Minorities People

Tho Ethnic Group

Culture, Customs, and Traditions of the Tho Ethnic Group

Key Characteristics:

Traditional Social Structure: The smallest administrative unit among the Tho people used to be the village (now referred to as a hamlet), led by a village chief. Civically, the village is akin to a commune. However, this organization among the Tho people is quite vague and lacks distinctiveness compared to the communes of the Muong or Thai ethnic groups. The basic residential unit for the Tày Po?ng and ?an Lai groups is the village or hamlet, typically situated in elevated, flat areas near water sources in valleys or gentle slopes, close to streams.

Family Structure: Tho families follow a patriarchal system, primarily consisting of two generations - parents and children. Patriarchal authority is relatively high, and in lowland areas, there's a clear distinction between the eldest and younger siblings, similar to Vietnamese customs.

Housing: Traditional Tho houses are typically stilt houses surrounded by simple wooden walls made of forest wood, bamboo, or thatched roofs. In some areas, houses are constructed using the pillar-and-frame method, requiring only a knife and a hoe to build. Nowadays, Tho people's housing is transitioning from stilt houses to grounded houses, with many houses being constructed as multi-story buildings similar to Vietnamese architecture in the region.

Religion and Beliefs: All Tho groups have animistic beliefs, worshipping deities believed to inhabit natural objects. Alongside ancestor worship, Tho people also venerate earth gods, kitchen gods, land gods, village guardians, and various types of spirits (forest spirits, stream spirits, tree spirits, mountain spirits, etc.).

Clothing: Traditional attire for men consists of wide-legged trousers, usually brown or beige, paired with a black short-sleeved or long-sleeved shirt. They wear a purple turban or headscarf and wooden clogs. Tho women wear white blouses and skirts made of dyed cotton with horizontal stripes. When worn, these stripes form concentric circles around the body. They also wear a white square headscarf similar to the Muong people and use long white scarves for mourning like the Vietnamese.

Marriage: A common and longstanding tradition among the Tho people is the "sleeping on the roof," allowing boys and girls to freely socialize during festivals and celebrations. However, improper behavior is strictly prohibited by public opinion and customs. From these nights of "sleeping on the roof," couples gradually form relationships, leading to formal marriage ceremonies.

Cuisine: Previously, highland Tho groups primarily consumed sticky rice and other root crops, but now most have shifted to eating regular rice. During times of food scarcity, they often consume various tubers, vegetables, and wild fruits. During festivals and celebrations, the Tho people typically make traditional cakes like square cakes, round cakes, and thorn cakes.

Alcohol (made from cassava, rice, or sugarcane) is favored by both men and women and is essential for festivals and celebrations. Additionally, both men and women of Tho ethnic groups enjoy betel nuts. Betel nuts are offered to guests on regular days, during Tet, and used in weddings.

Education: Historically, the Tho people did not have their own script, with only a few individuals knowing Chinese characters. Today, Vietnamese is widely taught and used.

According to statistics from the General Statistics Office in 2019, the literacy rate among Tho people aged 15 and above is 94.9%. The enrollment rate in primary education is 101.4%, in lower secondary education is 93.4%, in upper secondary education is 59.3%, and the rate of children out of school is 9.2%.