Black Tai
Quick Summary
The Black Tai are one of several Tai peoples found in mainland Southeast Asia, primarily in northern Vietnam. They speak a Tai language, which belongs to the Tai-Kadai language family.12
The Tai peoples, including the Black Tai, traditionally practice Theravāda Buddhism, often integrating it with pre-Buddhist animistic beliefs in spirits called phi. Their main economic activity is rice cultivation.1
Historically, the Tai peoples migrated south from the Yangtze River valley, eventually spreading throughout Southeast Asia. The Black Tai are culturally distinct from other Tai groups, such as the Thai in Thailand or the Lao in Laos.12
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