidence on the exact time when the Mang people were
present. The literature so far is limited to the fact that Mang people live in this province
earliest or explored this land.
1.3.2.2. Population and population distribution
According to the 2009 Population and Housing Census, Mang group has 3,700
people living in 14 provinces in the country (see Table 1). However, the absolute
majority of them reside in Lai Chau province, including Sin Ho district where are
home to 1,738 Mang people and Muong Te district with 1,452 people.
1.3.2.3. Socio-economic and cultural characteristics
Mang people’s economic activities include: cultivation, animal raising, hunting,
traditional handicraft, and commercial exchange. Cultivation is the main activity and
rice field in the mountains is the main production.
The traditional social structure of Mang people is managed by Po Gia. Before
August Revolution, Mang people mainly worked as hired workers for French
colonialism and Thai landlords. They were disdained and considered as lower class and
not allowed to participate in leadership positions higher than Tao Long. Mang people
call a village a muy. The head of village administers all aspects of life in the
community and under the administration of Tao Long and Thai landlords. Mang people
in Viet Nam composed of six clans, including Pan, Tao, Lung, Anh, Ly and Chin.
Afterwards, Mang women marry to Thai men and there is Lo clan. Patriarchial
extended family was a popular pattern in tradition. Today, Mang families are nuclear
families with independent economy. Until now, the matriarchy remains.
Food is mainly from forest, including: mushroom, bamboo shoots, kinds of
vegetables found in forest, and planted vegetables. Fresh food such as crab, fish, wild
animal meat, pork, chicken, and beef are hunted and domestically raised. There are two
kinds of drink, including can wine and distilled wine. Pipe tobacco is traditional

tobacco. Mang people’s houses are described as follows: 1) the house aspect depends
on terrain; 2) simple structuring; 3) Rooms are allocated according to the position of
family members; 4) house on stilts built with wood and covered with leaves; 5) There
is no distinction in space for kitchen, house, and there is a division of space for living
for individuals. Female costume is dyed black or indigo long dress, a chest-splited top;
covered outside with a strip of white cloth. Women’s hair is twisted into a bun and held
with a band embroidered with red and blue threads. Male costume includes indigo-
coloured trousers with wide trouser legs and length till ankles; the belt is tied with a
fabric band; the shirt is indigo or dark blue, split at chest. Men have long hair and tied
with a black scarf.
Following the animism, Mang people believe that all living being in the earth
has soul. Although there is not their own writing, Mang people has a relatively
profound and rich folklore literature with a diversified types including fairy tale,
legend, old stories, quizzes, and poem. In addition, the local knowledge is much
diversified in protecting and exploring natural resources.
SUMMARY OF CHAPTER I
The dissertation on Family rituals of Mang people in Viet Nam is written in the
context the works and studies on this group of people are not many and unsystematic.
Mostly, there is small-scaled research and none is on the group rituals. The previous
research is mainly about the history of the group, socio-economic conditions, or
describes cultural phenomena of Mang people while there is no analysis interpreting
the symbols and group-and-group comparison, cultural changes under the impact of
acculturation. This dissertation is a valuable reference since it bridges the gaps in
anthropology on family rituals of Mang people in Viet Nam.
As the ground for analysing and assessing the main content of the dissertation,
Chapter 1 provides basic concepts relating directly to the topic: ritual, family, family
ritual, function of rituals. Theories used include: acculturation theory, functionalism.
The methodologies are dialectical materialism and historical materialism of Marxism,
Ho Chi Minh thoughts and the viewpoints by State and Communist Party on ethnicity
and culture; family rituals of Mang people are considered in its moves, changes and

