The Laos Soung live in the Mountains above 1000 meters, especially the Hmongs (or Meos, a highly pejorative term), and the Yaos.
These are the “Upper” Laos, in other words, those that live in the mountains (above 1200 meters). The majority of this ethnical group arrived in Laos during the last 200 years; there are Hmongs, Akha, and Yao. Their language is similar to Chinese, to Tibetan-Burmese. They are still nomads or semi-nomads, even if the government wants to make them settle by forcing them to come down from the mountains under the pretexts of education and health.
The majority of this ethnical group is in North Laos, especially in the area of Xieng Khouane. They are said to be good workers, tough fighters (the communists found this out, often at great cost), and can congratulate themselves on being completely self sufficient. They still well known to be excellent opium cultivators.
The Laos Soung in Laos are Animists, and rarely Buddhists and sometimes Christians (since the passage of French missionaries over a century ago). They have witches, shamans, and also have their own traditions and culture.
