Na xion

This is the Hmong culture. We will be your tour

guides through this journey. We will teach you about

history, religion, everyday life, language and food for the

Hmong culture.

First, we will talk about Hmong history. In the 1960’s

the Hmong helped the USA in the Vietnam War. Over

1700 Hmong soldiers died during the war.

Many Hmong people died trying to cross the

Mekong River. The ones that were lucky made it across

to Thailand. In the Hmong culture they make story cloths

to show about events like these.

Laos is about the size of Utah. It has about 6,834,942

people for their population. The Laos flag has a blue

stripe in the middle to represent the Mekong River.

There are two red stripes on the top and bottom to

represent the lands joined and separated by the river.

There is a white circle in the middle to represent a full

moon.

Laos was taken into communist control by

the Japanese. Today, it is still a communist

country. About 100,000 Hmong people tried to

escape to Thailand.

Next, we will talk about the Hmong religion. First of

all, there religion is shamanism. If someone is going to

die a shaman will perform a traditional ritual, they enter

the spirit world to find the sick persons spirit.

Hmong people believe in a lot of spirits. The Hmong

people that believed that pond, streams, rivers, hills,

valleys, trees, rocks and even wild currents all have

individual spirits. Hmong people say that if a tree is

draped with a white cloth it is a spirit tree. That seems

pretty weird if you know, what that means to us.

The major cylindrical cerinomoy is New Year, when

spirits a renewed. Hmong New Year is in October. A

funeral lasts a minimum of thee days, attended by all

local male family members.

There has to de one shaman in a village that is

chosen by spirits. When a shaman cures a sick person he

or she goes into a black cloth that covers her eyes to see

spirits. A village is usually small so a shaman doesn’t have

to cure many people.

Everyday life is the third thing we will talk about. There are

about 4 to 5 million Hmong on earth. Countries with Hmong in

them include China, Vietnam, Laos, The USA, Thailand, France,

Australia, French Guiana, Canada, and Germany. But china has

the most population of Hmong. Hmong in the USA live in the

states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, Michigan, and

Massachusetts.

Hmong became Christians when they came to the

USA. Most Hmong are still animist. Hmong have a

short life expectancy. So boys can get married at the

age of 16.Girls can get married at the age of 14.

The area of Southeast and East Asia is full of mountains.

Most Hmong live in this area. Hmong have groups and

there are 19 of them. Hmong farming villages, 20 – 40

house holds, are usually on the side of a mountain.

Hmong New Year is the only holiday they celebrate.

Hmong New Year Wisconsin is celebrated in October.

They celebrate it with games and traditions. At Hmong

New Years celebration some children play the game Pow

Pow.

A long time ago the Hmong people lived in China,

but the Chinese didn’t let the Hmong read or write in

Hmong. Because the Chinese would not let the Hmong

people speak their language they began to forget it.

Then in the 1950’s they created the Hmong language I

know now. Today it’s a good thing kids in Thailand learn

to read, write and think in their language.

Some vocabulary words about the religion, wedding,

etc, are the dab nyeb, a spirit which inhabit various parts

of the household. Another word is mej koob or what

Americans call best man in a wedding. Lastly, is a choj or

silver bar which is Hmong money.

One of the believed in. Qeej, or musical bamboo

pipes is one instrument that young people play. The qeej,

also helps make your lungs strong. Another word that is

important is dab and in Hmong most important thing to

the Hmong culture is the language. Txiv Neeb, meaning

shaman, is the religion the Hmong means spirits or

monsters. The word is important because, you may not

think of it but everyone has one in their house but, it’s a

good spirit that protects.

The Hmong language is its own language because it’s

a minority group. The Hmong also have a passion for

sewing because the girls don’t have a lot of things to do

in Thailand. They make a paj nt aub or flower cloth that

can tell a story. A fun game is kab taub which you have to

use a bamboo ball and it’s a mix of volleyball and soccer

combined but, it’s challenging. A long time ago the

Hmong people

Here are facts about the Hmong food.

Hmong preserve vegetables like peppers, eggplant,

cucumbers, and beans. The Hmong preserve food by

adding salt in a jar with the vegetables.

The Hmong grow rice, cucumbers, squash, and other

vegetables. While they grow vegetables, they raised

animals like pigs, cows, horses, and fish for food. Hmong

preserve meat by smoking in the fire.

Sticky rice or glutinous rice is the staple of Hmong or

Lao. Most Hmong food is traditionally eaten with sticky

rice. Most Hmong food is eaten with hands.

Sticky rice can only be held by hand. The Hmong coffee is

often called Pak xion coffee. The only time Hmong was

able to use spoons was for soups.