ETHNIC GROUPS
There are four main categories of minority groups in South Vietnam. They are the Montagnards, Chinese, Cambodians and Chams. In North Vietnam, the most important are the Montagnards or mountain people, made up of the Thai, Muong, Mans, Lolos, and Meo tribes. The Montagnards are said to number over two million in the north. In the south, the figures show approximately one million Montagnards, one million Chinese, 400,000 Cambodians, and 20,000 Chams. These ethnic minorities represent approximately 15 per cent of the population of the two Vietnams.
In the south, the two most important groups are the Chinese and the Montagnards. The Cambodians whose land was conquered years ago by the Vietnamese have virtually been absorbed into the Vietnamese community. They have inter-married, shared the same religions, customs, and culture. The Chams are such a small group that they hold little significance in the political structure of South Vietnam. Also, they are so closely related to the Montagnards that they are often considered one of their sub-groups.
The Chinese
Even though the majority of the Chinese in Vietnam were born there, they consider themselves "Chinese" and not Vietnamese. They have been the successful businessmen traditionally. Prejudice between Chinese and Vietnamese has existed for years.
In 1956, the government of South Vietnam issued orders making Chinese born in Vietnam, into Vietnamese citizens. Chinese not accepting Vietnamese citizenship were also barred from a group of occupations that had been primarily held by Chinese in the country. The Chinese retaliated by drawing large sums of money from the banks in Vietnam, and boycotting the purchase of Vietnamese rice for sale in their stores. Their action had a temporary effect of lowering the value of the piastre in the money markets of Hong Kong and Singapore.
The government persisted, however, and eventually a large number of Chinese in the country assumed Vietnamese citizenship. Those not doing so paid yearly fees for maintaining their foreign passports. As for being denied the privilege of doing business in certain fields unless they were citizens, they merely turned over the signing of papers to a relative who was a Vietnamese citizen, thus skirting the law.
The Chinese schools were also placed under government control and teachers were forbidden to wear Chinese dress. The Vietnamese flag and national anthem were given honors daily and the Vietnamese language was made a requirement in the curriculum.
Today, the majority of the Chinese in South Vietnam have segregated themselves into one area known as Cholon, an adjoining city to Saigon. In the past, very few Chinese, even though citizens, were drafted into the Army. Latest information from Vietnam now indicates that some of them are being drafted at this time.
The Chinese are still the shrewd businessmen in Vietnam, as they are in many of the countries around the world.
Their customs and culture vary little from that of the Vietnamese. In fact, many of the Vietnamese customs have come directly from the Chinese who dominated the country for so many years.
The Montagnards
Other names for the Montagnards (which is French for mountaineers) includes "highlanders"; "tribespeople"; and "moi." The term "moi" is disliked by the mountain people because roughly translated the word means "savages." Officially, the South Vietnamese government now calls the Montagnards "Dong-Bao-Thouong" which means "Compatriots of the Highlands."
The land inhabited by the Montagnards is also called by different names; the Highlands, the Annamite Chain, or the Plateau de Montagnards.
The history of these people is confused and disintegrated. It is believed that they descended from a mixture of Indonesians, Australian aborigines, Negroid Panpans of Melanesia, and other Pacific island races.
The mountain people of Vietnam are very different from the ethnic Vietnamese. Not only is their appearance at variance, their customs and culture vary considerably. Their language is entirely different. A lengthy study could be written on the Montagnards alone.
In the appendices of this book, a comprehensive listing of the tribes of North and South Vietnam is included with estimated population figures, location, and pertinent facts, available. General impressions of the Montagnards are included here to give the reader an idea of what their life is like.
Language
Each tribe may speak a different language and individuals must resort to sign language to communicate. I he tribes can generally be divided into two groups according to the type language they speak—Mon-Khmer or Malayo-Polynesian. The Mon-Khmer languages are used by many small groups living in different parts of Southeast Asia. Malayo-Polynesian languages are used in some parts of Indonesia and different islands in the Pacific. The tribes that use the Malayo-Polynesian languages in Vietnam include the Jarai, Hroi, Raday, Raglai, Chru, and Cham. It is believed that they are the most recent arrivals to Vietnam among the mountain people. They have probably been in the area no more than 3,000 years.
Another linguistic division that may apply to the northern mountain people includes dialects of Tibeto-Chinese origin.
General Impressions
The Montagnards have been treated poorly in the past by their Vietnamese contemporaries. They have had little opportunity for schooling or occupational training. As a group, they are poor farmers with primitive, outdated methods.
Their whole lives, except for the Christian converts, are ruled by spirits and fear. A simple thing such as a crow alighting on a house being built, is considered to be a bad omen, and all work on that house is ended forever.
Missionaries, American Special Forces and members of the US Aid Program have taken the most interest in the mountain people. Americans are generally well-liked by the Montagnards and it might be added that the reverse is also true. Most Americans who have worked and lived in the Montagnard areas have found the people to be interesting, loyal, good fighters, and just plain "good people."
The Jarai Tribe of South Vietnam
Since there are so many tribes and customs, one fairly representative tribe is chosen here to give the reader a better understanding of the Montagnards.
The Jarai have a matrilineal kinship system. The groom goes to the wife's home, takes her name and must never joke with his mother-in-law! Daughters inherit the wordly goods, which always belong to the wife. It should be noted that different tribes have different kinship systems, a few of which are like those of the United States.
The Jarai consider moving their home when they have exhausted the resources of the land where they are living. They fall into the category of being semi-nomadic. They will move their homes more often should a catastrophe take place in the village, such as an epidemic, visits by tigers, or if lightning strikes the village, etc.
Animals such as water buffaloes, horses, and goats are raised for their meat, and are often sacrificed during ceremonies. Chickens and dogs are always present, and many people raise pigs.
Magico-religious factors are used in selecting land for farming, and burning is the method of clearing land for cultivation.
The basic diet of the Jarai consists of rice, maize, vegetables, beef, buffalo, pork, chicken, goat, snake, turtles, rats, and sometimes dog. Fish is eaten when available. Meat from cattle is usually eaten during celebrations.
Animals are speared and killed in special ceremonies, and the animal's carcass, hide, and all, is thrown on the fire. The people soon begin to cut the meat and it is eaten practically raw. The intestines are regarded as a delicacy, as well as chopped raw meat mixed with fresh animal
