Mythologies of the Katu Tribe

The Katu ethnic group in Laos mainly inhabit the Xekong Province along the Upper Xekong River. Part of the “Katuic” ethnolinguistic group, these populations usually live at a distance from the modern world, in mountainous districts, glades, jungle copses, or small villages along a water source. They practice slash-and-burn cultivation, animism, shamanism, hoax sacrifices, and they nurture a close spiritual connection with the jungle, which they consider a “house of genies”. The Katu villages in Laos are located south of the Xe Xap national park. Boasting a broad, rolling massif with summits at an average of 3500 ft and covered by vast jungle, the Xe Xap is a natural sanctuary, refuge to over forty mammal species of interest such as tigers, wild elephants, gaurs, muntjacs, bears and endangered species including the bearded langur monkeys. There are also more than a hundred bird species and fifty reptile and amphibian species, among which is the molurus python. Before 1950, communal house could be of an imposing size, with the central pillar measuring more than 12 meters high. The gwal structure is built from wood and bamboo, and the roof is made of thick layers of palms. The interior planks are decorated with drawings representing scenes from mythology, history, or daily life. The interior walls are decorated with war masks (kâbei), weapons, and various trophies such as buffalo and tiger skulls, skulls and tails of peacocks or toucans, and even sometimes human skulls as a memento of the infamous Blood Hunts. The Blood Hunt is based on the concept that blood calls blood, similar to the Aztec Flower War or the customs of Borneo, New Guinea and Naga head hunters. Prisoners were captured in neighboring settlements and brought back to the village, where they were hung on sacrificial poles or trees. The villagers would eat the prisoner’s heart and liver, believing that they would absorb the victim’s vitality and might.

The Katuic people (also Co Tu, Ca Tang; Vietnamese: người Cơ Tu; Katu: Manứih Cơ Tu) are an ethnic group of about 102,551 who live in eastern Laos and central Vietnam. Numbered among the Katuic peoples, they speak a Mon-Khmer language. Katuic languages have been developed by Paul Sidwell, but Sidwell's work is not commonly used in Katuic communities due to language barriers. The Katu in Laos live in Sekong Province along the upper Sekong River and in the highland basin of the Song Boung river watershed along the border with Vietnam's Quảng Nam and Thừa Thiên–Huế Provinces. There were 28,378 of them in Laos in 2015. The Vietnamese government's official name for the Katu ethnic group is "Co Tu". Within Vietnam, Katu people are indigenous groups recognized by the Vietnamese government and they almost live in the provinces of Thừa Thiên–Huế, Quảng Nam, and Da Nang city. The Katu in Vietnam numbered 50,458 in the 1999 census, 61,588 in the 2009 census, and 74,173 in the 2019 census. The Katu typically serve rice cooked in bamboo stems such as zăr, aví hor, koo dep, koo g'đhoong, and cha chắc, and drink a beverage called tavak. Their famous dances are tung tung (performed by males) and ya yá (performed by females). They play h'roa in ordinary life. Traditional Katu homes are on stilts and those who live on the Laotian border are known for growing jute and weaving. Some 15,000 Katu in Thừa Thiên–Huế speak Phuong, a Katuic dialect often recognized as a separate language. They also notorious for the wide variety of Austroasiatic carrying baskets that they have developed. Nowadays, Katu peoples' lives are modernized, and many young Katuic people go to the cities to study and find jobs. Some of them go abroad to advance their education. Dr Tho Alang (Alăng Thớ) is recognized as the first Katu people gained a Doctor of Philosophy (in Management) from the RMIT University (Australia).

The Katu people have live in Laos for many centuries, but their exact origins are relatively unknown. The historical background and origin of this ethnic group is similar to those of other members of the Mon-Khmer language group. Many researchers believe that the Katu migrated from southeast India and southeast parts of China. In these regions, there are still people who speak Mon-Khmer languages such as the Moondah and Koln people. Presently, the majority of Katu live in the southern provinces of Laos such as Kaleum, Darkcheung and Thataeng districts of Sekong province; Laongam districts of Salavan province and Paksong and Bachiengchalernsook of Champasak province. In addition, Katu ethnic people also live in Vietnam in Quang Nam, Danang, and Theua Thian Hue provinces. The total population of Katu people living in Laos is 17,024 people ,of which 8,653 are females. The Katu share 0.4% of the country total population, according to the second population census 1995. In regards to succession, the Katu community follows a patrilineal lineage. A clan is of great importance, even more than an individual family, only a son can lead the clan and receive inheritance. Every person in each clan must respect and implement spiritual traditions of the clan, and every clan member had the responsibility to help others in various activities, particularly in their customs, traditional rites, and religious beliefs. Traditionally, the Katu have restrictions on cross-marriage between clans. If a man in “A clan”. Marries a woman in “B clan”, man in “B Clan” cannot marry a woman in “ a clan” The marriage takes place when the groom pays d dowry of one to twenty buffaloes to the bride‘s parents. This figure depends on economics status of the couple. Birth traditionally takes place in a separate place prepared by the husband. This place can be an area under the house or on a balcony attached to the house. Also, a small hut may be built near the village. It is important that pregnant mothers do not give birth in the house. During birth, there is usually an experienced woman or female relative to assist in the birthing process. After three days have passed ytafter giving birth, the mother can return to the house with her infant. In regards to death and funerals, there are traditions that are followed depending on the age and cause of death. In addition, the social status and economic status of the deceased’s family plays a role in the funeral rites. Generally, Katu bury their dead. However, if a person died an unnatural death such as by a tiger or violence, the village was abandoned and all animals were put to death. After a period of around six months of living in the forest, a new village could be built in completely new area.

Since a very long time ago, the Katu tribe has lived together in small villages. Their houses are arranged in a circle and oriented to face one another. Each house has two entrances — one in front, the other at the rear. The traditional Katu house is raised on piles with a thatched roof that extends to cover the front porch, balcony, and stepladders. The entire roof is covered in thatching made from dried vegetation, such as broad-leaved grasses and Ceylon oak leaves. There is an animal figurine on the ridge of the gable roof. According to tradition, the small figure is believed to have supernatural power capable of protecting the building and people living in it. There are no room dividers of any kind. Family members live under the same roof and share the same interior living spaces. Nowadays traditional Kratu homes can be found in Sekong, Salavan, and Champasak provinces in the south of the country.

The Katu people are animists ‘Ka’ means mountain. ‘Tu’ means river. ‘Ka-Tu’ – people living in the mountain by the river. One of the oldest known type of belief system in the world. They hold the belief that a spirit exists in all things – plants, rocks, animals, rivers, mountains – not just in human beings; that there exists no hard boundary between the physical and the spiritual world. Spirits are both benevolent and malevolent, the latter being believed to possess people, causing illness and bad luck. They believe in Shamanism, and Shamans are consulted in many aspects of life, including the naming of a child and the interpretation of dreams. The Katu have a mon-khmer language of their own and most villagers do not speak nor understand Laos. This inability to understand the language spoken around them leaves them isolated in their community and they fear leaving it. They believe that outsiders might put a evil curse on them which would eventually kill them, if they leave their village. Many will not step outside the village and surrounding farming lands their entire lives. Education is almost non-existent with villagers believing that the Earth is flat; that what they see on TV is real (they don’t like watching violent shows because they believe the violence is really happening to someone); that someone having pale skin because we don’t need to work and drink a lot of milk; that Africans have dark skin because they work hard and live on higher ground, closer to the sun; that someone has a longer nose because they eat a lot of bread; that cameras can steal pieces of your soul.