Sandiu ethnic group

Proper name: San Deo Nhin (or Son Dao Nhan).

Other names: Trai, Trai Dat, Man quan coc (which means "man-in-shorts"), Man vay xe ("man in split cloth").

Language: The Sandiu speak the Chinese Guangdong dialect (of the Sino-Tibetan language family).

Population: 91,530 people.

History: The Sandiu migrated to Vietnam about 300 years ago.

Production activities: The Sandiu cultivate more on dry fields and less on submerged fields. Apart from their common crops such as rice, maize and manioc, they also grow many kinds of root plants. The Sandiu have long used manure to fertilize the soil. Thanks to an extra blade, their ploughshares are much sharper and, thus, more suitable for cultivating the tough and gravelly land of the Sandiu region.

Diet: The Sandiu mainly eat ordinary rice, often mixed with sweet potato and manioc. After meals, they like to have watery porridge of a type also enjoyed by the Nung.

Clothing: The traditional costume of the Sandiu women includes a black shawl and a long blouse with single or double layers. If a double-layered blouse is worn, there is a white shorter blouse inside the indigo-colored outer blouse, a red brassiere and a white, pink or blue belt. Their dress is made from two separate laps connected in one hem, its length stretches to the knees. It is dyed indigo while the waist-band is white in color. Sandiu jewelry for women is comprised of a necklace, bracelet, earrings and the silvery sa tich. Sandiu men's costume is much like the Viet style: traditionally, they wind their hair on the top of the head, and wear turbans, black ao dai (traditional long dress), and white pantaloons.

Lifestyle: The Sandiu mainly live in the midlands in the northern region, from the left-bank of the Red River to the east. Their villages are similar to Viet villages, often surrounded by bamboo rows and fences between houses. They live in cottages with earthen or plank walls.

Transportation: Apart from using their shoulders to carry things, they also use the no-wheel carts as a means of transporting goods. This cart is made of bamboo and wood, drawn on sled ties by buffalo and used for transporting everything from rice, to firewood, to manure. Because, of the cart does not have wheels, it operates well on a variety of terrains.

Social organization: Before the August Renovation in 1945, land and fields had been privatized and social classes was clearly defined. Landlords and rich peasants occupied most of the land and fields and exploited peasants and farmers though renting land, hiring labor, and charging high interest loans. In addition to the administrative government, each village has a chief elected by the people to govern public affairs.