The name "hilltribe" is often used to refer to the many ethnic groups living in the northern highlands of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, VietNam and Burma. They are also referred to as "ethnic minorities." Some migrated hundreds of years ago, while some came over only a generation or two ago. They came from a wide variety of places; for example, many came from the Tibetan plateau. Like most tribal people, the hill people could be described as animist, meaning they worship Nature spirits.