They can’t marry within their clan or even a person of their own family name. Anyone can earn How Long is the School Day in Homeschool Programs? To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page. courses that prepare you to earn Now that's a record you don't want to hold, and perhaps Laotian leaders are hoping national unity can also mean national security. Despite only having around 6 million people, up to 240 ethnic groups have been recognized. Princeton Joins Open Education Movement, But How Many Students Will Benefit? So, what system does Laos use now? The Ethnic Museum in Phongsaly Town provides detailed information about the province’s 28 different tribes. The Tai Leu of Laos are originally from China’s Xishuangbanna region in southern Yunnan, where nowadays they are known as the “Dai minority”. Other prominent Lao Loum communities include the Phuan of the northeast, the Lue of the northwest, and the Phu Tai of the south. The Hmong people are the third largest ethnic group in Laos. Together they make up a group of peoples composed of several ethnic groups (Hmong, Mien/ Yao, Akha etc). As for the fourth group, it's simply a category of people with ancestry from other Asian nations. note: the Laos Government officially recognizes 49 ethnic groups, but the total number of ethnic groups is estimated to be well over 200 Definition: This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population. Just the same as other ethnic groups in Laos Seung, they share the same religion: Animism as their predominant belief and also pay their great respect to their ancestors. Why is national unity so important to the government? flashcard set{{course.flashcardSetCoun > 1 ? Ethnic Groups of Laos, Volume #1: Introduction and Overview Schliesinger, J. Located mainly in Oudomxay Province, Khamu or Khmu is the dominant group in Laos Theung society. Lolo ethnicity. The Lao Theung constitute about one-fourth of the population. Because Laos' overall population is very low. LAOS ETHNIC MINORITIES. History of Ethnic Groups in Laos The earliest peoples among the present-day ethnic groups in Laos are Aus-tro-Asiatic groups who have inhabited the peninsula for several thousand years.4 These include the Khmu in northern Laos, who are the most nu-merous of the midland groups, and the Lamet, Loven, So (MaKang), and That would make it by far one of the most diverse nations in the world. There is still much more that we can’t mention them all here. During those years, the influence of Vietnamese forces res… Maps of the ethnic distribution in Laos show that UXO contamination significantly affects areas where ethnic groups live. 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They mostly migrated down to Laos, forced to flee the many violent revolts happening in Southern China between 1850 and 1870. We expect to maximize your traveling experience and become the lovely host that leaves a wonderful impression on you at the end of every trip. The Lao Loum constitute roughly two-thirds of the population, with the ethnic Lao by far the largest component. Alak – Ethnic Group in Laos. Though some communities are Buddhists, most remain animists. The Identity of Toum Ethnic Group, 2015 Download (2.13 MB, Lao) 47: The Identity of Ngouan Ethnic Group, 2015 Download (1.92 MB, Lao) 48: The Identity of Moy Ethnic Group, 2015 Download (1.61 MB, Lao) 49: The Identity of Kree Ethnic Group, 2015 Download (1.88 MB, Lao) 50: Brou: Getting to know "Brou", the 50th ethnic group of Laos, 2018 More (Lao) {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons Laos Demographics. The People, Tribes, and Ethnical Groups of Laos. Historically, many cities in Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos today, including Yangon, Bangkok, and Vientiane were founded either by the Mon people or Mon rulers. Although Laos‘ ethnic groups are nowadays linguistically grouped, this report will use the old geographical classification of Lao Loum (lowland Lao), Lao Theung (Upland Lao) and Lao Soung (Highland Lao). Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. The landlocked nation of Laos is unique amongst Asian nations. A true mosaic of ethnic groups, Laos has 130 different ethnic tribes divided into four language groups. 