dialectically related to other factors of Mang people and ethnicity. Ethnology is the
main method. In addition, the dissertation uses other methods like expert consultation,
synthesis, analysis, statistics, photography.
Mang people concentrate in two districts of Muong Te and Sin Ho of Lai Chau
province. Therefore, these districts are the main site of the study. The dissertation
provides an overview of natural condition, history of race, population distribution,
socio-economic and cultural tradition and changes in an effort to provide a
comprehensive outlook on the site and subject of the study. It should be noted that
because inhabiting in an underdeveloped border area, the economy of Mang people
depends heavily on subsistence cultivation of rice in high mountains. The cohesion of
community is based on equality and strong attachment of family members to the clans.
Social institutions and prestigious people in tradition remain relatively strongly
influencing people’s lives in all aspects. Mang people’s culture is rich and diversified
manifested in their faith, rituals and folklores.
Chapter 2
LIFE CYCLE RITUALS IN TRADITION
2.1. BIRTH GIVING AND CHILD REARING RITUALS
2.1.1. Viewpoints on birth giving and child rearing
The birth of a child changes social position of related individuals, such as, a man
becomes a father, a woman becomes a mother, a child becomes a sister or brother.
Mang people believe that a family with many children is blessed and vice versus.
Parents raise children and children will take care of parents in their old ages. Couples
without a child are sometimes criticised as not blessed or punished by their ancestors or
gods for their bad performance in their lives. Son preference is not clear for Mang
people. For them, all creatures in the universe have souls. Birth giving is considered
not clean, therefore, Mang women often gave birth at a shack previously and now close
to their stilt house. Family members are not allowed to give any utensils in home to the
woman who has just given a birth. During pregnancy and after giving a birth, women
must keep off many things. In a month before giving a birth, women are not allowed to
grow plants, especially rice because it is believed the soul of rice will go and thus loss

of harvest is imminent.
2.1.2. Rituals in pregnancy period
The rituals in pregnancy period are practiced when a couple fails to give birth to
a child after 2 or 3 years in marriage. The couple has to consult a fortune teller to know
about the reasons why they cannot give birth to a child. Then, the couple has to make
offerings to the god or ghost accordingly to the advice of fortune teller. If during
pregnancy, the mother gets sick, the family has to worship to drive away ghost which
might have caused bad things to the foetus.
2.1.3. Rituals of giving birth
In tradition, when a pregnant woman signals signs of delivery, she would be
moved to the shack in the rice field or under the stilts house. During delivery, if the
pregnant woman is difficult to give birth, the husband must seek a shaman to practice a
difficult giving birth worship to protect mother’s and baby’s health.
2.1.4. Rituals of taking care, protecting and rearing a child
After giving birth, the mother is not allowed to eat vegetables, pork, dog meat,
fish with black skin, all fruits, salt and prohibited to cut trees, hoe land (especially in
groundbreaking for building a house) in order to take good care and protect her baby.
During this stage, Mang people has different rituals, including ritual of keeping baby
soul, ritual of naming for the baby, ritual of calling the baby’s soul, ritual of tieing
thread at wrist, ritual of worshipping ghost for the sake of the baby.
2.2. RITUALS OF MARRIAGE
2.2.1. Viewpoints on marriage and principles of marriage
Mang people do not use force in marriage. People are free to choose life partner
and get married relatively early. Girls get married at 15-18 years old and boys get
married at 16-20 years old. In some cases, people get married earlier than these ages.
Previously, boys and girls at about 14-15 years old had their mouth tattooed and this is
considered a coming-of-age ritual. In marriage, the role of matchmakers is very
important. They are on behalf of parents of bride and bridegroom to exchange ideas,
make decision and practice the rituals and procedures in getting married.
Mang people in Viet Nam have patterns of marriage: getting married to a

kinship member at three-generation gap; getting married to people outside the kinship;
getting married to people from other ethnic groups. Each pattern has principles to keep
the race and the appropriateness of the ethnic culture.
2.2.2. Rituals before wedding
Pre-engagement ceremony is the first ritual of marriage. When the boy and the
girl love each other and the boy informs his parents to choose a nice day and ask a
matchmaker to do pre-engagement ceremony to ask for permission from the girl’s
family. The boy’s family chooses a good day and ask a matchmaker to bring gifts to
the girl’s family to do betrothal ceremony. Two or five days after betrothal ceremony,
the boy’s matchmaker and family members take the boy to the girl’s family to start the
ceremony of living at wife’s family. Previously, the period of living at wife’s family is
3-7 years. Now, it is about 3 years and depends on the wife’s family. If the wife’s
family needs a strong person to work, the period of living at wife’s family is longer and
vice versus.
2.2.3. Rituals in wedding ceremony
Mang people often select a good day after harvest time to organise a wedding
(between the eleventh month to third month in lunar calendar). Rituals of wedding
often take two days at least (previously three days) in each family. It starts with a
ceremony of face painting that followed by a wedding ceremony at the bride’s family
with several rituals including: handover of pigs; eating chicken and pork to thank
matchmakers. During the receiving bride ceremony, Mang people has two rituals of
drinking wine to worship for luck and bride abduction and then taking the bride to the
bridegroom’s home.
During the wedding at bridegroom’s family, there are rituals such as washing
feet, drinking wine, handover of bride, and sending off bride’s relatives. After all the
above mentioned rituals, the couple is officially recognised a husband and wife by
parents, community and Gods.
2.2.4. Post-wedding rituals
Informing ceremony is taken place right after the delegation of bride’s family
returns to the bride parents’ home. It is to inform the result of handover the bride and

