[2] The Kam are thought to be the modern-day descendants of the ancient Rau peoples who occupied much of southern China.

According to the migration legends of the Southern Kam people, their ancestors came from Guangzhou, Guangdong and Wuzhou, Guangxi.

Many Kam rebellions took place during the Ming and Qing dynasties, but none were successful in the long run.

The Qing developed extensive irrigation systems in the area and rice harvests increased significantly but this mostly benefited the local landlords.

The Kam were further exploited after the first Opium War of 1840–1842 by western forces, capitalists, landlords, usurers and Qing officials.

Some Kam also allied with the People's Liberation Army through establishing guerilla units against the forces of Chiang Kai-Shek.

[3] Two famous Kam playwrights are Wu Wencai (1798–1845), author of Mei Liangyu, and Zhang Honggan (1779–1839).

[3] Kam clans are known as dou and are further divided into ji, gong, and households (known as "kitchens"), respectively from largest to smallest in size.

Kam society was also traditionally matriarchal, as can be evidenced by the cult of the goddess Sa Sui (Geary 2003:88).

[3] Traditional courtship consists of three phases: Weddings last three days and are first held at the bride's family's home.

The birth of a child is complemented by the following events:[3] Like those of the Miao people, Kam funerals are highly elaborate.

[3] Supplementary foods inclusive maize, millet, vegetables, plums, peaches, pears, mushrooms, mandarin oranges, pomelos, and watermelons.

[3] Other popular local dishes and condiments include barbecued fish, intestines sauce, purple blood pork, chicken-blood sauce, oil tea, gongguo (glutinous rice snack sweetened with liana) and bianmi (another glutinous rice snack).

Fir from the Kam area was used to build the ships of 15th-century explorer Zheng He and the Great Hall of the People.

Baskets can be made from five types of plant materials, namely glutinous rice straw, cogongrass, Guangxi grass, bamboo, and rattan.

[2] The Kam also use rice grains, bamboo roots, snails, and chicken bone, eyes, blood, and eggs for divination.

[3] Snakes are highly revered and are often thought to have been the progenitors of the ancient Baiyue peoples, which included the Kam.

There are many purposes of sorcery, such as repelling evil spirits, recovering the soul of a disturbed child, exacting revenge on enemies, and inducing love.

Voodoo dolls, borrowed from the Chinese, are made so that pins can be stuck onto them, with the person's name and birth date written on them.