As my children grew older and started learning more about the world around them, they were fascinated with the Japanese and Korean cultures. There is nothing wrong with that, except that they show very little interest in the Hmong culture. I tried to get them interested by telling them stories and sharing the beauty of Hmong, but they still thought that the other cultures had more to offer. I tried hard to remember what my own mother did and tried to figure out what she taught us. I could not come up with anything that I was not already doing.
When we moved to Erie, PA, I became involved in Asian Pacific American Forum through work and started working with the youth. We were very active in the cultural events in town, which included the children's museum, culture night at the university, and World Refugee Day. They kids had to help me plan, create, and represent the Hmong, answer questions about who we are, where we came from, and why are we here.
They saw the Hmong culture through the eyes of important people in the community, people who cared, who wanted to know more. A light went off in their hearts and a love for their own roots was born. Now if any Hmong person claims to be anything else other than Hmong, they get very upset. And if their friends mistakenly call them by another ethnicity, they get very offended. They will say, "Look, I am HMONG. H-M-O-N-G. Hmong. I am not Chinese, I am not Japanese. I am Hmong."
This bright little dancer is wearing a Hmong outfit that came from the Hmong living in Thailand. This is the song that we danced to. Sung by Cha Mee Xiong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH53zazJfUY
Representing Hmong during Gannon University's annual Culture Night.
On stage, featuring Hmong fashions from around the world.
(Asian Youth of Erie) AYoE Monthly Event
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