the behaviours of the bridegroom’s family towards the delegation. Ten or fifteen days
after this ceremony, the young couple selects a good day to make the first visit bride’s
family. After 3-5 years of coresiding with parents, the couple does a ceremony to ask
for their parents to allow them to live separately.
2.2.5. Marriage rituals in special circumstances
In the circumstances that the boy or the girl or both are orphan, marriage rituals
are simpler than those presented above. It is very seldom amongst Mang people that a
never-married boy gets married to a widow and vice versus because of the criticism
and dissatisfaction by parents. According to Mang people, a marriage with a widow
does not need any ritual.
2.2.6. Some prohibitions of marriage
Incest and having pregnancy prior to living at wife’s family are strictly
prohibited.
2.3. HEALTH CHECK-UP AND TREATMENT
2.3.1. Some viewpoints on sickness and health
According to Mang people, because the soul does not go far and ghost does not
harm people, people can be healthy. Sickness occurs because the soul of a person goes
far away and cannot return in time, hence, a worship is needed to call the soul return
and the sick will get well.
2.3.2. Diagnosis and treatment rituals
Given the animism, when getting sick, Mang people often seek an explanation
by a shaman who often uses eggs or a knife to explain the reasons of sickness. When
he/she finds out a ghost who harms the patient, he/she organises a worship to drive the
ghost away or ask for its forgiveness. Some related rituals are worshipping forest
ghost, domestic ghost, mental health treatment, stomach ache treatment, calling spirits
of the dead, keeping spirit, etc.
2.4. FUNERAL RITURALS
2.4.1. Some viewpoints, principles, and taboos in funerals
According to our research, Mang people has two souls: intelligent soul (nhuy y)
and stupid soul (nhuy bo). Soul makes life and when the soul does not exist that means

dead (thit). Mang people believe there are two kinds of death – good death (thit im)
and bad death (bop thit). When a family has a funeral, family members have to go on a
diet free of herbals, sour leaves, sour fruits, and they are prohibited from using soap.
Married children of the dead must not have sexual intercourse, do big things, work in
the field and they have to go to bed early. Those who attend the funeral are not allowed
to have sexual intercourse with their spouse, work in the field, do big things for their
home and have to go to bed early. The villagers or community must not do important
things, go out overnight and people have to go to bed early.
2.4.2. Rituals in preparation for funeral
Informing of the death ritual is carried out right after the death occurs. After
that, a family member withdraws a board in their door to measure the length of the
dead and asks for relatives and neighbourers to go to the forest to choose a big tree to
make coffin (loang gua). There is not a cemetary for all Mang people and the grave is
often located in the west of the village. After choosing a location, people set up a shack
(khi trang) made with 6 poles, 6 bundles of straw grass, 15 strips of rope.
2.4.3. Main rituals of funeral
Changing new costume ritual is an important ritual in the funeral of Mang people.
Right after the death occurs, the family breaks the bamboo partition separated the place
of the dead with other spaces. The dead is placed in that bamboo partition and get clothes
changed. Then, a series of rituals are carried out: dividing property of the dead, paying
tribute to the dead, rice offering, burning candle, laying body in coffin, burning the smell
of the dead, lowering coffin into the grave, sending off the soul, driving away ghost.
These rituals are strictly carried out to make the good start for a new cycle of a person.
For Mang people, the funeral is a necessary preparation for a new start, samara and
resurgence.
2.4.4. Post-funeral rituals
After funeral, each Mang kinship has their own rice offering ritual, differently from
kinship to kinship. Lo kinship often offer rice for the dead for 7 days, others 3 days. After
that, a grave closing ritual is to identify whether the reason of the death is normal or
harmed by a ghost.

