The Tay is the second large ethnic minority in Ha Giang, account for 25 percent total population of province. They mainly live on planting wet rice in fields near river, mountain foot and farming slope. Tay villages are usually at mountain foot and include about 15 to 20 houses. They live in house of stilt, thatch roofed houses using palm leaves or grass.
Their family handicraft is quite developed such as, knitting, making wooden furniture, pottery. Besides, weaving fabric of Tay is quite well known, especially, the type of blankets, brocade turbans with rich pattern which a lot of people love. Tay ethnic usually wear cotton clothes, dyed indigo, wear silver necklace and silver rings at their wrists and ankles. Their main color on costumes is indigo. The culture of Tay is very diversified with different kind of ceremory involving production, human life, wedding, funeral, new house celebration. The folkloric literature of Tay community are a rich treasure of legends, myths, ancient stories, verse stories, folkloric songs. Of which, Tay’s folkloric songs are well known for song “ glider”- this is a form of culture of the Vietnamese.
Dao ethnic minority
The Dao ethnic group in DVKP can be divided into sub-group such as Red Dao (Dao ??), Coin Dao (Dao ti?n), White Trousers Dao (Dao qu?n tr?ng), Long Robe Dao (Dao áo dài), Lo River Dao (Dao lô giang) who live by slope and terrace farming. The Dao people have some unique handicraft making such as forging, casting, jewellery, embroidery and wax printing-dyeing clothes. They live in stilt, earth or half stilt-half earth houses, close to water sources. Their dresses usually show traditional features and designs using colour thread, with lots of turban, shirt, skirt types. Their traditional religious culture is very complex, demonstrating communal spirit, conscience and conception. Worshiping and wizardry are not simply superstition but something special indicating the depth of their culture. The Dao folkloric literature is very rich in legends, myths, narratic stories, pop songs, quizzes, proverbs implying their communal perception of the universe and human life.
