Back in Hanoi after our trip to Ha Long Bay we visited the Museum of Ethnology. Vietnam has over 50 different ethnic minorities, many of them comprising only a few thousand people. The Museum includes displays showing their traditions, costumes, crafts etc. Outside are reconstructions of several different architectural styles from different groups.

These figures come from a Giarai tomb of Gia Lai province. Surrounding the tomb are large wooden figures symbolising fertility and life, intended to accompany the dead person into the afterlife. Though the carving is fairly crude I just love the expressions on the statue's faces. The man shocked and unpleasantly surprised - has he just had his balls squeezed rather too hard? And the woman with a satisfied smile on her face. Job well done.

What I also liked about these group's burial practices is that once the funeral ceremony is finished the tomb is just left to gradually decay and fall apart. Life moves on.