2.4.5. Some special rituals of funeral
A funeral for a child and those who die a sudden death is different from other
funerals. The grave of those dead is located right at the place the death occurs and in
the date of the death.
SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 2
Most rituals of the Mang people are in the life cycle rituals which represent
many features and specific cultural traits of the ethnicity and give light into the
differences from ethnic group to other group.
Birth giving is the start of a life cycle, including rituals of worshipping the gods
for being expected; caring, protecting foetus to develop healthily and being born in the
joys of family and the clan. Other rituals are to protect with parents’ and family’s
wishes for peace, happiness for the child. However, given the backward viewpoints on
giving birth, Mang people remain practice underdeveloped customs which cause
mostly high mortality rate of Mang children.
Marriage of Mang people is officially recognised when the boy and girl have
their mouth tattooed. It is also the sign of maturity of Mang boys and girls. A marriage
of Mang people has 5 steps (pre-engagement ceremony, betrothal ceremony, living at
wife’s family, meeting the bride and taking her home, wedding) with several rituals at
different stages. These rituals do not require much expense. Bridegroom’s family
brings gifts to the bride’s family, including the agricultural or hunting produces. Living
at wife’s family offers the boy opportunity to learn and present his important role in the
future nuclear family. On the other hand, it is a way to solve the shortage of labour if
the bridegroom’s family has no son. The long or short time of living at the wife’s
family is requested at the wedding-present giving ceremony. Marriage rituals offer
opportunity for people to present their singing and capacity through duo songs, on one
hand, bringing joys to the newlywed couple and exchange and learn from each other
cultural values from generation to generation.
Funeral rituals reflect many aspects of specific cultural values of the ethnicity.
The contrast colour, cultural symbols, core values are subtly presented at rituals and
ceremonies in which informing of the death ceremony is the start of the journey and

the grave closing ceremony is the end of a life cycle. Funeral rituals open a new world
and life where is expected to return to start a new journey. Mang people believe it is
the samsara. Therefore, funeral is well prepared and seriously carried out. Through it, a
copious and diversified worldview of Mang people is presented. It describes the
sentiments of the alive people towards the dead, the relationship between family, clan,
neighbour and community. It is also the chance where people share the grief of the
dead’s family, doubling the cohesion and attachment among people, educating children
and relatives of the traditional moral standards.
Amongst the rituals of life cycle, shaman and fortune tellers and matchmakers
are important. These people impart the wills and words of Gods or ghosts on behalf of
them to individuals, families and communities as the bridge linking the two worlds. In
current trend, Mang culture is integrated into other cultures in the region, especially
Thai culture in terms of language, marriage, funeral. However, the typical traits of
Mang culture remain exist with its own capacity, acculturation and enrichment added
by new values while the quintessence of the traditional culture remains.
Chapter 3
CEREMONIES FOR WORKS, MERRY, ANCESTORS WORSHIPING,
SPIRITS AND FESTIVALS IN TRADITIONAL SOCIETY
3.1. CEREMONIES FOR WORKS
By doing surveys and researches on ceremonies for jobs, we have realized that
Mảng people’s ceremonies are mostly about planting and fishing etiquette. Ceremonies
such as husbandry, hunting and gathering, especially those related to hand made job,
are very little.
3.1.1. Planting Ceremonies
Mảng people considered such farming works as planting rice, maize, cassava,
beans, squash were very important and sacred. It did not only ensure the food for
families but also related to spirits and ghosts. A good planter means that he is
supported by spirits or ghosts and vice versa.
Mảng people often picked plans where there were big trees, lots of humus,
termites with holes digged by worms. The lands here were in black did not keep water

after rainings so that they could do farming on here. And, trees here were evergreen all
the year. Afterwards, they would process the ceremonies for slash – and – burn, plants
carings and planting once spritits and ghosts allowed. If they dit not agree, people
would have loof for another lands for farming. When doing collection, people had to
do two important ceremonies so that thay could keep the soul of rice, they were: eating
a special meal (xa xá lẳm ruổng) andcalling soul of rice(tưng pạc nhủy lẳm). After the
collection was done, ceremonires for new meal would be the ending of a farming season
of Mang people in Vietnam.
3.1.2. Hunting Ceremonies
The ceremony of binding the foot of those who do fishing will be done when
these people started to tie first con chìin the boat (dè) as the final step to complete the
new boat. After that, Mang people will do ceremony for the new boat (ù o dè) as
bringing back luck for fishing job.
3.2. CEREMONIES FOR MERRY
3.2.1. Some concepts related to ceremonies for merry
For Mảng people, human was a small object existing together with ohter livings
in the world. So it is necessary to respect and equaly behave towards everything.
3.2.2. Ceremonies about a new house
Mảng people tended to pick a good land and avoid bad places when buidling
house. When they decided to build a house, they should discuss with family members
and even invited three people who were higly reputative in the village then picking the
land together. Therefore, they would not pick the places where there was onwers and
avoiding arguments. They also did many ceremonies once finding out a good place
as:ceremonies for asking land to build house; ceremnoies for forecasting by eggs then
building house. They had ceremonies for house building when starting a houseand
ceremonies for living in a new house once finishing all the building. Its purpose was to
chase the unluck and ask for the merry and is an occasion for family gatherings and
happiness sharings.
3.2.3. Ceremonies for moving in and moving out
When family wanted to move house for some reasons as moving to a place near

