The Kongsat people are an
ethnic group in
Laos.
Geographic distribution
* Population of approximately 100 in
Oudomxai Province
Oudomxay (alternates: Oudômxai or Moung Xai; lo, ອຸດົມໄຊ) is a province of Laos, located in the northwest of the country. Its capital is Muang Xai.
It covers an area of . It borders China to the north, Phongsali province to the ...
of
Laos (They inhabit the single village of Nam Nyon Village in Namo District)
Origin
The Kongsat claim that they originated in the
Yunnan Province
Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the ...
of
China. They are a
Tai
Tai or TAI may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*Tai (comics) a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain
*Tai Fraiser, a fictional character in the 1995 film ''Clueless''
*Tai Kamiya, a fictional character in ''Digimon''
Businesses and organisations ...
ethnic group.
Culture
The Kongsat have largely assimilated
Lao and
Lu customs.
Language
The Kongsat are multilingual in Yang, Lao, Lue, Khmu, Pounyot.
[Chazee, Laurent. The Peoples of Laos: Rural and Ethnic Diversities. 2002. White Lotus Press. Bangkok.]
Religion
The Kongsat practice
animism
Animism (from Latin: ' meaning ' breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things— animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather syst ...
.
Celebrations
* Celebration of the Tiger (Day of the Tiger according to the traditional 13-day calendar)
* New Year (celebrated on the 7th day of the first lunar month)
* Birth ceremonies
* House construction ceremonies
References
{{Reflist
Ethnic groups in Laos