Kuy people

As with other aspects of Kuy culture, language use varies based on the country of residence. The Kuy in Thailand have been subject to Thaification policies in the past and, while maintaining positive views about their native language (Kuy), most often use the local Lao dialect. Thai Kuy are also fluent in Central Thai and 40 percent also use Northern Khmer. In Laos, which has the largest population of Kuy monolinguals, approximately 80 percent speak only Kuy. The remaining Kuy of Laos also uses Lao. Only 26 percent of the Kuy in Cambodia reported being able to communicate in the Kuy language with the remainder speaking only Khmer.[7] The Kuy language had been reported to have no alphabet of its own until recently the Kui Association of Thailand has launched 21st Kui/Kuy writing system developed by Dr. Sanong Suksaweang for all the Kui/Kuy. However, most of the Kuy have not learned and have been using the national language Thai script in Thailand, Khmer script in Cambodia, and Lao script in Laos.

The Kuy language belongs to the Austroasiatic language family, within which several more closely related languages, including Bru, Ta-Oi, and Kuy, among others, make up the Katuic subgroup. Kuy accounts for the largest group of Katuic speakers with recent estimates placing their numbers at 800,000, double the more conservative traditionally accepted estimates.[10] Separated by distance, geographical features and political borders, Kuy speakers' speech has evolved into several marked, but mutually intelligible, dialects. In Thailand, two major dialects have been recognized, each of which can be further divided into sub-dialects.[11] Cambodian Kuy has been described as having four distinct dialects,[12] while the political situation in Laos has made study of Kuy dialects there difficult.

Research of the late-19th to early-20th century reported that the Kuy of the time were "vaguely aware" of different clans or tribes within Kuy society, but even by that time consciousness of these divisions was waning.[11] A 1988 study found that modern Kuy were no longer conscious of any clan or tribal affiliation and, among themselves, only recognized differences in dialect and national origin.[11] One exception were the approximately 200[13] Kuy Nheu (ɲə), found in the Sisaket, Phrai Bueng and Rasi Salai districts of Srisaket, who were "very conscious of the fact that they were different from all other Kui".[11]

Three Kuy in Cambodia playing traditional instruments

The Kuy people are actively engaged in efforts to preserve Prey Lang forest in Cambodia.[14][15] Prey Lang's name originated from the Kuy language and means "the forest (Prey) which belongs to all of us".[16] Organisations including Amnesty International and Cultural Survival have documented how Kuy people have faced development aggression and been forcefully evicted from their homes due to economic land concessions.[14][17][18]

The "spirit forest" is an integral part of Kuy culture, however spirit forests are increasingly impacted by mining interests as Cambodia develops.[19] Some Kuy people are artisans with unique basket and textile weaving skills.[20] Some Kuy are rice farmers or raise silk worms and weave silk.[21]

The Cambodian Indigenous Youth Association has members who are Kuy people who study and work in Phnom Penh.