Those who practice the new religion may no longer want to eat the food, especially from the celebration of a new birth or a New Year feast, prepared by those who still practice shamanism. But sometimes, the male head of the immediate household involves relatives including uncles, cousins, or even clan leaders in important decisions. Minnesota Historical Society - Hmong in Minnesota, UNPO: Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization - Hmong, Researchers Note: Hmong population figures and self-name. The Hmong Community: From Laos to the Puget Sound. Mountains and the Mekong River valley are the main geographic features. The combinations identify 3 eye colors, 4 hair colors, and 5 skin color categories, which the researchers. Other Americans shouldn't either. In the United States, less-assimilated Hmong may have a limited English vocabulary; it is helpful to use simple terminology whether by telephone, in person, or through an interpreter. Shamanism is viewed as a way to maintain communication between the Hmong and the spiritual world. Spirits of nature include mountains, trees, streams, valleys, caves, ponds, and winds. For Green Hmong the adult name is giving by the husbands parents. An ideology of brotherhood unites the men of a particular clan, so that a man of the Li clan may expect to find hospitality from other Li brothers, wherever they may be living. (Culhane-Pera, et.al., 2003). Hmong culture is based on agrarian religious beliefs. Menopause is not discussed in the community. The first Hmong refugees began arriving in the US in late 1975, mostly sponsored by religious groups and non-profit organizations. Households are classified by the race or detailed Asian group of the head. If a person is of a particular clan, he is automatically welcomed into the house of another clan member, even if they do not personally know each other. The girl would sometimes reply with her own mouth harp or another instrument, and the dialogue sometimes continued for hours. In the US, women may wear warm clothes and use heating. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. This process continues, if required, until the conflict is satisfactory solved. Laos is landlocked and shares borders with Thailand to the west, Burma to the northwest, China to the north, Vietnam to the east and Cambodia to the south. Smaller descent groups within these clans comprise people united through a known common ancestor and shared ancestral rituals. A identified a case in which the likely source of lead exposure in a young child in the U.S. was a traditional amulet made in Cambodia with leaded beads that was worn by the child. Children generally grow up with their needs responded to quickly and help in the work of a family at a young age. The head of the table as considered by Americans, is for Hmong the end of the table, the place of least honor. Babies stayed close to their mothers and ate all their meals fresh. Female suicides, often by swallowing opium, were quite common. Solid foods were introduced when a child showed interest and were mostly the same foods adults ate, just watered down versions. The purpose of the dowry cap is to prevent parents from imposing unreasonably high wedding fees (i.e. Many children born in the US are given a Hmong name with an American nickname, or an American name and a Hmong nickname. 1 pt. For example, White Hmong women traditionally wore white skirts on special occasions while Green Hmong women wore blue/black skirts died with colorful indigo. There are some university-level courses offered in the language. It is standard etiquette after dinner not to linger at the table. Elder people are highly respected, and its expected they will be taken care of by the younger generation. The newborn may therefore be greeted by expressions such as you are ugly in order to fool the spirits and protect the baby. Hmong, ethnic group living chiefly in China and Southeast Asia and speaking Hmong, one of the Hmong-Mien languages (also known as Miao-Yao languages). Due to his record in Laos during the Vietnam War, the Hmong all over the world have heard of him or have respect for the man. Hmong also may wear accessories such as red necklaces made from silver and brass, white cloths around their wrists, and red or white strings on their wrists, necks, or ankles. A boy often would concentrate attention on a certain girl. In the United States, clans and extended families have often drawn their dispersed members to larger enclave communities of Hmong. (2005). In fact in any culture this is true. By playing a small mouth harp they could approximate human speech. A white or black woven octagon shaped basket made of bamboo or plastic may be placed next to the leaves. Decades later, many Hmong in Thailand still continue to lack citizenship rights or proper titles to the land they cultivate. Men have a higher status than women publicly, while women hold their power more privately. Census data indicate that 55.6 percent of Hmong in the US were foreign-born and of those 68.6 percent were not citizens. Visalia, CA 93291, Hmong Womens Heritage Association (Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, 2004), In California, 18 clans met in Fresno to put a cap on the dowry price. The mans social status depends on what kind of roles he plays in the community. On the other hand, some Hmong believe it is dangerous for everyone when Christian members of the household disrespect the spirits by not performing the traditional