Minnesota State University Reporter

Issue date: 9/21/06 Section: Campus News

Media Credit: Benjamin Marti HSA members shared their culture at Hmong Heritage Day. Pictured (above) in the top row, from left, are Vang Xiong, Xiong Lee, Kia Yang, Khou Yang and David Thao. Bottom row from left are Dao Xiong, Sang Yang, Bee Lee and Tong Lee. Sang Yang plays a qeej (below),which is meant to lead the spirit toward reincarnation.

Media Credit: Benjamin Marti

There are 53 Hmong students enrolled here at Minnesota State, yet few students know the rich culture and history surrounding this group of people.

The first annual Hmong Heritage Day Wednesday, planned by the Hmong Student Association (HSA) was intended to inform students of just that: Hmong history and culture. Graduate student Vang Xiong narrated the session, along with HSA President Sang Yang.

Xiong began the session by asking the question: "What is Hmong? If you asked most of the traditional Hmong people, they would say: "Hmong is Hmong." He went on to explain how even most Hmong don't know what the title means. Although their ancestry can be traced to China, Mongolia, and eastern Russia, all agree that they once inhabited China, perhaps even before the Chinese did. In 3000 BC, the Hmong peacefully ruled China through a monarchy, yet were overthrown by the contrastingly violent Chinese people.

The presentation included a brief, yet informational and moving video covering the history of the Hmong people, and after the video, there was a question and answer session. When asked how their people have been treated in the U.S., several members of HSA responded that they have been treated well, and found people to be very open-minded and understanding.

"It helps that my professors know who I am and who the Hmong people are," said senior HSA member Zoua Ha.

Xiong also explained that many second-generation Hmong feel as if they don't belong in either culture.

"The new generation lives in a more American society than their parents. Often, they feel caught between two worlds because when they go home, they speak Hmong to their parents, but at school they speak English," Xiong said.

The history between the Hmong people and Americans is that of loyal sacrifice and loss. It all began shortly after the onset of the Vietnam War, which was intended to be quick and secretive. It was successful in neither. For 10 years, Hmong soldiers fought to block the Ho Chi Mihn Trial under the guidance of Gen. Vang Pao. The CIA recruited Pao to lead the Hmong in helping the U.S. win the war. In return, the U.S. government promised to help rebuild Laos if they won, and find a peaceful place for the Hmong to live if the war was lost. Both Hmong and U.S. soldiers fought side by side until the last of the U.S. troops withdrew in 1973.

Left alone to fend off the communist regime, the Hmong fled to neighboring Thailand, where they were placed in refugee camps. Eventually, they dispersed throughout the world to South America, France, Germany, Australia, and the United States, to name a few. Today, the Hmong remain widespread, with China having the largest Hmong population at eight million. The United States houses about 280,000.

Eventually, the United States did find a way to bring about 14,000 Hmong over from Thailand, however, the Hmong will most likely never be entirely reunited in the peaceful homeland they once had in Laos. Despite the United States being almost solely responsible for the Hmong's loss of their homeland, they harbor no ill feelings toward the United States and hope to make it their homeland. Up until two years ago, the Hmong language did not have a written form, making it extremely difficult for them to learn English. During that time, however, a Hmong form of the United States citizen test has been made available, along with citizenship granted to soldiers who served the United States in Vietnam.

Yang emphasized how Hmong Heritage Day is meant to be a kick-off to the Hmong Culture Day Nov. 18, which will include traditional Hmong music, guest speakers, and food such as sausage and eggrolls.

"We are working on getting Senator Mee Moua and President Davenport to come and be guest speakers that day," Yang said.

On Hmong Culture Day, scheduled from 2-5 p.m. are the culture events, and from 6 p.m.-midnight there will be a dance with music provided by a DJ. Tickets in advance will be $5 and $6 at the door.

There will even be a musician to play the Qeej, a wind instrument constructed of bamboo reeds that is played mostly at funerals, but also New Years and other important holidays, as well as for entertainment purposes.

The Hmong, who believe in reincarnation, believe that when the Qeej is played simultaneously with the sung lyrics, the spirit of the deceased is lead back to the placenta (birth place) to be born again. Some musicians are even capable of playing the instrument while doing back-flips and somersaults. A traditional Hmong funeral lasts six to seven days, however in the U.S. they are usually around three or four. This lengthy funeral is meant to ensure the spirit's passage to the spirit realm.

Along with the Qeej, there were also three dolls dressed in ornate Hmong costume on display. Each doll's dress denoted a different part of the Hmong homeland country. There were also photos of the average village life for native Hmong peoples around the world, as well as a timeline of Hmong history from 300 B.C. to the present.

To wrap up the presentation, Xiong once again posed the question, "What is Hmong?" to the audience.

"A small group of people who want nothing else but to be free," he said, "that is Hmong."

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