Language

70 percent or 2,500,000 people of Mao live in China. Only 45,800 people of Mao are in Thailand. They have a different name tribe depending on their language and costumes. The names that they call themselves are: H’moong njva (black Mao), H’moong deaw (White Mao), and H’moong Gua M’ba (Gua M’ba Mao). Their language uses different words and voices from the Chinese. Most of their vocabulary is borrowed from Chinese, Thai and Lao Languages. The important Mao dialects are Mon Tlue, Mon Len, Red Mao and Kwan Hoa.

In Thailand, Meo use similar languages from that in Northern Thailand and in Southern China They speak Thai, Lao and Unan as their normal language. Most of them have low education.

Attire

There are three different styles of Mao costumes. The white Mao and black Mao women wear Chinese skirts. On the top of the frill they embroider art designs with many colors and they have black aprons in front of them. White Mao’s wear blue trousers with a blue apron in the front and the back. Sometimes they wear white skirts with no embroidery. White Mao women always wear turbans.Both of the 2 tribeswomen wear black, blue and white shoes. They wear ornaments on themselves and silver loops. The men also have silver loops. The difference between the men of 2 tribes are the cloak and trousers of the blue Mao is longer than that of the white Mao but it is the same color being blue. When they have a party the men also wear a lot of ornaments, the same as the women.

Housing

Mao people usually build their villages on the top of mountains. They select an area that is near the suitable source of agriculture. The mountains around their village can protect them from storms. They believe that if the area around their village has a lot of mountains, the spirits of the jungle will defend them. They must select on area that has never had other villages before because they think that if that area is suitable for living, the old village wouldn’t move to other places.

The important factor that has a lot of affect to the selection is that they like to find the highest area that is suitable for growing opium. After 10-15 years, they will change their location to a new one. The reasons are:

1. Opium is the main job for them. When the soil is degenerate, they will destroy it and plan the new one until their plantation is too far from the village.

2. Because they build the house on the soul and not clean the house for a long time. May be it have epidemic in their village.

The size of the village may consist 35 houses. The leader’s house is in the center of the village. The house is rectangular with a grass roof and bamboo partition.

Society

Mao’s usually live in a large families consisting of parents,son, daughter, uncle, cousin and grandchild. They have their own ceremonies. The son is a member of the family forever. The daughter is only a member of the family until she is married. After that she will be a member of her husband’s family. The number of each family is approximately 2-3 people. Each of family has an old man who is the head of the family. Everybody should obey him. The eldest son should live with his parents until they die. If a younger son has a wife, he will build their own house. The parents house will be given to the eldest son.

In relation to marriage, the man only has one wife but he can have a second wife also. The man can marry his widow-sister-in-law according to customs. He thinks that marriage is a way to get more labor because he can ask for the help of the hands from the parents of that woman. The parents will set a fee and if the man accepts, that woman will be his wife immediately. They don’t take into consideration the woman’s feelings. Before she is married, the woman is free to have sex with other men. She isn’t worried about becoming pregnant because if she has a baby, the fee is higher. After she is married, she should always be faithful to her husband.

Occupation

Agriculture is the main occupation for northern hilltribes. The special method of Agriculture is unstable plantation. The main crop is Opium; and they also grow crops to feed the animals. Only two months are spent planting rice. They plant Opium for 7 years in the crop plantation. When the product of Opium is reduced, they change the area to other places and use that area to plant rice. Some of the product will sell, and they use a little bit to consume. When they want some goods that they can not find in their village, they will bring their goods to change with Thai merchants.

Meo’s believe in the gods, ghosts that live in the mountains and the trees. They think that all of this can help them to have a good life. They believe that the ghost told the sorcerer to make medicine that is call "ghost medicine". The dog ghost can protect the house from the bad ghost. Most of them fear the spirits that the sorcerers entertain in their houses.