rituals. You just have to know them. Shamans are able to speak the language of the spirits, negotiate and fight with the spirits for the health of the patient. Today, a woman requiring a Caesarean section under general anesthetic may have concerns that when her body is cut, her soul will be lost. (Culhane-Pera, Vawter, Xiong, Babitt and Solberg, 2003) (Lee and Pfeifer, 2005). Once the face candidates are found, the facial-features are located using classifiers trained with examples of facial features.Face detection is carried out at a very low resolution with the purpose of speeding up the algorithm. Spirits of nature can cause physical and psychological harm to Hmong in the guise of illness, nightmares, and even death. Surname exogamy, or outmarriage, is still strictly observed: a Li man may not marry a Li woman. Daughters marry into their husbands clan and even if divorced or widowed are not allowed to return to the clan of their birth. Q. He directs the spirits toward the patients aliments through different media like bowls of water, knives or breath. It is believed that praising the newborn may cause harm to the baby from the spirits. Phone: (202) 463-2118, Lao Family Community, Inc. of Tulare County The marriage event is the creation of a new family, a bond between the couple and the families, and a strengthening of past family and community connections in the people present. For survival and permission to cross out of the camp and local areas, many Hmong refugees became Thai citizens (Hmong Thai) by paying sums of money borrowed from relatives. Unmarried daughters were referred to as other peoples women since they married and became part of the husbands family. If the ancestors are pleased, they will protect the believers descendants from illness and natural disasters. Keown-Bomar, J. 30 seconds. In 1975, many Hmong-Lao fled to Thailand as refugees, escaping the persecution and retaliation of the Lao communist government. Hmong teach their children to be well behaved in the presence of guests. Many families were split apart in these resettlements. Synonyms for facial features include features, appearance, countenance, face, lineaments, looks, mien, physiognomy, profile and visage. (Culhane-Pera, et.al., 2003). Seven percent of people older than 25 years hold a bachelors degree, and 35% of households are considered linguistically isolated. A Fresno Journal article by Patricia Leigh Brown, , describes how members of the Hmong American Writers Circle are addressing a new kind of coming of age in America, as the first generation to grow up with a written language rather than the traditional spoken word. Kinship is based on marriage and descent. The Hmong culture is a minority here, so they are often treated unfairly. From main page access theOnline Research Library at http://www.hmonglibrary.org/. Shamans are usually well known, well respected, and mostly male though some are female, and are key figures in traditional culture. Hmong who survived the journey settled in refugee camps in Thailand. In the U.S., the contributions elders can make to their families based on their relevant life experiences have changed from what they were in Laos. This issue contributes to social problems caused by teenagers having no supervision at home after school. Babies were weaned when another child was born. Also, many Hmong in the United States have embraced Christianity, Protestantism or Roman Catholicism. Retreived September 19, 2006, from WWW Hmong Homepage http://www.hmongnet.org/publications/hmf-intro.html. Over centuries, people migrated south into Tibet and China, in the provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Hunan. (Vue, L. & Lor, K ., 2006), In Hmong culture, mothers and mothers-in-law help at the birth, which often occurs in the squatting position, with the husband helping to cut the cord and wash the newborn infant. The beautiful embroidery and appliqu work from the mountains of Laos is now, with different colors and mingling of styles, applied to pillow covers, bedspreads, jackets, aprons, and other useful items. The Hmong people of southeast Asia live in remote mountain communities. Members of the same clan accept and assist each other, and clan loyalty is practiced in political and justice issues. Traditional costumes are optional for men, but most of the women wear traditional clothing, said Lor. (Vue, L. & Lor, K.,2006). Phone : (916) 394-1405 Fax : (916) 392-9326, Healthy House Within a MATCH Coalition 1531 Bradner Place South Many people drowned or were killed. There is a belief that drinking cold water or failing to eat properly can lead to having wrinkles or skin rashes, or walking bent over in old age. This issue creates challenges for adults in communicating with children who are more acculturated and in searching for and maintaining jobs. Additional cultures and geriatric information also available on their site. This is still practiced by some clan members. The biggest barrier is the cost of conventional health services. In spoken Hmong, ideas are wrapped in words in a non-linear way. The silver was used in bridewealth payments, and the trading system often involved a loan against a future opium harvest. The changing role has lead to marital problems in cases where there is no mutual understanding and support for the wife to work. Retrieved December 22, 2006, from New America Media, News Report. were all dealt with by clan leaders. About 1,000 Hmong live in Seattle, Burien, Renton, Bellevue, Mount Lake