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Saturday, January 5, 2013

The Essence of a Hmong Wife

Embracing the Essence of a Hmong Wife.


The word Hmong means free men.  We are a nation with its own unique language, customs, way of life, and traditional clothing.  The astonishing thing about Hmong is that we are a nation without a country, yet we have managed to hold onto the essence of what Hmong is.

Hmong people have lived in the mountain tops of Southern China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia. After the Vietnam war, many Hmong had to flee their homes because they had fought on the side of the USA.  Now, you can find Hmong not only in the mountain tops, but integrated in the lowlands, in the cities of Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand as well as in countries such as the United States of America, France, Germany, Australia, and South America.

First and foremost, it is disrespectful for a married Hmong woman to go by her given name.  All Hmong wives are known by their husband's name.  In the Hmong communities, I am known and addressed as Mrs. So and So, except by close friends and immediate family - to whom I am Kat (short for Katherine).  The rules observed in clothing - though not complete - were: knee-length, long sleeve or at least covers the shoulders and upper arms, and a modest cleavage.  Lastly, minimal or natural looking make-up.  As for hair color, most people prefer their natural black hair.  My hair is slightly colored - using the ombre hair coloring technique.
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