It replaced the older and more-offensive[clarification needed] "Luohei" (猓黑) as the official Chinese name for the Lahu people.

They are one of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, and mostly live in three communes of Mường Tè, Lai Châu Province.

[citation needed] In fear of retribution when the Pathet Lao took over the Laotian government in 1975, those who had helped the United States fled to neighboring Thailand seeking political asylum.

Among Christian villages, the language has been enriched by loanwords from English, Latin and Greek via Bible translation, plus neologisms in the areas of hygiene, music and education.

The leader of such a group of monks, Mun Bhuridatta, spent some time in Lahu territory.

Lahu given names are made of two syllables: one that shows the gender and one that gives information on the day of birth, based on the zodiac.