The Bru which literally means "people living in the woods" are an ethnic group living in Thailand, Laos, India and Southern Vietnam. The Bru settled mostly along waterways. Traditionally they live in small houses that are built on stilts. The houses are arranged around a central meeting building around a circle. The Bru are a patriarchal society where men held to a higher status than the women of the family and where older members enjoy a higher status than their younger counterparts. The Bru are socially outgoing and love music and dancing. They are very musical and are skilled with many different instruments