The Tayang Tribe in Dakjung Town

The Tayang Tribe in Dakjung Town: The Riverside Way of Life in Sekong Province

I, mr.hotsia, had the chance to travel to Dakjung Town (sometimes spelled Dakjung or Dakjung), a border town with Vietnam in Sekong Province, Laos, where the Tayang tribe densely resides, almost making it truly their town. Traveling to Dakjung is not as easy as it seems due to unfinished roads and routes through forests and mountains. However, this effort allowed me to truly experience the traditional lifestyle of the Tayang people.

Before arriving at Dakjung, I stopped at Sekong Town, the main town of this province and the starting point for the journey into this beautiful forest. For those interested in travel details from Sekong to Dakjung, you can read more atTravel from Sekong to Dakjungwhich I have fully described.

Unique Language and Multiple Pronunciations of the Town's Name

The Tayang tribe (pronounced Ta-riang) is a group with language and culture completely different from the Karen people. Their language, called Dakgang, sounds somewhat similar to Thai at first, but when listening closely, their speech is still not understandable. Interestingly, the word “Dak” in Tayang language means water or river, which is likely the origin of the town name Dakjung.

I have heard locals say that the town's name spelling or pronunciation varies by understanding, but I choose to use “Dakjung” because it fits the local language and is most popular among the Tayang people. For those who want an overview and deeper background of this town, try readingDakjung Town, Sekongwhich I have previously written.

Daksuang Village: Wooden Houses with Thatched Roofs and a Simple Way of Life

I had the chance to visit Daksuang Village, about 4 kilometers from Dakjung Town. Although the route is rough and crosses several streams, it is still accessible by a regular motorcycle. Along the way, the atmosphere is lush and the nature remains pristine.

Daksuang Village has about 30 households with several hundred residents. The houses are all wooden with traditional dry grass roofs, reminding me of hill tribe houses in Kontum. Inside, the houses are cool due to high, airy roofs, and each has a fire pit for warmth and cooking, suitable for Dakjung’s cold climate.

The village uses natural water from nearby streams for drinking, bathing, washing, and cooking. Most villagers farm cassava and also grow round-grain rice similar to upland or Japanese rice for daily consumption. They pound the rice themselves with wooden mortars and winnow it by hand, without rice mills like in other places, making their rice rich in nutrients and traditional.

Simple but Sustainable Food and Eating Habits

The Tayang’s staple food is boiled vegetables with salt and chili, simple in taste but providing full energy and nutrients. They eat rice twice a day, late morning and afternoon only. Meat such as chicken or pork is eaten about once a week, as animal husbandry is done on a small, sustainable scale.

What impressed me most was their non-extravagant lifestyle. Their clothes come from selling vegetables at the market; if they earn more, they buy additional clothes. Woven fabrics and other items are sourced from the forest or self-grown. Also, children here rarely wear clothes because the climate and traditional lifestyle allow them to grow naturally.

Rituals and Culture of Smoking the Large Pipe “Pankok”

One unique thing about the Tayang that I witnessed is smoking a large pipe called “Kratung” or “Pankok,” a communal pipe smoked around a fire. The smoking makes a gurgling sound, and after one person finishes, the pipe is passed around the circle—men to women, women to men—sharing fun and community bonds. This charm of the Tayang is something I have never seen elsewhere.

Although I was invited to smoke the Pankok, I chose to sit, listen, and enjoy hot steamed rice with boiled vegetables they prepared. It was a warmth and friendliness rare to find nowadays.

A Community Almost Without Tourists and True Tranquility

Daksuang Village and Dakjung Town have almost no outside tourists. I am one of the few visitors here, especially foreigners, with only a small group of Japanese researchers having come before. The town’s rawness and natural state made me feel like I traveled back in time.

For those wanting to experience this atmosphere, I recommend starting from Sekong Town, which has a morning market and a small-town vibe to stroll before heading to Dakjung. For information on Sekong’s morning market and nearby Thatang Town, you can read details atThatang Morning Market, Sekong Province, Laoswhich I wrote about in the same trip.

A Challenging but Worthwhile Journey

I emphasize that traveling to Dakjung is not as comfortable as typical tourist destinations. Roads are rough and some sections require caution, especially in the rainy season with risks of landslides and slipping. This trip suits adventurers who want to deeply experience authentic tribal cultures.

For full travel details and advice, I recommend clicking to readTravel from Sekong to Dakjungto prepare well before the actual trip.

Summary

Dakjung Town and Daksuang Village are places I, mr.hotsia, am deeply impressed by after experiencing the Tayang tribe’s truly traditional and simple way of life. The community’s friendliness, self-grown food, and unique Pankok pipe-smoking culture are experiences hard to find in today’s world.

If you enjoy challenges and want to see something different from typical tourist routes, Dakjung is a destination I highly recommend visiting at least once in your life.