Vietnamese Chut Ruc Tribe Hunting or War Crossbow
This is a Wonderful Primitive Rustic Crossbow very likely from the central highlands Vietnam Chut Ruc Tribe (Vietnam has over thirty tribes), and probably brought back to the US by a Vietnam vet during the late 60's or 70's. There are over 30 Indigenous tribes in Vietnam that made different styles of crossbows for hunting, some used for war. At the end of 1959, the Ca Xeng border guards, stationed in Thuong Hoa, Minh Hoa District, Quang Binh Province, during one of their patrols, saw a group of ‘forest people’, very timid and naked, who climbed cliffs and trees with the agility of wild animals. After months of approaching them, the guards finally managed to persuade them to leave the caves and settle in Ruc Lan Valley, Thuong Hoa Commune. Since then, the Ruc have been known as the youngest members of any ethnic group in Vietnam. In 2013, after over 50 years of merging with the community, the Ruc were included on the list of the 10 least-known tribes in the world.
During a recent trip to Thuong Hoa commune of Minh Hoa district, in the core zone of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, we were lucky to witness the life of the mysterious tribe of Ruc. Known as one of the 10 most mysterious peoples in the world, the Ruc ethnic group was discovered over 50 years ago. Ruc people lived far from the community for a very long time, so they are shy, and many of them still favor a primitive lifestyle. Though they have been known for over five decades, the life of this ethnic group is still a big mystery to experts. “Ruc people can climb like chimpanzees. They swing on trees and are naked. The Ruc, like the Sach, May, Ma Lieng and A Rem in Quang Binh Province, are rarely existing pre-Viet Muong peoples in our country. Their life remains a big mystery," wrote expert Vo Xuan Trang in the book “the Ruc people in Vietnam". According to Mr. Cao Ngoc Ha, chief of Lu Lan village in Thuong Hoa commune, Ruc people live hidden in the mountains, in little tents along the mountainside. They do not have schools, clinics, or markets. "It is not easy to witness their magic because Ruc people have a closed life and they consider the magic as their own secret," said Mr. Du. Having left the caves over 50 years ago, the couple, Mr. Cao Chon and Mrs. Cao Thi Bim still keep their primitive way of life. The government built them a house and gave them land to farm, but they don’t live there. They moved back to the caves, hunting and gathering in day time, then coming back to the cave to sit-sleep (they sleep sitting up) at night, despite the government’s and their children’s encouragement to move. This cross bow is a truly fantastic piece for your native, ethnic, anthropological collection. It does have a working mechanism and a hand made wound draw string. Above pictures show that a small piece at the end of the bow just beyond the notch has been chipped off.
MEASUREMENTS APPROXIMATE: 31 5/8" Long and 35" wide.
The front of the Crossbow is 3" Tall and tapers down to 1 1/2" at the Stock.
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