The Hmong are an ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity (苗族) in southern China. Hmong groups began a gradual southward migration in the 18th century due to political unrest and to find more arable land.

Hmong people have their own terms for their subcultural divisions, often named after the dominant colors or patterns of their traditional clothing, style of head-dress, or the provinces from which they come. Hmong Der (White Hmong) and Hmong Leng (Blue/Green Mong) are the terms for two of the largest groups in the United States and Southeast Asia. White Hmong and Green Hmong speak mutually intelligible dialects of the Hmong language, with some differences in pronunciation and vocabulary.

In Southeast Asia, Hmong people are referred to by other names, including: Vietnamese: Mèo or H'Mông; Lao: ແມ້ວ (Maew) or ມົ້ງ (Mong); Thai: แม้ว (Maew) or ม้ง (Mong); Burmese: မုံလူမျိုး (mun lu-myo). The xenonym, "Mèo", and variants thereof, are considered highly derogatory by many Hmong people and are infrequently used today outside of Southeast Asia.

Hmong music is an important part of the culture of the Hmong people, an ethnic group from southeast Asia. Because the Hmong language is tonal, there is a close connection between Hmong music and the spoken language. Music is an important part of Hmong life, played for entertainment, for welcoming guests, and at weddings and funerals. Hmong musical instruments includes flutes such as the dra, leaves also called nblaw, and the qeej or gaeng, a type of mouth organ.

There are several different types of vocal songs: Kwv txhiaj (storytelling songs), zaj tshoob (engagement songs), ntau txhuv (wishing songs), laig dab (Invitation songs), hu plig (spirit Invocation songs), ua neeb (possession chant), qhua ke (farewell to the spirit songs), and nyiav (weeping songs).