Myths of the World

Regarding the origin story of the Kho Mu ethnic group in Vietnam, there are still a number of different views. Currently, most scientists confirm that Kho Mu people are residents of the Indochinese peninsula, concentrated in Northern Laos, with the largest gathering point in Luang Prabang, and formed a kingdom named Swa or Lawa. After the Lao people migrated down along with the expeditions and people from Yunnan (China) poured down, forcing Kho Mu people to migrate to Thailand and Northwest Vietnam. Some other opinions suggested that Kho Mu people are residents in the Northwest region in Vietnam, based on the folk tales of the Kho Mu and Thai people about the origin of mankind born from gourds. Original name:  Kmu, Kum Mu meaning "people" or "community of people". Other names:  Xa Cau, Kha Kluu, Mang Cau, Tay Hay, Mon Xen, Pu Thanh, and Tenh. The Kho Mu live in Vietnam’s northern mountain region together with other ethnic minority groups. Today’s “Colorful Vietnam...

Bunong are an indigenous group who live in Cambodia’s highlands, primarily in Mondulkiri Province. They are culturally distinct from the Khmer (the majority population in Cambodia) of their belief in spirits, their connection to elephants, their weaving practices, and their livelihoods. Bunong’s religious beliefs are animistic, which means they think that everything has a spirit, including animals, plants, hills, stones, jars, and buildings. Spirits also symbolize their forefathers. If these spirits are displeased as a result of human behavior, they can intervene in the Bunong’s existence, either to harm or defend them. Ceremonies and rituals, such as animal sacrifice, are often required to satisfy the spirits. However, this distinction is fading over time due to a variety of circumstances. These influences include the “Khmerization” of the Bunong under King Sihanouk’s political period (especially from 1954 to 1970). The Bunong are believed to have been living in the Mondulkiri area ...

The  Khmer people  ( Khmer : ជនជាតិខ្មែរ,  Chônchéatĕ Khmêr   [cɔnciət kʰmae] ) are an  Austroasiatic   ethnic group  native to  Cambodia . They comprise over 90% of Cambodia’s population of 17 million. They speak the  Khmer language , which is part of the larger  Austroasiatic-language family  found in parts of  Southeast Asia  (including  Thailand ,  Vietnam ,  Laos , and  Malaysia ), parts of central, eastern, and northeastern India, parts of  Bangladesh  in  South Asia , in parts of  Southern China  and numerous  islands in the Indian Ocean . The majority of the Khmers follow  Theravada Buddhism , then there is also a minority Khmer Muslim convert from Buddhism found in  Kwan  village,  Kampong Speu . Significant populations of Khmers reside in adjacent areas of  Thailand  ( Northern Khmer ) and the  Mekong Delta  r...