Terrace, and Carnation. They have darker brown eye color to almost black. This negative image continues to taint families in the US. However, within the family itself, confidentiality may not be thought of as all that important and families may make care-giving decisions together. The Hmong also cultivated hemp, which they used to make clothing. Of the current population, about 26.4% arrived between 1985-1989; 28% arrived 1990-1994; and an estimated 5% have arrived between 2002-2006. Upon observing this sign, do not knock or enter the house. phone: (209) 724-0102; fax: (209) 724-0153. Several levels of community are identifiable in the Hmong social structure worldwide: clan, sub-clan, ceremonial households, extended families, and nuclear families. For instance, if a mans birth first name is Vang, the adult first name would be Nao Vang, with the Nao name added to the birth name. A Hmong child is considered a treasure. That has been true for many cultures, but it is especially hard for the Hmong as they are the most recent refugees and have to survive in this modernized country. The ceremony is an occasion for naming the child and for relatives and community members to offer blessings and words of wisdom to the child. This dog has very particular physical features and personality. Link no longer available, 2010. Washington, DC 20036 Almost all aspects of traditional Hmong life are affected by contact with supernatural beings. In Washington State, less than 12 percent of Hmong receive public assistance. Hmong rituals usually revolve around the practices that their ancestors passed onto them. (Lee and Pfeifer, 2005). If you compare Mongolians to south Han Chin. Traditionally a Hmong man would not have much to do with the children when they were still little; not physically affectionate, especially with their daughters. Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC) (Culhane-Pera, et.al, 2003) (Chan, 1994). The number of clans is commonly said to be 18, though 12 may be considered the main clans. From the late 19th through the 20th century the Hmong have periodically risen up in armed revolt against colonial and postcolonial authorities, a response to the exploitation and hardship imposed by more dominant peoples. Fathers pass animist ritual traditions to their sons. Hmong is a member of the Miao-Yao (Hmong-Mien) language family, considered unrelated to other languages. Men are entrusted with performing rituals of ancestor worship, such as calling the names of ancestors during occasions like New Year, weddings, christenings, new harvests, and family feasts, invoking the dead kin to take part in these events and bring protection and good fortune to the family and household. Often boys and girls would use a secret form of language to communicate with one another. Traditionally, Hmong believe the placenta is required for reincarnation and bury it at the place of birth, under the house. In the US, wine and beer are used during special occasions. In the homeland, people farmed for their own crops and food. (Mote, 2004). Most traditional Hmong elders, especially men, do not want strangers to touch their heads, or those of their children, due to their religious beliefs and personal values. Marriage to a young girl or young boy from a family where the father and/or mother smokes opium is discouraged due to the association of poverty with opium smokers. During the early days when Hmong started settling in the US, a Hmong neighborhood was filled with people who knew each other. The 1990 U.S. census counted 94,439 Hmong in the U.S.; the 2000 census counted 186,310, a 97%increase in the course of a decade. Traditionally, there is no such thing as a beverage since at all family meals, a vegetable soup (zaub tsuag) with no salt, oil, or any other spice (such as green mustard zaub ntsuab) serves as the beverage dish. Hmong veterans continue to struggle with the lack of equal recognition and benefits for their sacrifices compared to U.S. vets, Vang said, which has become a "long-standing fight and struggle . 4601 Market Street 2nd Floor The Hmong people used to cut the ears and tail of these dogs as . Per average Hmong household there are 6.28 persons, versus 2.59 persons overall US households. Fifty-one percent are males, forty-nine percent females. The Hmong language is divided into two main dialects, Green Hmong (sometimes called Blue Hmong) and White Hmong. Wri tten Hmong using the RPA script is not universally accepted or understood and may not be the most effective way to communicate. No fruit, vegetables or cold drinks are allowed. Persons of the same clan or sub-clan without any known blood relationship refer to one another as relatives. 