Ma ethnic group-Vietnam

Name of ethnic group: Ma (Chau Ma, Ma Xop, Ma To, Ma Krung, and Ma Ngan).
Population: 33,338 people (Year 1999).
Locality: Lam Dong Province.

Customs and habits
The Ma live in bons (villages). Each bon is comprised of five to ten elongated houses. The chief of a bon is called the quang bon. The family of a young man proposes marriage, but after the wedding the groom comes to live in his wife’s house. Only when he has enough wedding presents to hand over to the bride’s family can he take his wife to his house. The Ma believe in the existence of spirits in the river, the mountains, and the rice field.

Culture
The Ma language belongs to the Mon-Khmer Group. They possess a rich folklore including many ancient tales, myths, and legends. Their musical instruments consist of gongs, drums, pan-pipes with bamboo-boxes, horns, bamboo string zithers, and three-holed bamboo flutes.

Costumes
The women wear skirts that fall below their knees and the men wear loincloths. They also file their teeth, stretch their earlobes, and wear a lot of ornaments.

Economy
The Ma cultivate rice, corn, and cotton. Ma women are very skilled at cloth making. They are also very skillful at forging.

Other Vietnam Ethnic Groups:

[Xtieng ethnic group][Xo dang ethnic group][Xinh - mun ethnic group][Tho ethnic group][ Thai ethnic group][Ta Oi ethnic group][Tay ethnic group][Si La ethnic group][San Diu ethnic group][San Chay ethnic group][Ro mam ethnic group][Ra Glai ethnic group][Pu Peo ethnic group][Phu La ethnic group][Pa Then ethnic group][O du ethnic group][Nung ethnic group][Ngai ethnic group][Muong ethnic group][M’Nong ethnic group][Mong (H’Mong) ethnic group][Ma ethnic group][Lu ethnic group][Lo Lo ethnic group][Lao ethnic group][La Hu ethnic group][ La Ha ethnic group][La chi ethnic group][Viet (Kinh) ethnic group][Kho Mu ethnic group][Khmer ethnic group][Khang ethnic group][Hre ethnic group][Hoa ethnic group][Ha Nhi ethnic group][Gie Trieng ethnic group][Gia Rai ethnic group][Giay ethnic group][E De ethnic group][Dao ethnic group][Co Tu ethnic group][Co Lao ethnic group][Co Ho ethnic group][Cong ethnic group][Co ethnic group][Chut ethnic group][Chu Ru ethnic group][Cho Ro ethnic group][Cham ethnic group][Bru - Van Kieu ethnic group][Brau ethnic group][Bo Y ethnic group][Ba Na ethnic group]