's' : ''}}. Sociology 110: Cultural Studies & Diversity in the U.S. Study.com has thousands of articles about every Moreover, metal is not their favorite material in daily tools, instead, they prefer using grass or bamboo in order to create basket and houseware in different forms and shapes. It's hard to pin down an exact reason, but we can't ignore one other statistical distinction held by this country. Hmong is the best representative of Laos Seung, comprised of about two-thirds of Laos Seung’s population. It has an extremely sparse population, but an incredibly high amount of diversity. Whenever you have a chance to visit Laotian ethnic group, often on a Laos Tour to visit, they will definitely take you to the higher area of Laos Theung and Laos Seung, but not the low land where Laos Loum lives. Their population is located Northern Provinces in Laos such as Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, northern Sayabury, southern Phongsali, eastern Luang Namtha, the center, and the west of Houaphan and Xieng Khouang, and northern Vientiane. The Lao government’s land policy discoura… To meet the ethnic groups in Laos… For the most part, they have attempted to encourage this through voluntary measures, although there has been sporadic violence between the government and ethnic minorities that have risen up in military rebellions across the 20th century. The second group were the Laos Theung, who lived in the middle-altitude lands. system with 49 main ethnic groups and over 100 sub-groups. About 68% of all Laotians are Lao-Loum, or lowland Lao, a people related to the people of Thailand; thought to have migrated to Laos from southwestern China in the 8th century, the Lao-Loum are concentrated in the lowlands along the Mekong. In fact, in 2008 the government formally declared that while they would recognize 49 ethnicities, there was only one nationality: Lao. The most numerous group of people in Laos are the ‘Lao’ people, sometimes referred to as the Lao Lum (lowland Lao). Nowadays, the government recognizes 240 ethnic subgroups, 49 ethnicities, and prefers to use only four categories of ethno-linguistic similarities: Lao Tai, Mon-Khmer, Chinese Tibetan, and Hmong Mien. The ethno-linguistic groups that make up Laos' current system are the Lao Tai, Mon-Khmer, Chinese Tibetan, and Hmong Mien. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. The Mons … The Lao Tai are the majority population, and those traditionally in political power. There are four main ethno- linguistic categories in the country: Lao-Tai, Mone-Khmer, Sino-Tibetan and Hmong- However, they only wear the traditional clothes on special occasions, like wedding ceremonies or Hmong New Year Festival. Because all of these ethnic groups are really the same people. Create your account, Already registered? They are primarily farmers and hunters in the forest. Not sure what college you want to attend yet? 10% belong to other lowland groups. credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. imaginable degree, area of The Akha migrated from the Tibetan Plateau several hundred years ago, and live in the mountains of Phongsaly. Ethnic groups: Lao 53.2%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 9.2%, Phouthay 3.4%, Tai 3.1%, Makong 2.5%, Katong 2.2%, Lue 2%, Akha 1.8%, other 11.6% (2015 est.) For Hmong people, they are always proud of being their ethnic group, maintaining their distinctive culture and traditions. Kaw (population of approximately 58,000 in Laos) Hani (population of 1,122 in Phongsaly Province) Kaduo (population of 5,000 on Laos-China border) Lahu (population of 8,702 in Laos, also referred to as Museu) Lahu Shi (population of 3,240 in Laos) Phana. In the spring and autumn period (770-475 BC) the term was applied to a state on the southeast coast which was destroyed in 334 BC as the Han Chinese moved across the Yangtze into the south. Ethnic Lao, the principal lowland inhabitants and politically and culturally dominant group, make up the bulk … Following the end of the French dominance over the country, Laos became immersed in a civil- war that confronted partisans of the traditional royal family and the supporters of a republican and neutralist Laos. This group is descended from migrants who came south from China during the first millennium. Some of the prejudices from this system still exist. Alak is another ethnic group coming from the Laos Seung Group. This ethnic group also set their feet in Vietnam and Thailand. The team at Muang-La Resort has written an interesting review on minority tribes in Laos that we are pleased to share here. The entire nation is only composed of around 6 million people, making it one of the most sparsely populated countries in Asia. Though some communities are Buddhists, most remain animists. All Rights Reserved. Despite that small population, Laos people have already had over 49 ethnic groups all over the country with 4 main categories (4 general groups or 4 