Happily married with a little daughter in Dong Van Town, 500km north ofHanoi , Trang Thi Lan, 30, misses her own people at festival times.
She never forgets that she is part of about 600 Pu Peo people inVietnam although she now follows the customs of the Tay , a far biggerethnic group and also her husband's community.
"The waysthe two ethic groups worship and perform ritual offerings are totallydifferent. Unfortunately as a wife, I have to discard my customs andadopt his," said the kindergarten and first grade teacher.
It took her some time to get used to cutting boiled chicken into smallpieces and putting it on plates at the altar as other Tay women do,instead of offering the whole boiled bird as in Pu Peo culture.
"And my daughter also has to follow her father's customs, making hermore of a Tay than a Pu Peo. What a shame!" said rosy-faced Lan with asigh.
Inter-ethnic marriages have become a new challengethreatening the identity of Pu Peo people, one of the five ethnic groupswith a population of less than 1,000, after their living standards muchincreased thanks to the Government supports.
The Pu Peo,who live only in Ha Giang province, together with the Si La in Lai Chauand Dien Bien, O Du in Nghe An, Brau and Ro Mam both in Kon Tum, are thebeneficiaries of the first Government programme to support thecountry's smallest ethnic groups. It ran from 2005 to 2010.
A total of 76.8 billion VND (3.65 million USD) was spent on buildingroads, irrigation works, schools, healthcare centres and power lines inthese tribal areas. Locals were also trained in new farming techniquesand given funds to ensure they hold onto their unique but fast fadingfestivals.
"This programme laid a firm ground for a betterdevelopment of minority people," said Trinh Cong Khanh, head of thePolicy Department under the State Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs.
Giang My Giang, chairman of Ha Giang's Pho La Commune,where the biggest community of Pu Peo people lives, said life qualityhas greatly improved since the programme starts.
The newroads have opened up new trade opportunities and helped reduce thepoverty rate - and all children are now sent to school where theyoungest are still taught in their own language.
ChungTrai Village , home to 136 Pu Peo people, is now among the mostdeveloped areas in Pho La Commune, according to Giang.
Cung Phu Suan, head of the village, recognises the big changes that his people have seen since 2005.
"I'm really happy with all positive developments brought about by theGovernment's interest-free loan scheme and education supports," he said.
An ancient shamanistic tribute to the Forest God every July was revived with the help of the programme.
Like a dream come true, five Pu Peo teenagers were enrolled in universities between 2009 and 2011.
And best of all, marriages between cousins have been declining sharply,said Suan. "Most villagers no longer want this type of marriage sincethey have been told about the potential genetic dangers to the nextgenerations."
One couple, Trang Thi Mai and her husband,Ly Te Ngan - her first cousin, worry about those dangers as their secondson, now 14 looks no older than seven.
"I will never let my children do the same. It's no good!" said Ngan.
Director of Ha Giang's Ethnic Issues Department Long Vinh Phuc said themost important legacy of the Government's support scheme is betterawareness about all aspects of life.
However, on the downside, this opening up to the wider world is putting the future of the Pu Peo as a distinct group at risk.
Cross-tribal marriages, movement to bigger towns and cities and smallerfamilies are the new challenges facing the tribe, one of the oldest inthe region.
Lan's decision to marry a Tay because everyPu Peo youth she knew was a relative - "and I did not want a cousinmarriage," she said.
The latest census from Dong Vandistrict's Ethnic Issues Department reveals that there have been 20inter-ethnic marriages involving Pu Peo people in recent years. "That issomething we never heard of 10 years ago," says Suan.
Higher education means young couples today tend to get married older andonly want one or two children. Like many of her Pu Peo female friends,Lan is considering if she should have a second child. "I like children,but I don't think we can afford such a big family," she said.
According to Suan, the population of Chung Trai Village hasrisen by only six in the last seven years, despite Governmentencouragement for couples in these ethnic areas to have as many babiesas they want.
