Name of
Ethnic Group: Kinh (Viet).
Population:
About 65 million people.
Locality:
These people live in all provinces but are densely clustered in the delta areas and urban
centres.
Customs
and Habits: The Kinh villages are usually surrounded by bamboo groves. The
communal house is a place for meeting and conducting common ritual ceremonies. The Kinh
also live in mud houses. They enjoy the habits of chewing betel, smoking water pipes and
cigarettes, drinking tea, and eating ordinary rice.
The
husband is considered the head of the family. Children take the family name of their
father. The eldest son is responsible for the worship of dead parents and grandparents.
Each family lineage has a temple for their forefathers and the head of the family lineage
handles all common affairs.
Monogamy
is observed during marriage. The family of the man approves the marriage and organizes the
wedding for him. After the wedding party, the bride goes to live with her husband's
family. The Kinh attach much importance to fidelity and the virtues of the bride.
They
worship their ancestors and also practice Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism or Christianity
to various extents.
Culture: The
Kinh have a rich collection of literature which includes old tales, folk ballads, and
proverbs. The written literature takes many forms such as poems, writings, books, and
edicts. Song, music, sculpture, painting, dance and performance are also well developed
and and popular.
Costumes:The
traditional attire of the Kinh in the north is a brown pajama set for men. A four paneled
robe, bra, and trousers for women, also in brown, are usually worn. In the southern delta
plains, both men and women wear black pajamas. At present, the Kinh's costumes resemble
western clothing.
Economy:
Rice cultivation in submerged fields is the main economic activity of the Kinh. They
also erect dykes and dig canals which helps in the growing of wet rice, gardening, and
sericulture. They also raise cattle and poultry. Pottery production has been very
developed for a long time.
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