Culture and Traditions of Hill Tribes – Hmong Tribe

The Thai hill tribes live in the northern part of the country and have minimum contact with the urban areas of Thailand. They have migrated from other countries (Tibet, Laos, Burma and China) over the past two centuries. The main tribal groups of Thailand are the Yao (Mien), the Karen (Yang), the Akha, the Lahu (Musur), the Hmong (Meo) and the Lisu.
I have decided to research on the Hmong, which have the second largest population of the groups.

The Hmong originated from China and a majority of them still lives in China. The Hmong from Southeast Asia lives in Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. There are about a total of 130,000 Hmong in Thailand where the largest populations are found in Phetchaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Tak.

There are three subgroups of Hmong – Blue, White and Gua M’ba Meo. Gua M’ba Meo is actually a sub group of the Whites and they have migrated to Thailand from Laos recently and most of them are confined to refugee camps.

The Blue Hmong women wear blue pleated batik designed skirts with embroideries or/and appliquéd border. The jackets they wear are short and normally have a cross-stitched ornamental border. White Hmong women wear baggy trousers with a cummerbund that hangs until it almost reaches the ground. The jackets they wear are simple and with blue cuffs. White Hmong women wear skirts on special ceremonial occasions.

Men wear black embroidered jacket with three-quarter length trousers. The jacket closes over the chest with a button at the left shoulder.

The Hmong accessorizes with silver jewellery which they adore and which is a strong sign of wealth among the tribal group.

The houses of the Hmong are built on the ground and they have dirt floors, with sloping roofs that almost touches the ground – a trademark of their village. They live at high altitudes, below the crest of a protecting hill.

The Hmong are very animistic and they have shamans who use dramatic methods to contact spirits. The spirits are respected and ceremonies are conducted to ask for blessings and protection. There is a Hmong jewellery called the “Soul Lock” which is worn to keep the soul in the body.

The Hmong have supported themselves by cultivation of opium poppy, however, now, they are selling their exquisite embroideries for income.