Pula, Phula

People Group: Phula   Location: Vietnam Population: 10,000 Religion: Ethnic % Christian: Unknown % Evangelical: 0.36 % Ministry Resources: None

Total People Group Population: 10,000 Other countries People Group Linked to: None ____________________________________________________________

Additional Information:

Where are they?

The Phula people are mostly located in the four most north western provinces in Vietnam. Most of the Phula can be divided into seven subgroups by their different dialects, however the group is recognized by the government as a minority group as a whole. Each sub-group has slightly different customs and dress by which they can be identified by. The Phula live in small villages next to the Hmong, Yao and Han Chinese. 

Who are they?

 The Phula Hoa and Xa Pho sub-groups prefer to build their homes on stilts, while the Phula Han build their homes flat on the ground. In every house, there is a central room where the ancestral alter is located. Next to the alter is a 10” “spirit door” that is never touched except during certain worship times.

Varying from one sub-group to another, the dress can be spectacular. The Xa Pho and the Phula Hoa wear “low necked, square – shaped” vests put over the head and reaching to the waist. The decorative motifs (triangles, squares, juxtaposed diamonds or pine-trees, harrow teeth, swastikas and stylized human beings) cover the lower half of both the front and the back, while crowns made of glass beads are sewn to the upper half.

Marriage among the Phula is easy but complicated at the same time. The union is the easy part. A young Phula man can move in together with his girlfriend and they are considered married at that point. The couple informs their parents and a feast is held where the approval is given. Marriage among members of the lineage is allowed as long as they come from different branches of the lineage. The complicated part of the marriage is that the actual marriage ceremony may not take place for several years depending on the wealth of the young man. It may take some time to produce the necessary wealth for the girl’s dowry. The dowry could include items such as knives, axes, seeds, pigs, chickens, blankets and cooking pots for the new couple. He also must provide gifts for the bride’s family as well. These gifts might include clothing, meat and other things as well. This is seen as a way to repay the family for the cost of raising the girl.  

The main religion is ancestral worship mixed with animism. When a person dies, the corpse is left in the house for several days for family and friends to pay their respects and condolences. Food is placed in the grave so the soul of the deceased will not go hungry on its journey into the afterlife. 

Prayer Points?

There are only a handful of known Christians among the Phula. Some Christian organizations have expressed interest in working with one or two of the sub-groups, and some community aid has been given to the Xa Pho group who number about 300 people.

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