Sedang ethnic group

Proper names: Xo Teng (Hdang, Xdang, Hdra), Mnam, Ca Dong, Ha Lang (Xlang), Ta Tri (Ta Tre), Chau.

Other names: Hdang, Kmrang, Con lan, Brila.

Local groups: Xo Teng, To Dra, Mnam, Ca Dong, Ha Lang, Ta Tri, Chau.

Population: 96,766 people.

Language: Sedang language belongs to the Mon-Khmer language family (Austroasitatic language family). Their language is very similar to Hre, Bahnar and Gie-Trieng languages. There are some different vocabularies among groups. The Sedang use the Latin alphabet for their writing system.

History: The Sedang are long-time inhabitants around the area of Truong Son - Tay Nguyen central highlands region in Quang Nam, Quang Ngai province.

Economic activities: A faction of the Sedang practice wet-rice cultivation. Their cultivation technique is not all that well-developed. They work the fields by herding water buffaloes into it, so that the buff aloe's hooves work the soil. They use hoes, which are made from wood (steel ones are used now). The majority of Sedang work on terraced fields, using the same techniques and tools as other ethnic groups in the region. They use the axe and machete to cut down trees, then burn them. To plant seedlings, a hole in the ground is made using a pointed digging stick with an iron tip. To weed, the Sedang use little hoes made from tree branches. At harvest, the Sedang pluck the ears of rice off with their hands. In addition to rice, the Sedang also plant millet, corn, cassava,. pumpkin, tobacco, melon, pineapple, banana, sugar cane, etc. Traditional domestic animals are water buffaloes, goats, pigs, dogs, and chickens. Fruit picking, hunting, and fishing also play an important role in their economy. Among the Sedang, weaving appears in many regions. Hammering is highly developed within the To Dra group. They know how to transform ore into iron for hammering. In some places, the Sedang are gold-washers. Bamboo weaving is also developed to produce household furniture. Although barter trade was commonly practiced, nowadays, the Sedang use money for most of their transactions.

Diet: The Sedang eat rice and sticky rice with chili salt and foods hunted or gathered in the forest. Only when worshipping do the Sedang eat meat and poultry. Popular foods include soups cooked with vegetables or bamboo shoots mixed with fish and meat, snails, and grilled foods. The Sedang drink fresh water (many boiled water nowadays), and wine. There is an special wine made from millet which is much better than from rice or cassava.

In some places, the Sedang have the custom of eating betel nut. Men and women both smoke tobacco. Some of them grind tobacco into powder and chew it instead of smoking it.

Clothing: Men wear loin cloths. Women wear skirts and blouses. When it is cold, they wrap themselves in blankets. In the ancient past, many of the Sedang wore clothes made from bark. Today, Sedang men wear clothes in a style similar to the Viet, and women wear shirts and skirts made from ready made materials. Sedang traditional textiles are either white or black, with only a little black, white or red decoration.

Lifestyle: The Sedang live in Kon Turn province, Tra My and Phuoc Son district of Quang Nam province, and Son Tay district of Quang Ngai province. The largest population of Sedang is around the Ngoc Linh mountain. They live in stilt houses. In the past, the Sedang households used to live together in a longhouse, but now there is a greater tendency to split into small family units. The location of houses differs among groups; in some groups, private houses are clustered around the communal house; in others, houses are built in a row and there is no communal house. Building techniques rely on the use of columns, and fiber lashings hold the various architectural elements together. There are two rows of columns in each house.

Transportation: The Sedang use carrying baskets that vary in form and technique. Some are thickly woven, others are of thin weave. Some baskets have lids, others do not; some are decorated, and others are left undecorated. Men have their own three-compartment baskets (some in the form of a snail, others resembling bat wings) which they carry on the shoulder to transport just about everything.

Social organizations: Each village is self-ruled, with the eldest man as its leader. The. village's territory is communal, and every individual has the right to own land. Even though there has long been a distinction between rich and poor, there has not been a practice of the former exploiting the latter. In the past, there was servitude, but servants were not badly treated. A sense of community is highly regarded.