2. Traditionally, Hmong use home therapies for common aliments. Hmong are restricted from marrying someone in their same clan. For several thousand years, the Hmong lived relatively independently while paying tribute to the Chinese government. The role of women in traditional clan culture is more ambiguous; their spirits were cared for in the afterlife, but their social status was low. Only 3.8% of the country is arable land. The Plain of Jars in the northeast and the Bolovens Plateau in the southern panhandle sit about three thousand feet above sea level. Ancestral spirits include any deceased member of the family. (Lee and Pfeifer, 2005). The first Hmong refugees began arriving in the US in late 1975, mostly sponsored by religious groups and non-profit organizations. One solution to minimize the challenge of family feud for both Hmong parents and children is to encourage parents to teach family values and secure funding to teach Hmong history/values so children raised in the US could better live in both worlds Hmong and Western cultures. (Cha, 2003), Rituals such as wrist/neck stringing, soul calling and shamanic trance are still carried out by the American Hmong. Due to their sense of family values being more important than the individual, Hmong settled in cities or states where relatives resided. In the United States, Hmong men often wait to marry until their late teens or early twenties when they are finished with their education, though it is still relatively common for girls to marry in their middle teens. Women gain more power in the household as they age. The two main cultural divisions of the Hmong in Southeast Asia are the White Hmong and the Green Hmong, which may refer to the colour of womens clothing. But what seemed like a teenage gang killing last February struck some as being symbolic of something much more malignant. Some elderly Hmong might consult with relatives or the clan leader or a community member with knowledge of the legal system before permitting the police to enter their home. Virgin forest was cleared and burnt off for the planting of new fields; when soil fertility declined (usually after several decades), the entire village would relocate. If all the Hmong learn the English language it would be easier for others to give them jobs because they can communicate. Among the Hmong American population 16 years and over, 17% work in the managerial, professional and related occupations; 21% work in sales & office occupations; 16% work in s service occupations; less than 1% in farming, forestry, & fishing; 5% in construction & maintenance; 42% in production & transportation. In the Thai refugee camps, women adopted Thai-style baby baskets or cradles, often hanging from the tent roof or dwelling while the mother performed chores or embroidery work. Most of the population does not have access to clean drinking water. Human souls are differentiated from spirits and are the spiritual energy inside a persons body, believed to dwell in the physical world. Hmong believe the liver is the center and regulator of human emotions, playing a role in mental health and personality. These games may lead to further meetings between a young couple and eventually to marriage. facetious; facial; facial expression; facial features; facial hair; facilitate; facilitate the development; Cite this Entry . New villages could be a considerable distance away from a groups previous locale. Three days after a child is born, an important elder man or woman in the community conducts a ceremony to call the childs soul into their body, to welcome the child to the family and to thank the fairy godmother (Niam Nkauj Kab Yeeb) that is believed to have sent the child to earth. Language: Limited or no English language skill is still a problem faced by many Hmong people who had less than 5 years of formal or adult education. At death, the wandering soul returns to the spirit world and continues to live life there much as it did in the physical world. It is considered to be impolite to simply decline a drink, food or gift offered to you. In the US, many Hmong now use the Western pattern of the given name first, followed by the clan name, and some women adopt their husbands clan name as their own. It is said that shamans do not seek the calling but that the spirits call them to the spiritual healing practice. He is someone who knows all the rules and norms of the culture. Some 1.2 million have moved into the rugged uplands of northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and the eastern parts of Myanmar (Burma). For traditional Hmong, making direct eye contact is considered inappropriate and rude. (2004) Kinship Networks Among Hmong-American Refugees, (pp.51). Clan leaders may be involved in such matters as reconciling a quarreling couple, and ensuring that individuals fulfill ritual obligations. The remaining Hmong still have no official status in Thailand and the Thai government has tried to force them back to Laos where they fear for their safety. Several Hmong families have established truck farms near Woodinville, selling vegetables and flowers in the Pike Place Market in Seattle. More people speak White Hmong. Many Hmong work two jobs, often in factories, landscaping, housekeeping, or mechanics. A widow may marry her dead husbands younger brother and continue to have children. Discipline is usually administered after the guests have left. According to the 200 Census, statistics pertaining to the socio-economics of Hmong Americans include a poverty rate of 38% for all ages, per capita income of $6,613, median family income of $32,224, average household size of 7 or more persons. Abusive use of opium leads to family poverty and causes a bad family name. The amount symbolizes family status, bride integrity, new relationship between the families, the brides value in her own family, and promised security of marriage. In both ceremonies, animals are sacrificed in thanks for the child and his/her souls. After a general anesthetic, it may be necessary to perform a soul calling ceremony in the operating room. The soul caller moves from the place where the soul was lost to the patients spirit door in their home, holding a live chicken and enticing the soul home with sweet chanting, incense, liquor and food. He cannot think of anything