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Concept
Hmong people
Summary
The Hmong people (RPA: Hmoob, Nyiakeng Puachue: , Pahawh Hmong: , m̥ɔ̃́) are an indigenous group in East and Southeast Asia. In China, the Hmong people are classified as a sub-group of the Miao people. The modern Hmong reside mainly in Southwest China (Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guangxi) and countries in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. There is also a very large diasporic community in the United States, comprising more than 300,000 Hmong. The Hmong diaspora has smaller communities in Australia and South America (specifically Argentina and French Guiana, the latter being an overseas region of France).
In China, Hmong are not recognized by their native name, rather they are categorized under the umbrella term "Miao" along with three other indigenous groups of people by the government since 1949. Historically the term Miao carried strong pejorative connotations in China. However the term has since been officially recognized as a category of people, which includes the Hmong. In modern times, the Hmong in China are often happy or proud to be known as Miao while most Hmong outside China find it offensive.
Little is known about the origin of the Miao term and the people it referenced historically, since the Han used it loosely to identify non-Han in Southern China. Its origin can be dated before the Qin dynasty (221 BCE). Thereafter it was perceived as barbaric, especially during the Miao's rebellions against the Ming and Qing dynasties between the 1300s and early 1900s. The history of these wars is still chanted by guides during Hmong funerals when guiding the spirits of the deceased individuals to their origins so they can reincarnate.
In Southeast Asia, Hmong people are referred to by other names, including: Vietnamese Mèo, Mông or H'Mông; Lao Maew (ແມ້ວ) or Mong (ມົ້ງ); Thai Maew (แม้ว) or Mong (ม้ง); and Burmese mun lu-myo (မုံလူမျိုး). With a slight change in accent, the word "Meo" in Lao and Thai can be pronounced to mean
"cat". The term Maew and Meo derived from the term Miao.
Official source
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