Montagnard Dega Association, Inc.

Montagnard History

Who are the Montagnards: We are the indigenous peoples of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The term Montagnard means “mountain people” in French and is often used to refer to us, the indigenous people of the region. There are over 30 different Montagnard tribes. The Montagnards were some of the frontline fighters during the Vietnam War, alongside with the Americans. Today, North Carolina holds the largest population of resettlement for the Montagnards, which is estimated to be over 10,000 in North Carolina.

The Montagnard Dega Association (MDA) is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 by Dega people to assist with the resettlement of Dega refugees in the United States. The North Carolina Division of Social Services recognizes MDA as a refugee service provider. MDA works in cooperation with local refugee mutual assistance agencies, national, state and local government, churches, community groups and refugee resettlement agencies throughout North Carolina.