farming land, moving to live with relatiives, or a better place, they would do the
ceremonies for moving in and out. The ceremony would be done in two places –
moving in and moving out ones.
3.2.4. Some ceremonies about the souls and human health
As the idea of eveything has its onw soul, Mảngpeople considered all livings
have souls and should be treated equally. They have ceremonies as calling souls of
familyafter done the planting on farms, asking for luck if they have anything difficulties
in life or are ill or unlucky; chasing bird ghost, tree ghost;worshipping stone ghost and
chasing them away, worshiping ghost of rice wahrehouse All are for the merry and
happiness in their life. .
3.3. CEREMONIES FOR ANCESTORS, SPIRITS AND FESTIVALS
3.3.1. Some concepts about ancestors, spirits worship and festivals
ceremony
For Mảng people, death was going back with ancestor and their souls should be
released from the normal world to start a new life circle. The world, where people is
living,is one of four levels of the universe. Sky level (mon ten) is on the top and places
of creative genies and spirits (mon plỉnh) and souls (nhủy y); land (mon long) is places
of human and ghosts; undeground (mon lò) is the place of ugly, small and monstrous
people. The concept of festival is not clear and detailed as other concept of life.
3.3.2. Ceremonies for ancestors worshiping
Mang people do not only worship their own ancestors, but also worship people
from the wife’s side. It is a speacial ceremony of these people.
3.3.3. Ceremonies for spirit worshiping
There are many genies in the belief of Mang people, for example, genies of
lightning, thunder, wind As a result, they will have ceremonies for each of these
genies as a way to say sorry or ask for the merry in life.
3.3.4. Festivals
After the reformation in 1986,Mảng people started to organize the Traditional
Tet and the festival of Mid –January in lunar calendar. However, the ceremonies were
simple and only some families, who often contact with Viet people, will celebrate it.

Traditional Tet (xá chương nguyên đán) is organized in two days 30/12 and 01/01
(lunar calender) with two ancestor worshipping ceremonies: New year’s Eve on the last
night of old yearand “New Year’s Morning” on the first day of new year.The festival
of Mid – January in lunar calendar is for family gatherings
CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER 3
Together with other customs, such ceremonies for work, merry, ancestor, spirits
and festivals basically contain customs of a family according to tradutional views of
Mảng people in Vietnam. They reflected nuances and different colors in the customs
system of a family such as ceremonies for ensuring a good business, the merry, and
gratefulness for those who gave birth, raised them up and even worshiped spirts and
ghosts who portected individuals, families and whole village. The ceremony for works
of Mảng people described the farming activities of them, especially planting in a
season from picking land, slash – and – burn, planting, collection to the celebration
meal. The natural picture was coloured by producing events and ceremonies of people
based on the knowledge of wood, land, water, trees and animals. For farmers, the
manufacture seems more convinietn, simpler and more scared through ceremonies
Also, the unite and close relationship of community are increased when people share
their shappiness and sorrowfor a better life. But the most important thing is to ask for a
season which there are enough food to feeding themselves, their families, villages and
ceremonies for works are significant linkage to complete that purpose.
In other viewpoint, ceremonies for works, merry, ancestors, spirits and festivals
have become the spiritual foundation for every person, every family when they need
the protection from unluck things or ghosts. The ceremony for work is implemented
when people start doing farm as a way to expect a productive season. The ceremony
for merry is an occasion for them to balance the daily life. And, the cancestor
worshipping is to ask for the protection of previous generation and to say thanks to
those who gave birth and raise them up. Starting from 1986, New Year festival is
simple and only popular in some urban places because people here often comunicate
with Viet poeple
We could have more understanding of the thouhgts, emotions, actions of Mảng

