22 Social Sciences Information Review, Vol.13, No.2, June, 2019 Marriage and family issues in fi ve ethnic minorities with very small populations in Vietnam today Nguyen Thi Tam PhD., Institute of Anthropology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Email: [email protected] Bui Thi Bich Lan, Nguyen Thi Hong Kinh Bac University Received January 1, 2019; published June 25, 2019 Abstract: Based on a literature review and fi eld research, the paper clarifi es the existing problems and the social challenges of the fi ve sparsely-populated ethnic minorities (O-du, Brau, Ro-mam, Pu Peo and Si La) in Vietnam today, with a focus on marriage and family aspects. Keywords: Ethnic Minorities, Social Issues, Marriage, Family Relationship, O-du, Brau, Ro- mam, Pu Peo, Si La Introduction groups with a population less than 1,000 in Ethnic diversity is a pride, contributing to particular for years, it’s not comprehensive enriching the national cultural identity of to some extent. On the other hand, their low Vietnam, diversifying the world cultural awareness of preserving and promoting picture, but also posing great responsibilities cultural identity inevitably causes cultural to the governing agencies, researchers and loss or distortion. ethnic minorities themselves. The 2009 Literature review coupled with fi eldwork1, Vietnam Population and Housing Census the paper overviews the issues related to show that 53 ethnic minorities account for marriage and family relations of these 14.3% of the national population (Central fi ve ethnic groups today, thereby partly Steering Committee for Population and creating a scientifi c basis for their suitable Housing Census, 2010). Five ethnic and feasible socio-economic development groups with a population that is fewer programs. than 1,000 are O-du (residing in Nghe An), Brau, Ro-Mam (Kon Tum), Pu Peo (Ha Giang) and Si La (Lai Chau). Despite 1 great attention of the Party and the State Field research in 2014-2015 of the Project on cultural exploration and preservation of ethnic paid to both material and spiritual life of groups in Lai Chau hydropower reservoir area by ethnic minorities in general and fi ve ethnic Assoc. Prof. PhD. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh. Marriage and family issues… 23 1. Marriage of whom had a high school diploma, * Child marriage vocational or college certifi cates and above Results from the Survey on the socio- gets married early (Committee for Ethnic economic situation of 53 ethnic minorities Minorities, 2016: 5). in 2015 shows that the average proportion It can be seen that child marriage threatens of under-age married is as high as 26.6%. girls’ lives and health, and it limits their There are fi ve ethnic groups with a very opportunities and future prospects, high proportion of under-age married, including their job prospects, and has long- being O-du (73%), followed by Ro-mam term eff ects on their families (See: Son and Brau (50%), Si La (42%) and Pu Peo Nam, 2016). (11.8%) (Committee for Ethnic Minorities * Consanguineous marriage and General Statistics Offi ce, 2015). It Consanguineous marriage among the can be seen that child marriage is rather smallest ethnic groups that has been alarming and quite common in O-du and Si discussed much in ethnographic/ La people, respectively. According to Tran anthropological studies in recent years, is Thi Mai Lan et al (2015: 11), Si La people a matter which requires special attention. in traditional society do not attach much Some statistics show that although there importance to girl’s virginity. Therefore, has been a tendency to decline, inbreeding those aged 13-15 years can have sexual in these ethnic groups are still at risk intercourse before marriage but will be of resurgence. Statistics of the General subject to heavy customary law if they Department of Population and Family become pregnant. Currently, the fact that Si Planning (Ministry of Health) reveal that La boys and girls in the two villages of Seo the proportion of near-blood married in Hai and Si Hau Chai (Can Ho - Muong Te - ethnic groups of Si La, Pu Peo, Ro-Mam, Lai Chau province) married at the age of 16- Brau is up to 10%. It means that ten in 17 is relatively popular. Some even become every hundred marriages are of inbreeding, parents while being in the fi nal years of which makes these ethnic groups the most secondary school. Because customary laws exposed to a decline in population quality. are no longer as strict as before, Si La girls Cross-cousin marriage is most popular in with illegitimate children are no longer the northern mountainous region and the fi ned. Up to six Si La female students in Central Highlands. From 2004-2011, Lai these two villages became single mothers Chau province had more than 200 people at school age, most of them went to school involved