THE LAND OF THE BLACK TAI ACCORDING TO THEIR SAYINGS

Abstract

The Tai family of languages spreads across Southeast Asia, from Assam in the west to the island of Hainan in the east and from southern China in the north to the Thai-Malay border in the South.

Black Tai of Vietnam is found in the north-western part of this country, mainly in the provinces of Dien Bien and Son La. It has its own writing system while the Vietnamese themselves do not, and borrowed the Chinese writing, known as Han and Nom scripts.

In Thailand, there are numerous enclaves of Black Tai speakers in more than t 0 provinces, such as Petchaburi, Ratburi..etc...where they are known as Lao Song or Thai Song Dam.

The following sayings praise the most known Black Tai localities in Vietnam with their characteristics: Southern Muang Thaeng is rich in salt mines, Northern Muang Thaeng in rice fields with lead mines along the river valleys. Lotus flowers are abundant in Muang Teak and cotton ones are numerous in Muang Pua. The water in Bong source is not only clean and delicious for drinking, but it gives courage to the drinkers too.There are much fish in Sop Kop village, bamboo shoots.in Pung and Laeng villages.

The sayings describe the happiness of the Black Tai living in their traditional land.