The Kaen Hmong is a musical instrument of the hill tribe people who have migrated to live in the Upper Northern Region of Thailand. Thai people usually call them the ‘Maew’. The word ‘Kaen’ is called ‘Gayng’ (เก้ง) in the Hmong language. There are 2 sizes of the Gayng or the Kaen, large and small. Both Kaen are played together in ceremonial rites. During the funeral rite in particular, there is a required tradition to blow the Kaen in order to send off the spirit of the dead person for 7 consecutive days. This tradition originated from an old belief that the spirit of the ancestors will come to receive that of the dead person to stay with them in a place which takes 7 days to travel to.
         However, the Kaen can also be used for entertainment, relieving one’s stress, or wooing young girls. It is up to each player’s preference to use the large or small Kaen.