that makes today . For themselves, women made the pleated skirts and embroidered clothing which remains the traditional dress. (Cha, 2003), Hmong recognize that illness can be a result of external natural forces, such as accidents and infectious diseases. A community estimate puts the total number of Hmong living in the U.S. at a much higher number, 283,239. The majority of Hmong living in the United States today are those who came directly from Laos or via Thai refugee camps. It is traditional and good manners to send guests away from a meal with food, leftovers, to take home with them. Mammogram, Pap smear or rectal exams were not available back in the homeland. Traditional animists may be more willing to attend Christian rituals than their Christian counterparts are willing to attend animist rituals. Seattle, WA 98144, Spokane Hmong Association al., 2003). In the US, changes happening between the generations are beginning to alter this tradition, as children are not learning the art of the appliqu decoration. In Laos, men may marry multiple wives, but due to the custom of bride price, polygamy has been mostly restricted to wealthy men. They have two big festivals: the Lunar New Year festival at the beginning of the lunar December and the Dragon Boat Festival (on 5th Lunar May). Fellow clan members regard each other as brother and sister. This is an on-line learning module, but you can download the module as a PDF and print the cultural profile by filling out a short survey. The climate is tropical monsoon, with a rainy season May to November and a dry season December to April. A married daughter and son in-law has a different house and ancestor spirits; therefore two sets of different spirits could never live under the same roof. See: Consider Lead and Other Heavy Metal Toxicities in the Evaluation of Nonspecific Symptoms. Members of a shared ceremonial family those who can trace common ancestors between them, rather than people belonging to a clan or sub-clan by virtue of a shared name can die and have funerals in one anothers house. To be respectful, one must ask to speak with the head of the household, usually the father, when conversing with a Hmong family. In general, people are compelled to support members of the same clan more than their in-laws or other non-related clan. When an old person dies, the body is usually kept inside the house for five to ten days. Hmong youth are fans of Laotian popular music from Laos and from the United States and France, both Hmong and Laotian bands. Neck stringing is generally done to promote good health. In the US, the gap between household incomes has resulted in decreased community coherence. Medicinal plants are grown in home gardens or imported from Thailand, and are administered in teas and ointments. Anyone without money is denied conventional medical services even for life-threatening but preventable health conditions, such as diarrhea in young children. In Face Processing, 2006. Omissions? South of the Plain of Jars lies the Phou Bia Massif mountain range that rises to almost ten thousand feet. Married men and fathers usually receive an adult name added to the name they were given as a child. In Southeast Asia rows of unmarried boys and girls play catch with a cloth ball, while in China there is the beating back and forth of a feather shuttlecock. Human Anatomy Fundamentals: Basics of the Face Human Anatomy Fundamentals: Mastering Facial Expressions The symptoms of soul loss include weakness, tiredness, fever and headache, loss of appetite with extra thirst, insomnia or dreams of being in a strange place with a stranger. In Laos, the Hmong lived separately from the Lao people. (Saykao, 1997), Two important issues that have received constant attention and effort from the Hmong community are related to human rights of refugees in Thailand and wedding/dowry issues. To make elopements and catch-hand marriages legitimate, the bride price would be negotiated and paid afterward. A wedding serves to honor the couple and their families and to preserve a continuation of Hmong culture and community. 2245 Florin Road Sacramento, CA 95822 The body must be kept in the house until the deceaseds family and relatives arrive. In the late 19th century the opium poppy was introduced into the highlands by outside traders, and the Hmong began to cultivate it in an integrated cycle together with corn and dry rice. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Hmong 101. Bottle-feeding is preferred for reasons of convenience when the mother returns to work and desires others to feed her infant. Throughout life, people learn about home therapies for common conditions like colds and aches, and sometimes for other issues as varied as arthritis and fertility. The groom enlists the help of his male clan relatives to raise the dowry. In the United States, the changing roles between the young and the old has altered the traditional social structure, with older members relying on the younger people for language and income assistance. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In the 20th century the Hmong of Southeast Asia were divided by the conflicts between communist parties and states. The primary means for meeting young people of the opposite sex during the New Year was a ball game that took place at the festivities. Most Hmong believe that the ancestors with the strongest potential impact come from the fathers side of the family.
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