main types of Laotian): Lao Loum, Laos Theung, Laos Soung and others. Ethnic Groups Akha General Ethnic Studies The Laos Theung (Middle Altitude Lands) : also called proto-Chinese, include 58 different ethnical … For the pur­poses of the 1995 cen­sus, the gov­ern­ment of Laos rec­og­nized 149 eth­nic groups within 47 main ethnicities. • „Highland Lao‟ (Sino-Tibetan and Hmong-Iewmien), groups dwelling in the highland areas practic-ing swidden agriculture and include the Sino-Tibetan and Hmong- Iewmien ethnic groups. Early Chinese records used the term Yue to describe the non-Chinese people south of the Yangtze. The population of the Lao people has increased from 1,804,101 in 1985 to 3,427,665 in 2015. study Historically, many cities in Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos today, including Yangon, Bangkok, and Vientiane were founded either by the Mon people or Mon rulers. note: the Laos Government officially recognizes 49 ethnic groups, but the total number of ethnic groups is estimated to be well over 200. THE MOSAIC OF ETHNIC MINORITIES One of South East Asia’s most ethnically diverse countries, Laos has long defied the best efforts of anthropologists and linguists to classify its complex array of ethnicities and sub-ethnicities, many of which utilise several different names and synonyms given to them by the government or by other ethnic groups. Phunoi. and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you. Lao Sung groups live mainly in the mountainous regions of Laos and mainly though not exclusively belong to the Sino-Tibetan and Hmong-Mien language families, and include the Hmong (Miao), … The Lao people speak the eponymous language. Almost nine-tenths of Vietnam’s people are ethnic Vietnamese. Oct 28, 2015 - Explore Kamu Lodge, Luang Prabang's board "Lao Ethnic Groups" on Pinterest. Lan Ten Black Tai The focus will be on Lao Soung and Lao Theung, who represent the communities that are Many of these … You can count on us for any piece of information you need to know about the local, history, culture, and insiders’ travel tips as we are extremely passionate about what we do, and we make sure to do it in the most pleasant way possible. Laos is a landlocked nation of Southeast Asia which has been noted for its unique demographics. Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. Tibeto-Burman. Spe­cial­ists are largely in agree­ment as to the eth­no­lin­guis­tic clas­si­fi­ca­tion of the eth­nic groups of Laos. Profiting from this inner conflict, the neighboring Vietnam invaded the country, displacing the northern front of the Vietnamese War against the Americans. They mostly migrated down to Laos, forced to flee the many violent revolts happening in Southern China between 1850 and 1870. The communal house will be the center of a village and other normal houses are built around it in a circular pattern. The government has also expressed a concern that ethnic identification undermines national unity, and ideally prefers to identify all people as belonging to the shared Lao nationality rather than ethnicities. Nowadays, the Mon are a major ethnic group in Myanmar and a minor ethnic group in Thailand. | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} Therefore, if they want to get married to someone, they have to find their partner from other villages. Because none of these ethnic groups are indigenous to Laos. Most Laotians categorize ethnic groups in terms of these three broad categories, and villagers themselves, when asked their ethnicity by outsiders, are likely to respond Lao Loum, Lao Theung, or Lao Sung, rather than their specific ethnicity. Traditionally, these ethnicities were categorized by geography. The best way to discover the Laotian ethnic group is on your own on Laos Tours. Many Asian nations are characterized by both the presence of incredibly dense populations and a high amount of ethnic diversity. Get the unbiased info you need to find the right school. Laos is a predominantly rural country with a youthful population – almost 55% of the population is under the age of 25. Major ethnic groups within the Lao Theung category include the Khmu (Kammu) and Lamet in the north, the Katang and Makong in the center, and the Jru’ (Loven) and Brao (Lave) in the far south. credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level. The special feature which makes it different from other minorities in the same group is housing. The Laotians or Lao people are a Tai ethnic-group indigenous to the southeastern parts of Asia. There are about 68 different ethnic groups in Laos with the largest of the