The Hmong people are an ethnic group currently native to several countries and believed to have originated in the Yangtze River Basin in southern China. Throughout recorded history, the Hmong have remained identifiable as Hmong because they have maintained the Hmong language, customs, and ways of life while adopting the ways of the country in which they live, including Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, and China—which is home to one of the biggest Hmong populations in the world (5 million)—as well as the United States, French Guiana, Australia, France, and Germany. In the United States, new generations of Hmong are gradually assimilating into American society while being taught Hmong culture and history by their elders. Many fear that as the older generations pass on, the knowledge of the Hmong among Hmong Americans and other parts of the Hmong diaspora will die, as well.
Social organization The clan (; ) has been a dominant organizing force in Hmong society. There are about eighteen known Hmong clans in Laos and Thailand. Members of a clan who share the same ritual practices may identify themselves as a sub-clan of that particular clan.
Clan membership is inherited upon birth or occasionally through adoption. Women become members of their husband's family upon marriage but will retain their clan name of their father. Members of the same clan consider each other to be () and they are expected to offer one another mutual support. The term is regarded as one's father's family or in the case of women who are married it refers to their in-laws. A related term, , refers to the wife's family after marriage. However, she regards her birth family to be her until she is married. Also, many clans even consider each last name as their . For example, the Khab, Kwm, and Koo clans (also known as the Khang, Kue, and Kong clans) consider themselves because they share a history of helping each other and respect for each other. Respected clan leaders are expected to take responsibility for conflict negotiation and occasionally the maintenance of religious rituals. Qhua, Hmong RPA Xeem, Hmong RPA English Chinese Character Pahawh Clan Symbols⎯ Faaj (Faj) Fang, Fa, 黃 Taag Haam (Ham) Hang, Hung 項 Dluag Hawj Hue, Heu, Her, Herr, Hur 侯 Plua Khaab (Khab) Khang, Kha 康 Xoom Koo, Xoom Kong, Soung 龔，宋 Nkws Kwm Kue, Ku 古 ⎯ Lauj Lo, Lor, Lau, Lao 劉 Cai Lis Lee, Ly, Li 李 Zaag Muas Moua, Mua, Mas 馬 ⎯ Phaab (Phab) Pha 潘 Dlua Thoj Thao, Thoa, Tho, Thor 陶 Nrig Tsab (Tsaab) Cha, Chang, Tcha, Chah, Jiang, Zhang 張 ⎯ Tsheej Cheng, Cheung, Chen, Shang 陳 ⎯ Tswb Chue, Chu, Tchue 朱 Vug Vaj (Vaaj) Vang, Veng, Va, Wang, Wa 王 ⎯ Vwj Vue, Vu, Wu 吳 Mob Xyooj Xiong, Song 熊 Yawg Yaj (Yaaj) Yang, Young 楊
Marriage
Clan groups are exogamous: that is, a Hmong may not be married within their own clan group, and instead must be married into another clan. For example, a Xiong may not marry another Xiong, but may marry or be married to a Hawj. Hmong marriage customs differ slightly based on cultural subdivisions within the global Hmong community, but all require the exchange of a black umbrella tied with a black-and-white striped ribbon () to symbolize the couple's commitment to each other, as well as a bride price from the groom's family to the bride's family.
Traditionally, when a boy wants to marry a girl, he will make his intentions clear and court her by singing courtship poems () sung using leaf flutes. However, bride kidnapping () is also common, preferably done while the girl is away from her home, alone, and often without her and her family's consent.
For marriage in which consent is sought and received, after a boy falls for a girl and wishes to marry her, he must ask his father, brother, other older relatives, or his clan's leader relatives to ask the girl's family for her hand in marriage using a marriage broker (). Once a marriage has been accepted, a groomsman () and a bridesmaid () are invited to the groom's house, along with the matchmaker, who will sing wedding songs and hold a black umbrella for the entire two days of wedding, and the boy and his father and relatives, who will offer a boiled, whole chicken, uncooked rice, salt, and oil for the bride's family's spirits, several cartons of cigarettes for the negotiators, and bottles of liquor for the groom and the bride's male relatives.
In procuring a marriage, before he bridenaps her, the boy must first give a gift to the girl whom he wants to marry. After waiting a few days, the boy may then bridenap the girl. If the boy never gave the girl a gift, she may refuse and return home with any family member who comes to rescue her. An envoy from the boy's clan is sent () to inform them about their daughter's location and safety. This envoy provides details of the boy's family background and, in return, requests the girl's hand in marriage.
A woman and her family have the right to refuse her hand in the man's marriage, in which case the marriage will be called off. For her to call off the marriage, though, her family must rescue her within three days to prevent the bride-napper's family from officiating the marriage.Cha D. The Hmong 'Dab Pog Couple' story and its significance in arriving at an understanding of Hmong ritual. Hmong Stud J. 2003;4(1):1–20
Before the new couple enters the groom's house, the groom's father performs a blessing ritual (), asking his ancestors to accept the new bride into the household. The head of the household moves the chicken in a circular motion around the couple's head, in hopes of removing bad luck from the newly-wedded couple. Afterwards, the girl is not allowed to visit anyone's house for three days.