in inbreeding, in which the far away from home. proportion of near-blood married in some In fact, low educational level and limited ethnic minorities with a small population awareness of laws of the ethnic minorities was up to 20% (Cited by the Committee contributes to increasing early marriage, for Ethnic Minority Aff airs, 2014b: 5-6). especially for women in ethnic groups In Kon Tum province where the Brau and with very small population. According to a Ro-mam are largely concentrated, there survey, about one-third of women aged 20- were 56 near-blood married in a total of 49 years (26.9%) without any qualifi cations 350 child marriages (Committee for Ethnic get married before 18, whereas only 1.2% Minority Aff airs, 2014a). 24 Social Sciences Information Review, Vol.13, No.2, June, 2019 On the other hand, recent ethnographic/ * Mixed marriage anthropological studies have yielded more Mixed marriages are an increasing trend positive survey results: inbreeding among in the fi ve ethnic groups with very small ethnic groups with very small populations population thanks to the more expanded have declined greatly, even no longer relationship and exchanges in terms of social survived. Research on the O-du people, space and ethnic composition. Previously, Bui Xuan Dinh (2014) shows that the only members of the same ethnic group practice of clan exogamy and unaccepted and even at the same locality married each marriage among cousins within fi ve other, which is due to traditional practices generations are their typical features and and inferiority complexes of a community basic principles today. Therefore, marriage with very few people. between ethnic groups is a long-standing Currently, people’s awareness and their trend, mainly due to the fact that this group social position are gradually improved. is among those with the fewest people so The process of bringing together creates they are always aware that the O-du people an increasingly close relationship between all carry the same surname of “Lo” so they ethnic groups not only in the fi elds of are blood-related (Bui Xuan Dinh et al, politics, economy, and culture but also 2017: 1227). Pu Peo men and women also expressed quite clearly in marriage default to the principle of lineage exogamy relations. Socio-economic factors impact to avoid unnecessary risks for their married and promote the trend of mixed marriages life (Le Hai Dang et al, 2016: 786). The between ethnic groups with very small Brau’s practice of inbreeding, polyandry, population. levirate, and sororate… has been so far a For Pu Peo people, after Doi moi, the special case. The majority of Brau people reopened borderline, convenient traffi c, and follows the principle of lineage exogamy better learning opportunities have facilitated and ethnic endogamy (Bui Ngoc Quang, the exchanges between the Pu Peo youth 2017: 1164). For Si La people, inbreeding with other ethnic groups. While studying no longer happens in young couples. in boarding schools, participating in social Statistics from the marriage register of the work, trade and festivals in localities, even People’s Committee of Can Ho commune making friends on social networking sites, shows that, from 2007 to 2013, there are many Pu Peo young people have chosen 11 Si La couples getting married but none their spouse, including those from other of them are relatives (Tran Thi Mai Lan et ethnic groups. A survey of Pu Peo people al, 2015: 13). in Dong Van district, Ha Giang province The above statements are completely today reveals that among the male-headed reasonable because the level of awareness, households in Chung Chai village (Pho ethnic relations as well as the pattern La commune), the number of other ethnic of alternating residence will promote households such as Tay, Co Lao, Kinh, the mixed marriage. Therefore, in our and Nung makes up a small percentage, opinion, the near-blood married is no but in Pu Peo families, more than 50% of longer really worrisome as noted on the the total households have diff erent ethnic media over time. women (Hmong, Kinh, Giay, Co Lao, Tay, Marriage and family issues… 25 and Chinese) as a bride (Le Hai Dang et al, complex ethnic composition. In addition 2016: 784-785). to the Brau people, there are members of The period from 2000 onward, many Si La other ethnic groups who come to live after people tend to marry Ha Nhi, Thai, Cong, marriage with Brau people and those who Dao, Kinh, Muong and Tay people in the voluntarily come to live (free migration and region. According to incomplete statistics migration according to the State’s programs of a research group, Can Ho commune has and plans). Their descendants were 22 couples of mixed marriages between born, making it diffi cult to determine the Si La people and those from other ethnic composition of the ethnic group.