From another perspective, traditionalclothes are rarely seen in the Pu Peo village today. None of the fivemembers in Mai and Ngan's family has any traditional costumes, since,like mainstream Vietnamese, they prefer popular clothes for convenience.
"We can't buy traditional costumes. We have to make themourselves. It takes a lot of effort, but it's so much easier and cheaperto buy ready-made clothes," said Mai.
Dinh My Thao,deputy head of Dong Van district's Ethnic Issues Department, admits itis hard to address these new challenges. "That's the other side of thecoin [development process] we have to accept."
Accordingto him, Pu Peo people must assimilate with other ethnic groups toachieve a better quality of population. "But it's sadly means thedegradation in their cultural identity," he said.
ForThao, the only way to help the remaining 600 people is more Stateinvestment to preserve their culture. For instance, he suggested theState might have to pay artisans to make traditional customs foreveryone.
The other four smallest ethnic groups in thecountry, Si La, O Du, Brau and Ro Mam, are also facing similarchallenges, said policy department chief Khanh. But most of theGovernment support for the five groups with a population under 1,000ended a year ago, apart from some preferential policies in education andtraining and credit schemes.
"There are still many other small ethnic groups that need help. It's now time for them," said Khanh.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung recently approved a 10-year programmecosting 1,042 billion VND (49.6 million USD) to support five otherethnic groups with populations of less than 5,000 – Mang, La Hu, Congand Co Lao, all in the northern mountains.
According tothe State Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, the poverty rate inthese groups is expected to be cut from 78 percent to 60 percent in thenext four years. Malnutrition among children under five is expected tobe cut to 30 percent.
The committee has also proposedanother programme that, if approved, will extend supports to sevenethnic groups of less than 10,000 people.
"Infrastructure, production, education and health are the most important parts of our supporting schemes," says Khanh.
He said he hopes the minorities will be able to address cultural issueson their own in the future, when they no longer have to worry aboutmaking ends meet.
"When their societies are developedenough, hopefully they will get back to their traditional values andtreasure their own identity," he said./.
She never forgets that she is part of about 600 Pu Peo people inVietnam although she now follows the customs of the Tay , a far biggerethnic group and also her husband's community.
"The waysthe two ethic groups worship and perform ritual offerings are totallydifferent. Unfortunately as a wife, I have to discard my customs andadopt his," said the kindergarten and first grade teacher.
It took her some time to get used to cutting boiled chicken into smallpieces and putting it on plates at the altar as other Tay women do,instead of offering the whole boiled bird as in Pu Peo culture.
"And my daughter also has to follow her father's customs, making hermore of a Tay than a Pu Peo. What a shame!" said rosy-faced Lan with asigh.
Inter-ethnic marriages have become a new challengethreatening the identity of Pu Peo people, one of the five ethnic groupswith a population of less than 1,000, after their living standards muchincreased thanks to the Government supports.
The Pu Peo,who live only in Ha Giang province, together with the Si La in Lai Chauand Dien Bien, O Du in Nghe An, Brau and Ro Mam both in Kon Tum, are thebeneficiaries of the first Government programme to support thecountry's smallest ethnic groups. It ran from 2005 to 2010.
A total of 76.8 billion VND (3.65 million USD) was spent on buildingroads, irrigation works, schools, healthcare centres and power lines inthese tribal areas. Locals were also trained in new farming techniquesand given funds to ensure they hold onto their unique but fast fadingfestivals.
"This programme laid a firm ground for a betterdevelopment of minority people," said Trinh Cong Khanh, head of thePolicy Department under the State Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs.
Giang My Giang, chairman of Ha Giang's Pho La Commune,where the biggest community of Pu Peo people lives, said life qualityhas greatly improved since the programme starts.
The newroads have opened up new trade opportunities and helped reduce thepoverty rate - and all children are now sent to school where theyoungest are still taught in their own language.
ChungTrai Village , home to 136 Pu Peo people, is now among the mostdeveloped areas in Pho La Commune, according to Giang.
