Mạ people

Mạ
Total population
 Vietnam 41,405 (2009)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Vietnam
Languages
Mạ, Vietnamese, others
Religion
Theravada Buddhism

The Mạ or Maa (Vietnamese: Người Mạ) are a Mon–Khmer-speaking people in Vietnam (population 33,338 in 1999). They are concentrated mostly in the Lâm Đồng Province of the country.

Culture

Language

The Mạ or Maa language comes under the Mon-Khmer Group: this and the Koho language are sometimes considered to be different dialects only.[2] Lê et al. lists the following Mạ subgroups.[3] There are over 16,000 Mạ people living in Lộc Thắng, Lộc Bắc, Lộc Tân, Lộc Lâm, Lộc Ngãi, and Lộc Châu communes in Bảo Lộc District; Đạ Teh, Đạ M’rê, Đạ Huoai, Đồng Nai, and Ma Đa Gui communes in Đạ Huoai District; Đạ Đờn and Phú Sơn communes in Đức Trọng District; Đinh Trang Thượng commune in northern Di Linh District (Lê et. al 2014:310). These districts all belong to Lâm Đồng Province.

Le (2003)[4] covers the Maa varieties of Dagui, Chop, and Tadung.

Folklore

The Mạ have a rich oral traditions, and their culture is a tapestry of folklore. Myths, parables, and legends are an integral part of this ethnic group.[5]

Traditional attire

The Mạ are also known for their traditional colorful attire. Mạ women wear skirts that reach well below their knees. The men customarily wear loincloth.

References

  1. ↑ "The 2009 Vietnam Population and Housing Census: Completed Results". General Statistics Office of Vietnam: Central Population and Housing Census Steering Committee. June 2010. p. 134. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Ethnologue: Maa
  3. ↑ Lê Bá Thảo, Hoàng Ma, et al. (2014) Viện hàn lâm khoa học xã hội Việt Nam - Viện dân tộc học. 2014. Các dân tộc ít người ở Việt Nam: các tỉnh phía nam. Ha Noi: Nhà xuất bản khoa học xã hội. ISBN 978-604-90-2436-8
  4. ↑ Le, Tan Duong (2003) A phonological comparison of Maa and Koho varieties. Master’s thesis, Payap University.
  5. ↑ "54 Ethnic People of Vietnam". Retrieved 1 January 2013.


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