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Proper names: Odu or
Idu.
Other name: Tay Hat
("the poor").
Population: 194
people.
Language: The Odu
langua¬ges belongs to the Mon- Khmer language group (of
the Austroasiatic language family). Nowadays, just the
older people can speak the mother tongue. Most of the Odu
people use Khmu or Thai languages for daily communication.
History: In the past,
the Odu lived along the two fivers named Nam Mo and Nam
Non, of which the latter used to be the more densely
populated area. Because of the historical events that
occurred in this area, the Odu had to move on to other
areas and live with other ethnic groups. Nowadays, the Odu
mainly live in Xop Pot and Kim Hoa villages of Kim Da
Commune, Tuong Duong district in central Nghe An
Province.. The Odu, together with the Tay Phoong group,
also inhabit Sam Nua Province in Laos.
Production activities:
The Odu are agriculturists, who cultivate both swidden and
submerged fields. They have only one crop per year. The
Odu slash and burn their fields, and' sow their rice seeds
between April and May of the Lunar calendar. Harvest is
from September to October. The main tools used in
agricultural production are the axe, the knife and the
digging stick used to make holes in the grounds when
sowing seedlings. Apart from rice - the main agricultural
crop - people also plant manioc, maize, y di and bean.
Nowadays, gathering and hunting still play an important
role in their economy. Raising cows, buffaloes, goats,
pigs and chickens is also well developed. Cows and
buffaloes are destined to be used as draught power. Pigs
and poultry are raised to serve religious rituals.
Wickerwork and weaving by rattan is for daily use and for
barter trade. In the past, the Odu could even weave cloth.
Diet: The Odu usually
have one supplementary meal (breakfast) and two main meals
(lunch and dinner). In the past, they ate steamed sticky
rice but now they eat both rice and cu nau (a plant
yielding brown dye), yam or manioc, and maize instead and
especially when they have a bad crop. The Odu enjoy
drinking wine and smoking homegrown tobacco.
Clothing: Nowadays,
the Odu wear clothing like Thai or Viet people. Just a few
types of traditional Odu clothing remain today.
Housing: In the past,
the Odu traditional house, called xien tang, was built on
stilts facing the mountain. When building the pillar of
the house, the Odu usually follow certain procedures. But
nowadays this kind of house no longer exists, and the Odu
now live in stilt houses that look the same as Thai
houses.
Transportation: The
Odu transport goods using baskets, carried with a tumpline
that is placed around the carrier's forehead. Odu baskets
are beautiful, strong and durable.
Social organization:
Because of their small population, the Odu co-exist with
the Khmu and the Thai people. Therefore, their social and
cultural relationships are affected by these two groups.
The Odu adopted their family names as do the Lao and Thai
peoples. The history of Odu family lineages is not
well-defined. The chief of the lineage plays an important
role and is one who has great prestige and respect. The
Odu live in small patriarchal families. Odu women do 'not
have the right of inheritance. In the past, Odu men would
live at the wife's home. The compulsory offering in the
Odu wedding ceremony is squirrel meat, dried meat of the
field rat, and salty dried fish.
