Si La

The Si La (also Sila) are an ethnic group of about 1,800 people living in northern Laos and another 600 living in the Lai Chau province of Vietnam.

They speak a Tibeto-Burman language. Their primary occupation is the cultivation of rice and corn, augmented by hunting and gathering. One of the most distinctive Si La customs is teeth painting: men traditionally painted their teeth red, while women painted theirs black. The custom is increasingly uncommon among the younger generation.