1. Who is H’Mong:
The H'Mong are an ethnic group that traditionally settled in China and some neighboring countries in Southeast Asia such as: Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar. The H'Mong speak H'mong, the main language of the H'Mong family. They do not have letters, so the Latin Hmong is now commonly used instead.
In Vietnam, the Hmong are one of 54 ethnic minorities with a significant population.
2. The traditional costume of H’Mong people:
Sapa people always consider the value of clothing more than the value of a house. The costume of the H'mong ethnic groups in Sapa are mainly sewn with self-woven linen silk with special styles, elaborate ornamentation and delicate patterns which are attached close to nature. For this reason, their costume is never mistaken with other ethnic groups’s costume. The H’Mong’s men wear black or indigo pants, short sleeves and sleeveless shirt over the butt. Their costumes are often added dangling coins or sometimes embroidered with patterns. About women, they wear black dresses with beltswhich are often embroidered with interesting natural patterns. They wear the knee-length sleeveless coats. H’Mong’s women also wear hats with a rimlike a paper lump. They do not wear skirts, instead they wear pants stretching to their calves, then roll the fabric around and wear shoes.
3. Special features of H’Mong people’s house:
The house of H’Mong people are mostly built of timber. With the environment on the high mountains and cold weather, the H’Mong’s house keep warm in winter and cool in summer. The H'Mong people consider the pillars as the mainstay in the house, showing the straightforwardness, streng of the landlord, so it must not be deforested. The house of the H'mong, whether large or small, always covers three layers, a main door, an auxiliary door and two or more windows on the top.
In the 3 main compartments, the left side is used to place the stove and the sleeping area of the host. The right side is used to put another stove and the bed for guests. The ancestral altar, the reception and the dining are placed in the middle compartment. Two small compartments on the left are used to put corn grinder and rice pounder. In particular, the main door of the H'Mong people also need to built of good timber. The H’Mong’s house is often lining rock around to make fence.
H’Mong's house always has a floor to store furniture and food. In addition, this floor can also be used as a sleeping place when crowded. Kitchen fumes will dry and keep the food away from insects. The H’Mong' home are never placed together, even though they are brothers.
4. Characteristics of H’Mong people’s culture:
Accroding to H’Mong’s customs, girls and women are not allowed to sleep on the floor. When the man in the house is away, the womencannot go to upstairs.In addition, H’Mong people in Sapa also love literature and art. Visitors can hear many fairy tales, myths about heroes when coming here. Especially, in H'mong ethnic group, there is a famous custom: dragging wife. Although the couple have fallen in love before, but to organize the marriage, they must hold a ceremony to drag the wife. There are no H’Mong girls agree to marry if their future spouse do not organize this ceremony because it represents the girl’s honor.
5. H’Mong people’s big festivals:
Coming to Sapa, must join in “Gau Tao” festival. This is a celebration to pray for luck. Usually, this festival is held only for families do not have children or sick people. H'mong festival is held in the spring for 3 consecutive years and a tree will be planted each year so that the three owners in turn take the tree and the objects hanging on the tree back to home to get good fortune. H’Mong people in Sapa usually held this festival on the first morning of the Lunar New Year.
Another festival of H’Mong is Tet holiday. H’Mong people do not set a specific date in the year to welcome New Year as the Kinh people. According to customs, the H’Mong people celebrate Tet before the Lunar New Year a month, and it is also the time of harvest. After a year, people in the village will rest, celebrate the season with the aim of exchanging experiences and solidarity. This is also a chance for families to express their gratitude to their ancestors, the heaven and earth for a good harvest, healthy children, peace and wish lucks in New Year.
If you come to Sapa: Sapa tour 2 days 1 night/ Sapa tour 3 days 2 nights on New Year, this is a opportunity for visitor, who would like to learn about The H'mong ethnic with Viet Unique Tours.
