Churu ethnic group

Other names: Cho Ru, Kru, and Thuong.
Population: 10,746 people.
Language: The Churu language belongs to the Malayo- Polynesian group (of the Austronesian language family) and is close to Cham language. A part of Cham people live close to Co Ho people and speak Co Ho (which belongs to the Mon-Khmer group).
History: The Churu people seemed to be a component of the Cham community in the past. They might have separated from the larger Cham society when they went to live high in the mountains.

Production activities: The Churu lead a sedentary lifestyle, living mainly on their traditional agriculture. They cultivate in two kinds of fields: muddy and dry. Irrigation is given careful consideration, including the building of ditches, dikes, embankments, etc. People have gardens both in the mountains and at home. Livestock and poultry raising is popular. Hunting, gathering and fishing are also part of daily life. Household handicrafts are fairly well-developed, including textile weaving, plaiting and making fairly coarse pottery.
Diet: Ordinary rice is the most important food, often cooked in earthen pots. Supplementary foods include corn, manioc and sweet potato. Others food are forest bamboo shoots, vegetables, fish and meat obtained from gathering and hunting. Popular drinks include can (pipe) and distilled wines. Both men and women like smoking locally-grown tobacco with pipes.
Clothing: Because textile weaving is not very well-developed, the Churu exchange goods for such attire as dresses, blouses, loin cloths, blankets, child carriers, etc. with the neighboring groups of Cham, Coho, Raglai and Ma.