people toward human and the world around them. It showed the good traditional values
of culture which they have maintained through generations. And it has become the
foundation for solution to keep and prmote valuable tradtions which are suitable with
the current circumstance.
Chapter 4
VARIATION IN FAMILY RITUALS FROM YEAR OF 1986 TO
THE PRESENT
4.1. VARIABLE CONTENT
4.1.1. Some variation in life cycle rituals
- Birth rituals and parenting young children have been many
variations, from concepts to practice. The concept of more children
means families well being; the concept that the parents bring up children
when they are young and their children shall take care of them when they
are old is still existing but it is not as important as before. Having several
children is no longer a criterion that affirms position, strength of family
or more labor force, and the notion of married couples don't have
children currently have changed much, the direction is no longer fully
believe that the rare or late having child due to gods, demons punished
for misbehaves, which can cause disease of husband or wife. Today, the
majority of youth say that the baby son or daughter does not really need
the matter is how to have children and do parenting for good. Childbirth
of women is not regarded as unclean, but mothers still do not give birth
in the home, they can give birth behind the decks or the medical
establishment. There were some couples interested in distance between
the birth and the contraceptive to be proactive in childbirth and ensure
health for mothers, young children. In General, the variation in rituals of
giving birth and parenting of minor children is concentrated in the
rearing of children. The ritual variations take place in the form of non-
performing of the new or simplifying elements which are inconsistent
with present life.

- In marriage rituals: selection criteria of life partner have changed
much. Health, hard-working, resourcefulness in farming is the boy friend
selection criteria of the traditional girls of Mang Ethnic group, now they
have not changed but replaced by "economy" rather than farming and
hunting. A number of new criteria such as: working as officials, having
stable jobs, knowing how to calculate, having knowledge interested by
boys, girls when choosing a mate. Boys and girls of Mang Ethnic group
are married later than before, close to the age of marriage by law, but the
phenomenon of early marriage still exists. Teen of Mang Ethnic group
do not think that mouth tattoo is beautiful, the maturity and marriage is
counted by age, economic autonomy is rather than by mouth tattoo.
The concept and practice of internal marriage, external marriage of
the Ethnic group has been varied and changed. External marriage of
family is still preferred, internal marriage of family is less encouraged,
external marriage of ethnic group has been the form preferred by many
young women of Mang ethnic group instead of reserved and careful as
before. Wedding traditions of Mang Ethnic Group may last up to 7 or 8
years, but time for a couple to complete the rituals takes only 1 to 3 years
at present. At present, after the end of a period in law, they often get
married within a day both the broom and the bride, the ceremony of
welcoming the bride takes place between 14h to 15h in order to shorten
the time and cost savings for the two families. Happy wedding gifts such
as: rice, wine, chicken, pigs and the craft's equipment such as baskets of
clothes, flat winnowing baskets, broad flat drying baskets replaced
with the envelope containing 30 thousand dong to 100 thousand dong
depending on the relationship and the economic conditions of the invited
guests. Matchmaker no longer appears in the marriage of a young couple
and some customs, abstinence and proofing formula is no longer being
made or done in innovative ways to better fit with reality.
Currently, the ideas about health, illness, and healing are more

changed against tradition, especially in those places near the Center.
People say that unsafe food, lack of food and clothes is the main cause of
reducing health and causing sickness but is not entirely due to the spirits
and the supernatural causes. People of Mang Ethnic Group have come to
the clinics, the hospitals for examination and treatment.
- In the funeral rituals: people of Mang Ethnic Group are more
active in the preparation of the funeral for their family members without
fear of the villagers’ slurs as before. Instead of a man in the family in
traditional dress going to each house in the Village to inform the mourn
and now regardless of anyone in the family can also notify this bad news.
There are coffins built from many different wooden pieces because the
wood is not enough to make a traditional coffin. About the time for an
organized funeral is shortened, instead of to keeping a dead body indoor
for 3 days 2 nights, now it is kept indoor 1 day 1 night according to the
mobilization and propaganda of the authorities. Previously, all people
who came to help the funeral had to stay in the owner’s mourning house
until the end of funeral, now they can take time to back their home doing
some work, sometimes also need to eat at the funeral house. During the
funeral, the envelope containing money in varying degrees of mourning
and condolences and bereavement have been almost completely replaced
for the traditional sacrificial objects such as: rice, wine, chicken Before
the members of the family in mourning should abstain many things and
last longer, but now the time of abstain lasts only 10 to 15 days instead
of 1 month. They are able to eat green vegetables, do everything after 7
days, in particular they can use soap after burial a day without fear of
having the bad luck.
It may be said that funeral's little component less variable in the
family system of Mang Ethnic Group by the mentality of live people
wishing for a new start for their relatives in another world. However, the
rituals of Mang Ethnic Group are transformed towards adaptive, more

