Giarai ethnic group

Proper Name: Giarai.

Other Names: Gia Ray, Cha Ray.

Local Groups: Chor, Hdrung (including Hbau, Chor), Arap, Mthur, Tobuan.

Population: 242, 291 people.

Language: Giarai language is part of the family of Malayo- Polynesian languages.

History: The Giarai are one of the earliest residents of the mountainous area of Tay

Nguyen (Central Highlands), and extending into parts of Cambodia. Early Giarai history refers to Potao ia (King of Water) and Potao pui (King of Fire), which have become cults to the Sky, the Earth, to pray for favorable rain and wind... Before the 11th century, both Ede and Giarai people were called Rang Dey. Between the 15th and 16th century, the Vietnamese feudal books of history and legends acknowledged terms of address of Thuy Xa (King of Water) and Hoa Xa (King of Fire). Only men of lineage Siu were allowed to carry these royal titles, and the women of the Ro Cham lineage were selected to be their spouses. It is likely that the word Pa tao is synonymous with Mtao of Cham people, Tao of Thai people and Thao of Lao people, all referring to a leader.

Production activities: The Giarai are primarily agriculturists. Land is the essential factor in production activities, being divided into two types: uncultivated owned lands namely De, tra, or Ion which are not yet cultivated and do not yet belong to anyone; and cultivated lands called Hma, owned by each household. Hma is part-garden, part swidden field, with land prepared by the slash-and-burn method, hoeing and ploughing the land, and using a digging stick to create holes into which seeds are inserted. In wet-rice fields, the Giarai use the hoe to turn up and plough into land (today the tendency is to use the plough drawn by two oxen).

Animal husbandry includes: buffaloes, oxen, horses, elephants, pigs, chickens and dogs, etc. In the exchange of precious objects, the buffalo has a value equivalent to gongs and jars. They also serve as offerings for sacrificial rituals. Family handicrafts include carpentry, forging and weaving. Artisans create back- baskets which are used for transporting goods and produce and for holding family possessions. The Giarai weave cloth using a style of broad-loom also found in Indonesia, producing wide, beautifully designed cloth.

Diet: The major foods are rice and its substitute, corn. Dishes are prepared using vegetables, salt and chili, vegetable soups, sometimes meat and fish. At meal times, the whole family sits around the dishes with each member having his/her own portion. At festivals, can (pipe) wine is consumed. The jar of wine is placed in the middle of the room, sur¬rounded by foods served in bowls, on plates and on banana leaves. Eating and drinking be¬gin, and a festive atmosphere encourages singing, dancing and gong playing. Many adults smoke.

Clothing: Daily wear for men includes a white and colorful striped loin-cloth (toai). In festivals, men wear a 4 m-long and 0.30m-wide indigo loincloth with designs on the hem and colorful loose fringes at both ends. A small black jacket, hemmed with linear designs of colorful threads down the sides is in the style of a poncho. The patao, or the village leader, is identified by his long, pullover indigo vest, which covers the buttocks. It has long sleeves and a red band from the collar to the chest. Under these range the buttons and a red cloth is patched to distinguish the shirt from others.
Women wear long indigo wrapper or sarong (1.40 m-long and 1 m-wide), hemmed with designs. The upper hem is designed with white or colorful strands. The wrapper is not sewn into a tube, but is simply a rectangle of cloth that is wrapped around the body. A short pullover vest or blouse is molded to the body; it has long sleeves and is black indigo in color. The sleeves are embroidered with colorful circle designs. Often men and women leave the upper torso unclothed, due to the hot weather much of the year.

Housing: The Giarai house is usually built on stilts and houses a matriarchal family that includes the husband, wife and children. The architecture is divided into two styles. The long house on stilts is called la-yun-pa which is 13.5 m-long and 3.5 m-wide at the average size. The house is split into two sections, mang and oc. The oc door opens to the north and is reserved for women, who are in charge in the matriarchal system. This large-style of house usually has two kitchens. A second style of house, called hdrung, is smaller (9 m-long and 3 m-wide). The height from the ground to the roof-top is not over 4.5 m. The main door, which opens to the north, runs straight to the floor for drying harvested crops. There are two windows at the sides of the door. This type of house has only one kitchen.

Transportation: The most popular means of transporting goods and produce is using the back-basket. In addition, the Giarai use horses and elephants for transporting goods and riding. Elephants are also used for pulling.

Social organization: The village (ploi or bon) is considered a residential place, as well as a community with a council led by elderly men (Phun po but). The council is charged with selecting the village leader (called oi po thun, Thap ploi, Khoa ploi) according to the Kdi or customary rights. Giarai tradi¬tional society is orga- nised into a territorial alliance (To ring). The chief of the To ring is a Khoa To ring, assisted by a Po phat kdi and a Thao kdi in his judgments. To ring is a community territory which becomes a military alliance in case of war.
Because of the matriarchal social structure, Giarai genealogy is based on the maternal line. People of the same bloodline make up families. Each family is divided into branches or splitted into two, alternate families. Each family and branch has a distinct totem. The Giarai are characterized by small matriarchal families, distinguishing them from the large matrilineal families of the Ede.