groups being Lao. Like many nations in Southeast Asia, Laos has a diverse population. Lao Loum, Laos Theung, Laos Soung represent for three mainstreams in linguistic group: Tai Dakai language, Mon Khmer Language, Chinese-Tibetan and Hmong-Mien … Based on specific detail on Hmong clothes, they are divided into four subgroups: White Hmong, Striped Hmong, Red Hmong, and Black Hmong. When we mention about Hmong ethnic group, we will definitely remember Laos Seung. Traditionally, the Laos people and government organized ethnicity by geography, resulting in four broadly defined categories. The most numerous group of people in Laos are the ‘Lao’ people, sometimes referred to as the Lao Lum (lowland Lao). Some of the tribes may only have a few hundred members and are only found in Laos. They believe in the existence of spirit, which will contribute to people’s health and wealth, and only a very small part of them are Christian under the French colonial period. That's what the government would like to see. Earn Transferable Credit & Get your Degree. If you are interested in Laos, take a look at Laos Tour Package. The Lao is the largest ethnic group in the country which had over 3,427,665 members in 2015. The majority of Laos’s population is Lao which accounts for 55 percent of the whole population. The Lao Tai, formally Laos Thais in the old system, are the vast majority at around 55% of the total population, and are mostly descended from the ancient Lao Kingdom that ruled over the region. Properly practiced, this method of farming endorses the sustainable use of forestlands. Log in here for access. The Lao Lum are the most numerous ethnic group in Laos numbering around 3.5 million (53% of the total population). 2003 Ethnic Groups: General Ethnic Groups Cursory history of Laos with an emphasis on ethnicity. Another issue of international concern is the involuntary repatriation of over 4,000 ethnic Hmong to Laos from camps in Thailand, which took place at the end of December 2009. All rights reserved. {{courseNav.course.topics.length}} chapters | This page was last edited on 30 June 2020, at 11:28. The people of Laos are usually considered by their location as this relates to ethnicity. Well, let's take a look at ethnicity within Laos, and see what this means in a nation of 6 million people. Meet some of Laos least visited ethnic groups in Phongsaly. Mien (Yao), Akha, Lahu, and other related groups are considerably smaller in numbers and tend to be located in rather limited areas of the north. The College Completion Agenda: The College Board Releases a National Progress Report, National Academic Standards Program Has Launched, Many States Award Merit Aid to Students Who Are Under-Prepared for College, National PTA Lends Support to Common Standards, Despite Stimulus Money, Many Colleges Across the Nation Face Troubled Times, Explore 2010's National Book Award Finalists, It's National Book Month: Join the Celebration, Many Latino Students Find American Dream Out of Reach. Moreover, the facial taboo is their very traditional custom for women in the past and right now is discouraged by the Laotian government. This page has been viewed 850 times (108 via redirect) The Hmong are the most numerous Lao Sung group, with villages spread across the uplands of all the northern provinces. In Laos nowadays, there are still many ethnic groups existing with diverse culture and custom. The Hmong people are the third largest ethnic group in Laos. Visit the Overview of Ethnic Groups in the World page to learn more. Upland peoples continue to practice agriculture using the traditional approach of shifting cultivation. Well, there are several practical challenges that come along with formally recognizing 240 ethnic groups, but really the government is mostly worried about national unity. Nowadays, the Mon are a major ethnic group in Myanmar and a minor ethnic group in Thailand. Here is the list of some typical ethnic groups of these two Laotian groups which will help you get the insight about Laos’ culture. This group does control most of Laotian government, and lives in the rich river valleys where the ancient kingdoms first arose. House of Alak people is often built on stilts which is one meter higher above the ground. Why is the Laos government so insistent on reducing the ethnic categories? But then again, maybe not. House of Alak people is often built on stilts which is one meter higher above the ground. Sainyabuli Province is where you can easily encounter them. At the same time, many researchers have claimed that Laos is home to well over 200 distinct ethnic groups.