attuned to the socio-economic conditions. The funeral variation to
remove some rituals and shorten time while ensuring proper
appreciation, seriousness and preserve core value of national traditional
culture.
4.1.2. Some variation in rituals of occupation, security, worship
of ancestor, God and public holidays
- In rituals of occupation: people of Mang Ethnic Group say that
farming rice brings less benefit than farming other crops, such as rubber,
tea, cassava, corn they begin to reduce the cultivation of rice. The
rituals: choosing land, land worship, farm clearance and worship before
and after harvest is no longer, but the rituals of worship of treatment for
ill plants, rice blossom, calling for rice soul, celebration ceremony of
new rice still take place on the simplified basis. The ceremonies of
hunting are almost no longer, in part because of people's conception
about the hunt has varied, but it is important for hunting animals and
fishery is less done due to the disappearance of most of the species of
animals, depletion of fisheries.
- In the rituals for security: nowadays, the development of science
and technology has somewhat changed the beliefs of Mang Ethnic Group
in nature, human beings, universe leading the variation of the rituals of
security. Confidence in themselves, the community is increased to make
the fear of gods, demons limited. The ground floor house model of
Vietnamese people is quite popular, leading a complete variation on
layout of activity space and rituals in related extinct. The role of a
religious teacher is no longer as important as before. The rituals related
to relocation are no longer but it is only reported the relocation and
immigration with the village leader of the two parties and make the
registration procedures with the authorities. Conversely, fortunate rituals
tend to grow strong, Mang Ethnic Group use almost a routine to wish a
peace, luckiness before doing a big job in the family.

- In the rituals of ancestor and god worship and the holidays:
notion of the ancestral world, god world slowly changes in the
perception of Mang Ethnic Group. To them, the ancestral world is
always the presence of spirit and purity. God world with 4 floors and the
creation god always reigns in the highest floor. The ancestor worship
rituals of Mang Ethnic Group have changed according to the different
dimension, such as disappear, simply, acquiring new ones, mixing
between the modern and traditional elements, but each has different
lightness. Chinese new year, the full moon, at present due to Mang
Ethnic Group of Vietnamese people, is the result of interference, to turn
the culture according to natural law.
4.2. VARIATION TREND
From the above mentioned variations shows that the variation trend
is primarily in the family ritual of Mang Ethnic Group is:1) oblivion of
traditional cultural values; 2) interference, receiving of new cultural
values; 3) restore, preserve the traditional cultural values to adapt to new
living conditions.
4.3. CAUSE OF VARIATION
4.3.1.In terms of economics
The economic policies of the Party and the State have had a
fundamental change after 1986, opening up tremendous opportunities for
socio-economic development, in which the diversity of economic sectors
is the leap to mark the participation of all the inhabitants in the process
of building and developing the country. The policy of comprehensive
renovation set out in the 6th Congress of the party was the turning point
of the economic thinking of the party and State aiming to eradicate
subsidized and bureaucratic centralized economy shifting to market
economy of Socialist orientation under the management of the State.
That has profound impact on the lives of Mang Ethnic Group in
Vietnam.

4.3.2. Society - culture
August revolution success in 1945 found the Democratic Republic
of Vietnam. This is a great leap of our country marking the collapse of
the feudal, colonial regime to open a new era for Vietnamese nation.
Especially after 1954, the peace was restored throughout the region,
leading to a complete change of the social structure of the nation,
including Mang Ethnic Group. Feudalism, oppressive, exploitative rule
was replaced by a progressive society managed by the unified political
system operated under the leadership of the party and the State,
guaranteeing democratic rights and freedom for all people.
Further exchanges of cultural variation are innovative, universal,
objective, with respect to the development of culture and society. People,
culture of Mang ethnic group in Vietnam is also in the operation of the
rule, the exchanges, more frequent variations in the direction of Mang
ethnic group culture of receiving more new elements which have made
Mang Ethnic Group’s cultural more abundant and diversified, but there is
also a cause to transform their traditional culture.
4.3.3. Policy and legislation
The Central Conference Resolution 5, course VIII of the Party is
the official text which has a tremendous impact on the preservation and
promotion of cultural values of peoples in Vietnam. Followed by a series
of documents, directives, decisions about marriage, funeral, festivals and
cultural conservation have been directly or indirectly altering the
traditional culture of Mang Ethnic Group. However, this is appropriate
and necessary in the context of the need to preserve and promote the
cultural values of peoples today.
4.3.4. A number of ethnic group factors,
Family ritual variation of Mang Ethnic Group is also due from the
perceptions and actions of the subject of culture-that is the intrinsic
elements of Mang Ethnic Group. It may be said that the change of the

