Khmu

The Khmu are an indigenous ethnic group in Southeast Asia, one of the largest Austroasiatic-speaking populations in Laos, with communities in Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. They primarily inhabit upland areas and villages.

They speak Khmu, a Khmuic language in the Mon-Khmer sub-branch of Austroasiatic, with several dialects. Many Khmu are bilingual in Lao, Vietnamese, or Thai, and language vitality varies by region, with some dialects at risk due to assimilation.

Historically organized in autonomous upland villages with clan-based kinship networks, the Khmu rely on shifting cultivation of rice and other crops, along with hunting, fishing, and gathering. Some households practice small-scale animal husbandry and horticulture.

Traditional religion centers on spirits and ancestors, with rituals to ensure harvests and village protection. Many Khmu practice Theravada Buddhism or Christianity in whole or in part, often interwoven with indigenous beliefs.

In Laos and neighboring countries, Khmu communities have faced modernization, including land-use pressures, forest resource loss, and efforts to promote education and national languages. Language and cultural preservation efforts exist.