Presenting the Kemu

The Kemu are one of the ethnic groups least known about China. His scarce population, his remote situation and the fact that the Kemu that live in China are an only one small proportion of the population Kemu, it has done that very little attention is paid to them.

The Kemu have not been recognized like national minority by the Chinese government.

The Kemu live in the mountainous forests of the frontier region between China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Most of the Kemu, approximately 400.000, live in Laos. Also, there is approximately 100.000 Kemu in Thailand, 25.000 in Vietnam and only 1.700 in China. (1)

In the ethnographic literature the Kemu they are known under different names: Khamu, Kemu, Khamuk. All of them are local transliterations of the form in which they are named themselves: Kamuö.

It is thought that where better they preserve his political structure it is in Laos. Nevertheless, his presence in China is important. In this country they live in the Prefecture of Xishuangbanna, districts of Mengla and Jinghong. Close to the border with Laos.

Before 1949 they were living like nomadic hunters in the mountain forests. Later, they were led by the Chinese to the low grounds, where they formed 22 ethnic villages.

His language belongs to the family austronésica, branch Mon-Khmer. It has certain resemblance with some of the languages of the Wa, Deang and Bulang. They speak two intelligible dialects between them, one with tones and other without them.

(1) The Khamu People and their Study. - Vladim'r Li O. Thai-Yunnan newsletter - 14-1991

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