living environment has opened the social door for Mang Ethnic Group
for integration, exchange, receiving of the change of the outside world, it
changes the perception of the people and themselves aware of the need to
change towards better life.
SUB-SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 4
The result content and discussion in this chapter have overviewed
the full contributions and new findings about science through research on
the family rituals of Mang Ethnic Group in Vietnam. Besides, the
comments are the author's discussion on a number of issues that need
further research, dealt with in the next period, to complete additional
research on Mang Ethnic Group in Vietnam.
With the focus direction research results into three basic
contents:1) general results, 2) A number of cultural characteristics of
ethnic group through family rituals, 3) family ritual role in the cultural
life of ethnic group, the thesis has taken the most basic results through
practical research, help the reader identify the typical culture of Mang
Ethnic Group through the cultural characteristics. And reviewing the
family ritual role in the current context to identify the positive aspects in
order to preserve, promote and limit these roles which are no longer
consistent with present life.
Through the family ritual research of Mang Ethnic Group, we
discover the typical features for the ritual system and deeply humane,
such as solidarity, sharing, mutual assistance, the essential influence of
family rituals for living people, Mang Ethnic Group through roles and
ritual practices of value in community life, have been directly or
indirectly enrich people, cultural identity, consciousness, human
behavior with the behavior relationship in social life.
Also through practical research we found that these issues have not
been deep understanding by the objective and subjective conditions, it
should be given the necessary discussion and further research directions,

such as the issue of the influence of the new religion, the conflict
between rituals and economic savings, the issue of the role of people
with credibility in the community, the issue of agricultural production in
the new context, cultural conservation issue associated with socio-
economic development of peoples, the issue of national consciousness
and the sense of ethnic nationalist of Mang Ethnic Group in Vietnam in
the current new context,
Chapter 5
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
5.1. RESULTS
5.1.1. Some general results
Rituals is the expression of social consciousness, the distilled
essence of people life, so it would be the reserve of many cultural
elements, slowly changed than practicality social life of Mang Ethnic
Group. The thesis has contributed the necessary resources for the further
study of Mang Ethnic Groups, especially the beliefs and rituals; the basis
for the comparative study of Mang ethnic group with other people to see
more comprehensive cultural values of the current Mang Ethnic Group.
The study also pointed out the value of family rituals against the moral
education, cohesive families, uniting the community, promote the value
of traditional culture,
5.1.2. Some ethnic group cultural values through the family
rituals
Those who have credibility in the community, such as religious
teachers, tellers, matchmakers, leaders of mountain villages have
prominent roles in the traditional family rituals of Mang Ethnic Group.
They are not only the ones who review, judge, lead but also directly
perform the rituals connected to the world of "sacred" and the world
"mundane". Sacrifice in rituals show the traditional culture of Mang
Ethnic Group and the cultural interference of neighborhood people,

especially Thais Ethnic Group. Sacrifice can be classified into 3 main
groups, the 1
st
group is the animals included: chickens, pigs, squirrels,
mice, fish, the 02
nd
group is the sacred objects such as pieces of cloth,
wax sticks, And the 03
rd
group consists of objects for later use as ritual:
saucepans, carry baskets, bem, pestle,
In marriage, in law is a hard time but it is also the opportunity for
boys to show their ability with the girl's family. Singing, loving singing
is special culture of Mang Ethnic Group that reflects the diversified and
abundant folklore treasures of ethnic group. The "mystery" mentality in
the rituals and healing is a common cultural feature found in the ethnic
minorities, in which Mang Ethnic Group is a vivid example. Sacrifice
chickens, pigs are interested cultural characteristics of Mang Ethnic
Group, it represents the consciousness and conception of human birth,
their world view.
The family ritual research shows that there has not been the
division between the social layers in Mang Ethnic Group in Vietnam.
The couple's ideas show the erotic and proliferate concept of Mang
Ethnic Group expressed through occupational rituals. The remnant
Matriarchy is shown quite clearly over the role of the woman in some
rituals, such as worship spirits of rice, diet, opening barn, new rice,
worship of maternal family Living with respect and in harmony with
nature is typical characteristic of farming ethnic groups in general and
Mang Ethnic Group in particular. Space and the stylization via relocation