Traditional culture of the Cham people

As a culture imbued with national identity, the traditional culture of the Cham people is very famous in Southeast Asia. This culture is created by a system of cultural layers submerged and floating in and on the earth, and is still preserved quite intact. Although they have gone through many changes over time, the Cham people still retain the cultural values ​​left by the ancients. Furthermore, our Party and State are also very interested in preserving the cultural identity of this nation.

Let's go togetheriguide.aiFind out information about the Cham people in Vietnam!

1. Historical origins

Other names: Cham, Champa, Champa, Champa, Hoi...
Local groups: Cham Hroi, Cham Poong, Cha Va Ku, Cham Chau Doc.

2. Population:178,948 people (According to data from the Survey of 53 ethnic minorities on April 1, 2019).

3. Language:The language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian language group (Austronesian language family).

4. History: 

-The Cham people, who have been living on the central coast of Vietnam for a long time, have created a brilliant culture with profound influence from Indian culture. As early as the 17th century, the Cham people built the Champa kingdom. Currently, the population consists of two main segments: Those residing in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan mainly follow the Brahman religion (a small part of the Cham people here follow traditional Islam called Cham Ba ni people). The majority residing in some localities in the provinces of Chau Doc, Tay Ninh, An Giang, Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City follow the new Islam.

- Production activities: Cham people have a tradition of wet-field agriculture, are good at irrigation and fruit gardening. In addition to wet farming, there is still a type of single-crop dry farming on the mountainside. The Cham people in the South make a living mainly from fishing, handloom weaving and small businesses, farming is only secondary.

- Crafts developed in the Cham region are famous for silk weaving and hand-shaped pottery, fired in open kilns. Trade with neighboring peoples has existed since ancient times. The Central Coast region was once home to famous naval fleets in history.

- Eating: Cham people eat rice, cooked in large and small terracotta pots. Food includes fish, meat, and vegetables, provided by hunting, gathering, raising animals, and growing crops. The drink includes wine and rice wine. The custom of chewing betel and areca nuts is very common in daily life and in traditional rituals and customs.

- Wear: Both men and women wear sheet skirts. Men wear short blouses with chest slits and buttons. Women wear ao dai and pull over their heads. The main color on the clothes is white cotton fabric. Nowadays, in daily activities, Cham people dress like Vietnamese people in the Central region, only the ao dai is still seen among elderly women.

- Housing: Cham people reside in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, in land houses (ground houses). Each family has houses built close together in an orderly manner including: the guest house, the house of the parents and young children, the house of the married girls, the kitchen and the customary house including the warehouse. rice, the bridal chamber and the residence of the youngest girl and her husband.

- Means of transportation: Mainly and often still a basket carried on the back. Cham residents are also highly skilled boat builders to operate on rivers and seas. They made ox-drawn and buffalo-drawn carts with quite large tonnage for land transportation.
Social relations: The Cham family has a matriarchal tradition, although Cham society was formerly a caste and feudal society. In areas following Islam, although the family has become patriarchal and the male role is emphasized, matrilineal practices still exist quite strongly in family and lineage relationships with ancestor worship. fairy. Cham residents were originally divided into two clans: Cau and Dua like the Niee and Mlo lineages of the £de ethnic group. Later, the Cau clan transformed into a class of commoners, while the Dua clan became a class of nobles and clergy. Below the clan are family lines following the mother's bloodline, headed by a woman from the youngest line. Each family has many branches. Traditional Cham society is divided into castes like ancient Indian society. They have their own residence areas and there are clear separations: they are not allowed to establish marital relations, do not live in the same neighborhood, do not eat from the same tray...

- Marriage: Women take the initiative in sexual relationships. Marriage resides in the wife's family, and children born follow the mother's family name. The bride price is taken care of by the bride's family. Monogamy is the principle in marriage.

