Mạ people

The Mạ or Maa (Vietnamese: Người Mạ) are a Mon–Khmer indigenous people of Vietnam; as of 2019, they had a population of 50,322. They are concentrated mostly in the Lâm Đồng and Đồng Nai province of the country, particularly in the area of the upper Đồng Nai River.^[2] They are very close to the Koho people.

Mạ

Total population
Vietnam 50,322 (2019)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Vietnam
Languages
Mạ, Vietnamese, others
Religion
Animism • Theravada Buddhism

The Ma achieved some form of political unity and a stratified society before the 19th century due to the influence of the Funan.^[2] This, however, broke down due to varying factors such as the French colonization, inter-group warfare, and slave trading.^[2] The Mon-Khmer-speaking group called Cho Ro is identified by some ethnologists as a subgroup of the Ma people.^[3]

Culture

Language

The Mạ or Maa language comes under the Mon-Khmer Group: this and the Koho language are sometimes considered to be different dialects only. Jean Boulbet^[4] and Lê et al. describe the following Mạ subgroups.^[5] There are over 16,000 Mạ people living in Lộc Thắng, Lộc Bắc, Lộc Tân, Lộc Lâm, Lộc Ngãi, and Lộc Châu communes in Bảo Lộc District; Đạ Teh, Đạ M’rê, Đạ Huoai, Đồng Nai, and Ma Đa Gui communes in Đạ Huoai District; Đạ Đờn and Phú Sơn communes in Đức Trọng District; Đinh Trang Thượng commune in northern Di Linh District (Lê et al. 2014:310). These districts all belong to Lâm Đồng Province.

• Mạ Ngăn: the main Mạ subgroup, who live in the Đạ Đơng river basin. Lộc Bắc, Lộc Trung, Lộc Lâm communes of Bảo Lộc District, Lâm Đồng Province.
• Mạ Tô: in upstream La Ngà (Đạ Rnga) River, B'Lao (Bảo Lộc) plateau. Many are in close contact with the Koho people.
• Mạ Krung or Mạ Đa Gui: in the southern plains, from southeastern Bảo Lộc District, Đạ Huoai District, Lâm Đồng Province to Định Quán District, Đồng Nai Province.
• Mạ Xốp: in Lộc Bắc (B'Lach) commune, Bảo Lộc District, and some in Lộc Trung commune of the same district.

Le (2003)^[6] covers the Maa varieties of Dagui, Chop, and Tadung.

Folklore

The Mạ have a rich oral traditions, and their culture is a tapestry of folklore. Myths, parables, and legends are an integral part of this ethnic group.^[7] A detailed description the beliefs, customs, ethno-geography and botany of the Mạ people is given by fr:Jean Boulbet, having lived in what is now the Cát Tiên and Bảo Lâm districts in the 1950-60s: before the extensive influx of lowland people to the region.^[4]

Traditional attire

The Mạ are also known for their traditional colorful attire. Mạ women wear skirts that reach well below their knees. The men customarily wear loincloth.^[4]