Hmong People
Hmong People
Hmong People are an ethnic group from Southeast Asia. According to the history, Hmong started their evacuation in 18th century due to political chaos. Moreover, they wanted to relocate their farming.
Hmong can be found in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and United States. However, the largest community of them is in Khao Kho County, Phetchabun Province, Thailand.
Further History of Hmong
According to the history, Hmong People had evacuated for 4 times.
For the first time, they evacuated from Southern Poition of the Yellow River. About 5,000 years ago, there were two ethnic groups: Tyuj Liv(the old name of Hmong) and Huaj. These two groups didn’t live together peacefully. Instead, they fought like cats and dogs. Tyui Liv lost their victory and evacuated to the south of Tangrse River.
They evacuated for the second time, from San Miao. The story began when Tyuj Liv gathered with San Miao, which was a group of local people. But Huaj still hunted them. Therefore, they had to evacuated to the south, San Wei, and Yunnan.
They evacuated for the third time in 1640-1919. At the time, they tried to escape Chou Kingdom, as Chin People invaded the kingdom and the king lost the victory.
The fourth evacuation was in 1970-1975. Hmong evacuated from Laos due to to communism.
How Hmong Evacuated to Thailand
According to the history, Hmong started to evacuate to Thailand in 1844-1874. First, they entered Huai Sai and reached Chiang Khong County, Chiangrai Province. Next, they entered Chaiburi and Tung Chang County, Nan Province. Lastly, they entered Phu Kha, Na Haew County and Dan Sai County, Loei Province before reaching Phetchabun.
How Hmong Dress
Women often wear skirts made of hemp fiber. Their shirts are quite short and almost show their waists. Mostly, all costumes are black and decorated with colourful patterns.
Men often wear black trousers. Also, they have black shirts like women.
However, there are 3 different groups of Hmong. Each group has its own style of dressing.
:White Hmong:
Women usually wear skirts covering their knees. They wrap clothes around their legs. Anyway, they start to wear Chinese-styled black trousers now. Men also wear the same.
:Green Hmong:
Women often wear dark blue skirts, red waist clothes, shirts of different colours, and hair bun clothes. Men wear black trousers, black shirts and satin hats.
:Black Hmong:
There aren’t stories telling about their existence in Thailand. However, their costumes might not be different from the first two group very much.
Their Traditions
Hmong People also have traditions like us. First, the New Year Tradition. When it comes to the New Year Tradition, they hold the celebration after the harvest season annually. The celebration includes supernatural rituals. Moreover, everybody will stop working during the celebration. They will sing and play together happily.
Next, it’s ‘Kin Kao Mai’. The tradition has been passed down from generation to generation. It’s all about the spirits of their ancestors. They believe that the spirits have taken good care of them all along. Therefore, to celebrate this tradition, they grow rice to worship the spirits. When the rice is ready, they will thresh it to remove the shells. Then they will parch, pound and cook the rice. To worship the spirits, they will need boiled cocks. There are four positions for the worshipping: Sue Kang, Dang Kho Jub, Dang Kho Jood, Dang Kho Jong, and Dang Ji Jang.
Of course, you can never skip their marriage tradition. When a couple want to get married, the man must take the woman to his house. At his house, the man’s parents will carry a hen in hands and move it around the heads of the couple for 3 times. That’s how they welcome the couple. Then, the man must inform the woman’s family, telling them how the woman is a part of his family. Then the woman’s parents must hold a wedding.
However, in fact, Hmong couples used to live together for 3 months before getting married. But now, it’s not like that anymore. Every couple must hold a wedding within 3 days.
Hmong couples get married quite fast. They start their family lives around the ages of 15-19. But, what you might not know is, a Hmong man is allowed to have several wives.
Hmong village in Mae Hong Son
