Josephine Lim and Mari Stroh The Hmong Josephine Lim and Mari Stroh

The Beginning creation story 4 gods flood barrel egg

Introduction and History tribal people mountain villages throughout China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam violent history Chinese 1890s French

Traditional Hmong Life traditional economy about 6 million, most in Southern China slash and burn agriculture staple food crops – rice and corn nonfood crops – opium poppy poultry pigs cattle horses

Traditional Hmong Life cont. the village raised houses in lower elevations main room of the house is cooking hearth arrangement of houses always organized tsevs need to be near rais, water, other family members’ houses

Social Organization patrilineal clans villages usually the most important organizing principle exogamy strictly practiced Hmong villages have relative lack of cohesion several clan divisions, probably 18 or 19 patrilineal clans divided into lineages Hmong household self-contained

Social Organization cont. marriage traditionally arranged elopement also traditional pregnancy 3rd route to marriage girls – middle teens, boys – 18-20 bride price

Religion vast majority animists the spirits (dabs) balance the key to a fulfilling & valuable life every natural feature has an animated spirit most important categories of dabs are the household, medicine, nature, shamanic spirits altars magical practitioners (khawvkoobs) soul (plig)

Religion cont. shamans language & arts chosen by shamanic spirits (dab neeb) language & arts 1950s language written, several dialects music – singing, flutes, queej elaborate & colorful traditional dress central item is the skirt

War in Indochina 1940s, Jp attempt to occupy Fr Indochina 1945 Laos declares its independence 1946 Fr retake Laos anti-French movements align w/communists Pathet Lao 1956 Fr ousted

War in Indochina cont. 1960s Vietnam Hmong recruited by CIA 1960 Vang Pao US secretly bombs Laos – over 2 mil tons 1973 Paris Peace Accords top-ranking Hmong officers asylum in US vast majority of Hmong abandoned new Laotian govt sees them as traitors

Refugees and Resettlement Pathet Lao takes over “reeducation camps” collective farms govt appointees replace village leaders rebellious Hmong sent to “seminars”

Refugees and Resettlement cont. spring 1975 Hmong start going to Thailand usually, 1-2 months, some take years only at night – Pathet Lao patrols land mines sick, wounded & weak abandoned roots & insects best food available to Mekong River, Thai/Laos border heavily guarded estimated about ½ or fewer survived

Refugees and Resettlement cont. by late 1970s, more than 20 refugee camps on Thai border refugees form Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos Ban Vinai held nearly 43000 90% Hmong Thai govt unwilling to let refugees join local pop. 1992 Ban Vinai closes – 11500 Hmong more than 10000 Hmong flee camps to go to an area north of Bangkok

Hmong in the United States Hmong wanted to remain Hmong INS sprinkled Hmong throughout the US mostly in cold flat lands Vang Pao’s suggestion: let Hmong live in groups, raising vegetables & chicken disregarded, goes against goal of assimilation culture shock

Hmong in the United States cont. many migrate to CA, MN, WS “secondary migration” biggest motive – finding family original resettlement often financed by agencies w/religious affiliations elderly suffer funeral rituals – soul passage to afterworld conflicts w/law

Hmong in the United States cont. Hmong children caught between 2 cultures encouraged to get higher edu assimilation seen as insult & threat Hmong often seen as US’s “least successful refugee” this is only using economic yardstick