Katang
Encyclopedia
The Katang are an ethnic group
living in Laos
, although a few live elsewhere in Southeast Asia
. In 1995 there were 95,440 living in Laos, making them one of the largest subgroups of the Lao Theung
and one of the largest true ethnic groups in the country. (The 2004 estimate was somewhere around 110,000.) Most live in Savannakhet, Saravan, and Champassack. They are one of the few Lao Theung
people that do not live in houses on stilts or in trees, but rather in long wooden houses. Whenever a Katang man marries a woman, he will add a room to the house for his new family. One of these wooden longhouses is 328 feet long and tourist can still see it just north of Saravan City. An old Katang tradition for both men and women is to pierce their ears and put a bamboo tube in the hole to stretch out their lobes. This tradition has all but died out. Most Katang follow old ethnic beliefs and many people who do this also follow Buddhism
. There are less than four-hundred Katang Christians because many fear Christianity
will bring a curse to their people. Islam
is popular with Katang women married to Muslim
Foreign Nationals in Laos.
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
living in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, although a few live elsewhere in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. In 1995 there were 95,440 living in Laos, making them one of the largest subgroups of the Lao Theung
Lao Theung
The Lao Theung or Lao Thoeng is one of the traditional divisions of ethnic groups living in Laos . It literally indicates the "midland Lao", and comprises a variety of different ethnic groups of mostly Austro-Asiatic origin...
and one of the largest true ethnic groups in the country. (The 2004 estimate was somewhere around 110,000.) Most live in Savannakhet, Saravan, and Champassack. They are one of the few Lao Theung
Lao Theung
The Lao Theung or Lao Thoeng is one of the traditional divisions of ethnic groups living in Laos . It literally indicates the "midland Lao", and comprises a variety of different ethnic groups of mostly Austro-Asiatic origin...
people that do not live in houses on stilts or in trees, but rather in long wooden houses. Whenever a Katang man marries a woman, he will add a room to the house for his new family. One of these wooden longhouses is 328 feet long and tourist can still see it just north of Saravan City. An old Katang tradition for both men and women is to pierce their ears and put a bamboo tube in the hole to stretch out their lobes. This tradition has all but died out. Most Katang follow old ethnic beliefs and many people who do this also follow Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
. There are less than four-hundred Katang Christians because many fear Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
will bring a curse to their people. Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
is popular with Katang women married to Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Foreign Nationals in Laos.