The La Hu people include the Black La Hu, Yellow La Hu and White La Hu groups.
1. Historical origin
The La Hu ethnic minority has a long history. They are believed to be related to the Qiang and are one of the first ethnic groups to be chronicled in the Chinese historical record. According to the web portal of Lai Chau province, the first La Hu people came to live in the province about 10 generations ago.
The Lahu groups include Black La Hu, Yellow La Hu and White La Hu.
The name La Hu dates back to the Qing dynasty. According to the List of Ethnic Groups in Vietnam published in 1979, the name specified is La Hu.
The costumes of the La Hu people are very colourful. (Photo: TRAN THANH DAT)
The costumes of the La Hu people are very colourful. (Photo: TRAN THANH DAT)
2. Population
According to the census on the 53 ethnic minorities as announced on April 1, 2019, the total population of the Jarai ethnic minority group is 12,113 people. Of whom, 6,122 are male and 5,991 people are female.
3. Language
Belongs to the group of Tibeto-Burman languages (under Sino-Tibetan languages).
4. Geographical distribution
The La Hu resides mainly in the Muong Te district, Lai Chau province.
5. Main features
- Housing: In the past, they often built houses, and tents right on the fields and high mountains in the two communes of Pa U and Pa Ve Su, in Muong Te district (Lai Chau). At present, these houses are level with the ground and divided by bamboo partitions. The altar for the ancestors and the kitchen is always placed at the bay of the house, which is used for the family sleeping quarters.
- Family structure: Patriarchal.
Lahu old woman. (Photo: TRAN THANH DAT)
Lahu old woman. (Photo: TRAN THANH DAT)
La Hu men's costumes. (Photo: TRAN THANH DAT)
La Hu men's costumes. (Photo: TRAN THANH DAT)
- Traditional costumes: Women wear headscarves with very colourful details, combined with headbands, hats, hair bands, bracelets, and wool cords. Women wear long-sleeved shirts, round necks with embroidered patterns, and the bodice, armpits and sleeves are embroidered with patterns. In the past, the La Hu people dyed their cloth. Lahu women's pants are made of self-woven fabric dyed in indigo black.
The Lahu men's clothing is simpler, including scarves, shirts and pants all dyed in indigo.
- Cuisine: The La Hu people mainly eat plain rice, vegetables, bamboo shoots, especially starchy tubers such as rhizomes, ground tubers, and meats.
The Lahu have a way of preserving food such as drying (bamboo shoots, mushrooms, wood ear) and making sour bamboo shoots.
La Hu people have a habit of drinking alcohol on weekdays, especially during holidays, New Year holidays, festivals, weddings, and new home celebrations. Smoking is very common among both men and women.
Photo: Thanh Dat
Photo: Thanh Dat
- New Year holiday: The traditional New Year of the La Hu ethnic group (named Nhi che che) takes place from the 1st to the 5th of November. After having finished Tet for 13 days, until the full moon day (named "Nhi che kho"), the men's New Year, they cooked "banh chung" and "banh giay". According to the concept of La Hu people, after "Nhi che kho" day, no rice is pounded to make "banh giay".
La Hu people in some places celebrate New Year on a good day in December or the last day of December, in addition, they also celebrate New Year in March and June.
The Le Mung Com Moi (New Rice Celebration) takes place from September to October, after the harvest.
- Belief: The worship of the ancestors is reserved for the dead parents.
- Economic conditions: The La Hu live on slash-and-burn cultivation and hunting. La Hu men are very skilled at blacksmithing and making rattan chairs, trays, and mats.
According to the survey of 53 ethnic minorities dated April 1, 2019, the poverty rate in La Hu ethnic community is 74.4%, and the rate of near-poor households is 3.1%. The unemployment rate is 1.51%; the percentage of trained workers with certificates is 1.7%; the percentage of the labour force involved in non-agricultural activities is 3.0%; the percentage of the labour force at management level or high and middle-level technical jobs is 0.7%. The percentage of households doing traditional crafts: 0.30%.
- Education: According to the survey on 53 ethnic minority groups dated April 1, 2019, the rate of La Hu ethnic people aged 15 years and over who can read and write is 46.9%, while the net attendance rate for children of primary school age is 101.9%, junior secondary school age is 77.9%, and senior secondary school age is 21.3%. The percentage of out-of-school children is 22.1%.
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