H’mong people are an important members in the community of ethnic minorities in Vietnam with about one million people, ranked 8th among 54 Vietnamese ethnics. They often occupy the upland areas, from 800-1500m above the sea level, mostly in the Northwest and a few in the central highland of Vietnam. You can easily spot them in Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Sa Pa, Lai Chau, Son La and several other provinces.Their language family is Hmon-Mien, yet the language is a non-written one. Hmong people have a very extraordinary culture that is still vividly seen today. “Cướp vợ” (Stealing Wife) is another special H’mong’s custom: when a man loves a woman, he must ‘steal’ her in the darkest night and imprison her without food for 2-3 days; if the woman accepts to marry him, he will come to her family to ask for her parents’ permission.
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