Hainan people

The Hainan people (), also known as Hainam nang (pronounced in Hainanese) or Hainanese people, is a geographic term referring to the natives of Hainan, the southernmost and smallest Chinese province. The term "Hainanese" was frequently used to refer to all natives of Hainan island. Hainam Min speakers often refer to themselves as Qiongwen to distinguish themselves from other groups of Hainan such as the Cantonese, the Tanka, the Hlai, etc. Most Hainam Han people were originally fishers from nearby later settled in the island of Hainan, while the Lingaoese, Hlai, Tanka invaded the island earlier and were descendants of the Yue tribe. Later on Hainam Min-speaking colonists arrived and colonized Hainam island from the three districts of Xinghua Prefecture of Fujian, chasing the native aborigines to the impoverished mountain areas. As a result of the assimilation of other dialect groups, many Hainanese genetically cluster with Han Chinese from Guangdong and Guangxi instead of Fujianese people. Similarly to Fujian and Guangdong provinces, Hainan has been a source for emigration. Towards the turn of the 20th century, many Hainanese migrated to various Southeast Asian nations, where they worked as cooks, restaurateurs, coffee shop owners, clothes makers, sailors and hoteliers. Chan Sing, one of the "villain" movie stars that dotted the Hong Kong movie industry was of Hainanese ancestry, as was the bartender who invented the world-famous Singapore Sling at the renowned Singapore Raffles Hotel, Mr. Ngiam Tong Boon. In Thailand, prime minister Pote Sarasin, Bank president Boonchu Rojanastien, singer Nichkhun of 2PM, media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, the politically influential Sarasin family, as well as two of the wealthiest business families, the Chirathivats and the Yoovidhyas, all trace their ancestries to Hainan. In Laos, former deputy prime minister Somsavat Lengsavad is also of Hainanese descent. Singapore minister politicians Lawrence Wong, Lee Chiaw Meng, Cedric Foo, Chin Harn Tong and Mah Bow Tan are also Hainams.