Cung Phu Suan, head of the village, recognises the big changes that his people have seen since 2005.
"I'm really happy with all positive developments brought about by theGovernment's interest-free loan scheme and education supports," he said.
An ancient shamanistic tribute to the Forest God every July was revived with the help of the programme.
Like a dream come true, five Pu Peo teenagers were enrolled in universities between 2009 and 2011.
And best of all, marriages between cousins have been declining sharply,said Suan. "Most villagers no longer want this type of marriage sincethey have been told about the potential genetic dangers to the nextgenerations."
One couple, Trang Thi Mai and her husband,Ly Te Ngan - her first cousin, worry about those dangers as their secondson, now 14 looks no older than seven.
"I will never let my children do the same. It's no good!" said Ngan.
Director of Ha Giang's Ethnic Issues Department Long Vinh Phuc said themost important legacy of the Government's support scheme is betterawareness about all aspects of life.
However, on the downside, this opening up to the wider world is putting the future of the Pu Peo as a distinct group at risk.
Cross-tribal marriages, movement to bigger towns and cities and smallerfamilies are the new challenges facing the tribe, one of the oldest inthe region.
Lan's decision to marry a Tay because everyPu Peo youth she knew was a relative - "and I did not want a cousinmarriage," she said.
The latest census from Dong Vandistrict's Ethnic Issues Department reveals that there have been 20inter-ethnic marriages involving Pu Peo people in recent years. "That issomething we never heard of 10 years ago," says Suan.
Higher education means young couples today tend to get married older andonly want one or two children. Like many of her Pu Peo female friends,Lan is considering if she should have a second child. "I like children,but I don't think we can afford such a big family," she said.
According to Suan, the population of Chung Trai Village hasrisen by only six in the last seven years, despite Governmentencouragement for couples in these ethnic areas to have as many babiesas they want.
From another perspective, traditionalclothes are rarely seen in the Pu Peo village today. None of the fivemembers in Mai and Ngan's family has any traditional costumes, since,like mainstream Vietnamese, they prefer popular clothes for convenience.
"We can't buy traditional costumes. We have to make themourselves. It takes a lot of effort, but it's so much easier and cheaperto buy ready-made clothes," said Mai.
Dinh My Thao,deputy head of Dong Van district's Ethnic Issues Department, admits itis hard to address these new challenges. "That's the other side of thecoin [development process] we have to accept."
Accordingto him, Pu Peo people must assimilate with other ethnic groups toachieve a better quality of population. "But it's sadly means thedegradation in their cultural identity," he said.
ForThao, the only way to help the remaining 600 people is more Stateinvestment to preserve their culture. For instance, he suggested theState might have to pay artisans to make traditional customs foreveryone.
The other four smallest ethnic groups in thecountry, Si La, O Du, Brau and Ro Mam, are also facing similarchallenges, said policy department chief Khanh. But most of theGovernment support for the five groups with a population under 1,000ended a year ago, apart from some preferential policies in education andtraining and credit schemes.
"There are still many other small ethnic groups that need help. It's now time for them," said Khanh.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung recently approved a 10-year programmecosting 1,042 billion VND (49.6 million USD) to support five otherethnic groups with populations of less than 5,000 – Mang, La Hu, Congand Co Lao, all in the northern mountains.
According tothe State Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, the poverty rate inthese groups is expected to be cut from 78 percent to 60 percent in thenext four years. Malnutrition among children under five is expected tobe cut to 30 percent.
The committee has also proposedanother programme that, if approved, will extend supports to sevenethnic groups of less than 10,000 people.
"Infrastructure, production, education and health are the most important parts of our supporting schemes," says Khanh.
He said he hopes the minorities will be able to address cultural issueson their own in the future, when they no longer have to worry aboutmaking ends meet.
"When their societies are developedenough, hopefully they will get back to their traditional values andtreasure their own identity," he said./.
