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written languages, and most ethnic minority groups have

their own spoken language although they do not have their

own written language. Through written language develop-

ment, the Latin alphabet has been used to create the written

scripts of a number ethnic groups such as the Kinh (as so

called the Viet language), Mong, Rhade, Jarai and so on.

Some other ethnic groups use the ancient scripts that use

Sanskrit, such as the old Cham script, the Thai script, the

Khmer script or the Lu script. Or they use Chinese charac-

ters to recreate their own Sino-Nom languages such as the

old Viet language, the Dao written language, the Giay, the

Tay, the Nung, the San Dui languages and so on. Today, they

use the Sino-Nom scripts to write up religious petitions, or

for religious images or books. Up to now there are about 30

ethnic groups that have their own written language, such as

the Tay, Thai, Chinese, Khmer, Nung, Mon, Jarai, Rhade,

Bahnar, Sedang, Koho, Cham, Hre, Mnong and so on. A

number of the spoken and written languages of ethnic groups

are used in the media such as the Tay, Thai, Dao, Mong,

Jarai, Rhade, Bahnar, Cham and Khmer. Together with the

newspapers in the national language of Viet, the newspaper

agencies at the provincial level have issued their newspapers

in ethnic languages, or they publish the newspapers exclu-

sively for ethnic minority people. The Voice of Viet Nam and

the Television of Viet Nam have their channels in different

ethnic languages such as Mong, Khmer, Rhade, Jarai, Bahnar,

Sedang, Koho, Thai, Cham, Dao and Mnong. Also a number

of provincial television stations air their programmes in the

ethnic languages. Today there are 2,700 schools and classes

in 30 provinces, in which about 140,000 children are taught

in their ethnic languages and which have course books in 12

ethnic languages. Typically, in Soc Trang province the Khmer

language is the teaching language at all elementary schools.

Thus, the ethnic language is a very important tool for educa-

tion and for rapprochement for the country’s development

and to understand the ethnic cultures.

Ethnicity and solidarity occupy an important strategy in

Viet Nam’s policies on culture. The ethnic groups in Viet

Nam are equal, united and they respect and assist each

other in their sustainable development. The governmental

policy is to preserve and promote cultural identities, spoken

and written languages and other cultural expressions of all

ethnic groups. The Government also launched prior poli-

cies in which the cadre and intellectuals of ethnic minorities

have their privilege to get education and training. They will

come back to their homeland to work. The people who work

among the ethnic groups in the remote areas are required to

understand the customs and languages of the ethnic minor-

ities. The understanding and reciprocal knowledge of the

cultural diversity and languages of the ethnic groups in Viet

Nam are clearly identified in the Viet Nam constitution of

2013. Article 5 of the constitution states that:

1. The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is a unified nation of all

ethnic groups living together in the country of Viet Nam.

2. All the ethnic groups are equal and unite with, respect

and assist one another for mutual development; all acts

of discrimination against and division of the ethnic

groups are prohibited.

3. The national language is the Viet language. Every ethnic

group has the right to use its own spoken and written

language to preserve its own identity and to promote its

fine customs, practices, traditions and culture.

4. The State shall implement a policy of comprehensive

development and create the conditions for the minority

ethnic groups to draw further their internal strengths and

develop together with the country.

A folk performance of the 100 jobs competition at a traditional festival

Image: Dao The Duc

Epic telling among the Bahnar ethnic group in the Central Highlands

Image: Phan Manh Duong

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