Hmong weddings typically take at least two days and one night to complete, including the process of negotiating the dowry for the would-be couple, which is commonly handed over to the bride's family by the groom's clan and is traditionally set at four to six silver bars. However, in 2003, settlements made in the American currency were commonplace, ranging from approximately to (equivalent to – in 2025). If the dowry is accepted, the newlywed couple will move to the groom's house while the groom's parents prepare for the first wedding feast (). At the end of this first wedding feast, the couple will return to the bride's family's home, where they spend the night preparing for the next day. The bride's family then prepares a second wedding feast at their home, where the couple will be married.
On the first day of the wedding, the bride will wear the groom's clan's traditional clothes. On the second day of the wedding, she will switch back to the clothes of her birth clan. After the wedding, her parents will give her farewell presents and new sets of clothes. Before the couple departs, the bride's family provides the groom with drinks until he feels he can drink no more, though he will often share them with his brothers. At this point, the bride's older brother or uncle will often offer the groom one more drink and ask him to promise to treat the bride well, never hit her, etc. Finishing the drink is seen as proof that the groom will keep his promise. Upon arriving back at the groom's house, another party is held to thank the negotiator(s), the groomsmen, and the bridesmaids.
In the 21st century, Hmong people who practice Christianity may follow traditional Hmong weddings, or they may exclude some rituals, such as the or () rituals.
When a husband dies, it is his clan's responsibility to look after the widow and children. The widow is permitted to remarry, in which case she would have two choices: she may marry one of her husband's younger brothers or younger cousins (never the older brothers), or she can marry anyone from an outside clan (besides her own). If she chooses to marry an extended member from her deceased husband's clan, her children will continue to be a part of that clan. If she chooses to remarry outside her deceased husband's clan, her children are not required to remain with the clan unless a member of the clan (usually the deceased husband's brother or a male cousin with the same last name) is willing to take care of them. If no one from the deceased husband's clan is willing to raise the children, they will follow their mother into her second marriage. Once the children go with their mother to join their stepfather's family, a spiritual ceremony may take place. The children can choose to belong to their stepfather's clan (by accepting his surname, family spirits, and relatives) or remain with their original clan (their deceased father's family, spirits, and relatives). Often, regardless of the wishes of the mother or children, the clan would keep the son(s). Polygamy has been documented as a form of marriage in Hmong culture. It is rare among those Hmong who have migrated to Western nations.
Divorce was rare in traditional Hmong society; however, it is becoming more prevalent in westernized Hmong communities. If a husband and wife decide to divorce, the couple's clans will permit divorce but will evaluate the situation fairly. If just the wife wants to divorce her husband without any firm grounds, the bride price must be returned to the husband's family, as the wife will be the one choosing to leave the household. If just the husband wants to divorce his wife without any firm grounds, the husband will have to come up with some money to send the wife back to her family, with all the daughters, and the sons will stay with the husband, as the husband will be the one choosing to leave the household. By tradition, the man and the woman do not have equal custody of all the children. If it is determined the wife had committed adultery, the husband will receive custody of the sons, the bride price and an additional fine. However, if it is determined the husband had committed adultery or married a second wife and the wife can not continue being part of the family, she will have the option to peg the husband. If the husband allows it, she can take her children with her. If a divorced man dies, custody of any male children passes to his clan group.
Traditional gender roles Traditional gender roles throughout Hmong society have changed throughout the dominance in China along with Confucianism. During the periods in which Confucianism reached its peaks (206 BCE – 220 CE) along with Legalism (法家) or Taoism (道家) during the Han dynasty. Although the early Hmong had no real commitment to the subordination of women, over time Confucian teachings were expanded upon. It was during the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) that Confucianism was adopted as the government's state doctrine in China, becoming part of official education. In later dynasties, Neo-Confucian interpretations further reinforced male authority and patrilineal customs. According to the Confucian structure of society, women at every level were to occupy a position lower than men. Most citizens accepted the subservience of women to men as natural and proper. At the same time, they accorded women's honor and power as mother and mother-in-law within their family.
There are traditional gender roles in Hmong society. A man's duty involves family responsibility and the provision for the physical and spiritual welfare of his family. Hmong men have a system for making decisions that involve clan leaders. Husbands may consult their wives if they wish before making major decisions regarding family affairs, but the husband is seen as the head of the household who announces the decision.
Hmong women are responsible for nurturing the children, preparing meals, feeding animals, and sharing in agricultural labor. Traditionally, Hmong women eat meals only after the Hmong men have eaten first, especially if there are guests present in the house.
Spirituality