- Funeral: Cham people have two ways of bringing the dead to the afterlife: burial and cremation. Brahmanical groups of people often cremate according to canon law, while other groups of people are cremated. People in the same family are buried in the same place according to their mother's bloodline.

- New house: Cham people in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan, when building a new house, must perform a number of worshiping rituals such as: worshiping the Earth God to cut wood in the forest. When the wood is transported to the village, there must be a ceremony to welcome the tree. The carpentry ceremony was held to start the construction of the house.

- Tet holidays: People carry out many agricultural rituals in a yearly cycle such as: ditch opening and dam opening ceremony, planting ceremony, rice growing ceremony, rice growing ceremony. But the biggest festival is still the Bon Kate festival, held lavishly at temples and towers in the middle of the tenth lunar month.

- Calendar: Cham people have a traditional agricultural calendar calculated according to the lunar calendar.

- Study: The Cham people were literate very early. There exist many inscriptions and scriptures in Cham script. The Cham script was created based on the Sascrit writing system, but its use was still very limited among the ancient clergy and aristocracy. Education and vocational training are still mainly transmitted by word of mouth and by imitation and following.

- Performing arts: Outstanding Cham musical instruments include Paranung leather-faced drums, clapping drums, and xaranai trumpets. The ancient Cham folk songs and music have left many influences on the ancient folk songs and music of the Vietnamese people in the Central region such as rice drums, nam ai music, Hue folk songs... Cham folk dance is seen in Bon Kate festivals. takes place at temples and towers.

- Play: Children like to tickle and fly kites, fight mock battles, capture the flag, and play blindfolded goat catcher.

5. Unique features in culture

-The Cham ethnic group, one of the most diverse and unique ethnic minorities in Vietnam, not only possesses a unique culture, but also makes an important contribution to the country's ethnic diversity and richness. With a long history and independent cultural development, the Cham people are an indispensable part of the Vietnamese cultural scene.

- The Cham ethnic group is present mainly in the Central and Central Highlands provinces of Vietnam, including Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Dak Nong and neighboring areas. With their unique language, customs and traditional costumes, the Cham people have created a unique and rich culture. The Cham language is used every day, and it has become an indispensable part of the daily life and communication of the Cham people.

- The culture of the Cham people is expressed through many special cultural heritages. In architecture, Po Nagar Temple Tower, Po Klong Garai Cham Tower and Po Rome Tower are famous architectural works, demonstrating the talent and fine arts of the Cham people. In addition, the Cham people also preserve and preserve traditional handicraft arts such as net weaving, brocade weaving, and ceramic making, creating unique and exquisite products.

- The conservation and preservation of the cultural heritage of the Cham people has received attention and support from the government and social organizations. Research, conservation and restoration activities of Cham cultural heritage have been implemented to protect and develop these cultural values. At the same time, organizing educational and training activities about Cham culture is also an important part in conveying and promoting the cultural heritage of the Cham people.
The government and social organizations have carried out many activities to research, preserve and restore Cham cultural heritage to protect and develop these cultural values. Projects are implemented to facilitate a deeper understanding of the culture, traditions and history of the Cham people. At the same time, archaeological work and restoration of architectural works, temples, and tombs are also given attention and investment, in order to maintain and restore important cultural heritages.

The Cham people not only have a unique and rich culture, but also make an important contribution to the diversity and development of the nation in Vietnam. Preserving and developing Cham ethnic culture not only ensures cultural freedom and cultural diversity for the Cham people, but also contributes to building a fair, multicultural and united society. 

Above is some interesting information about the Cham people in Vietnam. Let's plan with iguide.ai to explore, meet and experience culture with the Cham people in the near future!

Source:
- Ethnic groups in Vietnam (Truth National Political Publishing House)
- Basic characteristics of 54 ethnic minorities in 2019 (Committee for Ethnic Minorities and General Statistics Office)
- Website of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities, Website of Nhan Dan Newspaper
- Results of the survey collecting information on the socio-economic status of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam)