The Khmu people have, for centuries, maintained their traditional culture, they have their own language, customs, beliefs and their own identity which make them different from other ethnic groups. The Khmu also have a rich language filled with fascinating legends and beautiful music. The following are the five major cultural aspects of the Khmu people:
- The
Khmu kindship and family organization.
- The
religion.
- The
health.
- The
language.
- The
New Year
1. Khmu kinship and family organization
The Khmu people are made up of clans called “ Snta,” each of which identifies itself with a totemic ancestral being. They are then classified into three groups or lineages, those of which are quadruped, birds and plants.
1. Quadruped Lineage – May include clans such as: The Tiger, Pangolin, Badger and so on.
Picture: Thomas K. Manokoune 2. Bird Lineages – May include clans such as: Eagle, Toucans, Woodpecker, Wagtails and so on.
Picture: Thomas K. Manokoune 3. Plant Lineages – Do not have as many clans as the other Lineages. One example would be a Black fern.
Picture: Thomas K. Manokoune Clans are often used as family names in many Khmu areas. No one may marry a member of his/her own clan.
2. The Religion
The Khmu were animist, and believed in many different spirits, that could affect their lives. In the 1940’s, while in Southeast Asia, fighting against the Japanese, the French introduced Christianity to the Khmu people. After World War II, the British and later the Americans, continued the missionary work started by the French. As a result of these influences, the Khmu in the Unites States are about 65% Catholic, 25% Christian (Protestant), and 10% other.
Picture: Thomas K. Manokoune Khmu families are usually large, having an average of five children per household. The Khmu are taught to be friendly, honest, respectful and peaceful. Problems or feelings of sadness are to be kept inside, not to be shown to the others.
3. The Health
The Khmu people believe illness is caused by natural or supernatural phenomena. Treatment for illness include ingestion or application of herbal remedies, abdominal massage, herbal body massage, rituals and incantations. The shaman or spiritual healer performed ceremonies to invoke help from the spirit world in curing the ill.
Picture: Thomas K. Manokoune 4. Language
Khmu words are written in the emergent standard Roman-based Khmu orthography, derived from initial efforts of Catholic missionaries in 1950. The alphabetic inventory of Khmu are 29 consonant sounds and 30 vowels.
Picture: Thomas K. Manokoune 5. New year
In Laos, the Khmu New Year occurs at the end of the harvest season and is a celebration of the bounty that the Khmu farmers are able to win from the soil.
Picture: Thomas K. Manokoune We hope that these brief overview of the Khmu cultural aspect will provide you with a better understanding of who the Khmu are and its traditional culture.
Written By: Thomas K. Manokoune (KNF Senior Advisor)