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Proper name: Ra Glai.
Local groups: Rai (in
Ham Tan - Binh Thuan) Hoang, La Oang (in Due Trong - Lam
Dong)...
Population: 71,696
people.
Language: Raglai
language belongs to the Malayo- Polynesian language group
(of the Austronesian language family). As a result of
their contacts with other neighboring ethnic groups, the
Raglai are bilingual or multi-lingual. The common language
plays an important role in communication among the Raglai
themselves and with other groups.
History: The Raglai
have been living for a long time in the southern-central
parts of the country.
Production activities:
The Raglai cultivate swidden fields as their primary
economic activity, although some wet- rice cultivation is
also practiced nowadays. On the burnt- over land, they
grow rice, corn, beans, pumpkins and fruit trees. The land
is developed using a cha gac, a large kitchen knife or
axe. The Raglai use a short and sharp pointed digging
stick to make holes for sowing seeds. A small rake is used
in weeding, and they harvest their crops by hand. The
Raglai practice animal husbandry, raising cattle, buffalo,
pigs, and poultry. Blacksmithing and basketry are
widespread handicrafts. Weaving is not developed.
Diet: Breakfast and
dinner are the main meals. Lunch is often brought to the
fields. Soup is cooked with meat, fish and other
vegetables - they are the favorite foods of the Raglai.
Water is stored in a dried pumpkin gourds, as is pipe-
wine. The Raglai chop the tobacco leaves and then wrap the
tobacco in corn leaves for smoking, a popular pastime.
Clothing: It is hard
to find the traditional clothing of the Raglai. Today, men
wear pants and a shirt, women wear skirts or pants with a
ba ba blouse (a kind of shirt used by Southern Vietnamese
women). In the past, men did not wear shirts, but were
attired only a simple undecorated loin cloth. On the
traditional festival days, women wear long dresses
ornamented with square pieces of red and white colored
cloth at the top.
Housing: The Raglai
live at high elevations (from 500 - 1000 m) in mountainous
and valley areas mainly in the districts of Ninh Son (Ninh
Thuan), Bac Binh (Binh Thuan) and other areas in Phu Yen,
Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong. Formerly, the Raglai lived in the
houses built on stilts. Today, houses built directly on
the ground are more popular. Some houses are square-
shaped and about 12-14m2 large. Other houses are larger
and their shapes are rectangular. Raglai building
techniques are quite simple they mainly use tree branches
and tight rope as lashing. The roof is made by thatch or
may leaves. Partitions are made by plaited bamboo and
wattle and daub methods.
Transportation: Like other ethnic groups in Truong Son
Highlands, the chief means the Raglai use for transporting
goods is the gui or back basket with shoulder straps of
bamboo or rattan. The gui is made simply and usually has
no decorated motifs. Gui are made in different sizes to
suit the work and the shoulders of the carrier.
Social organization:
The Raglai has many family lineages living in one village.
In necessary situations, the "Committee of Elders" will be
established which is based upon the approval of each
member in the village. Each village has its own chief who
is credited as the first to claim and cultivate the land.
If many villages are located in the same mountainous area,
there will be a mountainous chief as well as village
chiefs. Ritual specialists also are well-established.
Raglai social relationships in the past and the present
are strongly influenced by matriarchal traditions.
