% cc
% ♪ ♪
% >> TODAY ON "TEEN CONNECTION,"
% WE HIGHLIGHT THE HMONG CULTURE.
% THE HMONG ARE AN ASIAN ETHNIC
% GROUP THAT FOUGHT ALONGSIDE THE
% UNITED STATES IN THE VIETNAM WAR
% AND THEN SETTLED IN PLACES LIKE
% WISCONSIN IN THE 1970s.
% THE STRUGGLES OF TODAY'S HMONG
% YOUTH ARE DECIDEDLY DIFFERENT
% THAN THE STRUGGLES OF THEIR
% PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS.
% ON THE PROGRAM, WE TAKE A LOOK
% AT THE CHALLENGES THIS
% GENERATION HAS FACED LIVING THE
% AMERICAN CULTURE WHILE TRYING TO
% HANG ON TO THEIR OWN CULTURE AND
% PRACTICES.
% >> OUR CULTURE IS GOING TO BE
% ALTERED.
% IT'S GOING TO BE CHANGED LIKE
% EVERY CULTURE THROUGH TIME.
% IT MAY BECOME SIMPLER THAN WHAT
% IT USED TO BE BECAUSE IT'S SO
% COMPLEX.
% THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO
% WANT TO CHANGE IT TO MAKE IT
% EASIER FOR EVERYONE TO
% UNDERSTAND.
% >> EVERY CULTURE NEEDS TO LEARN
% ABOUT THEMSELVES.
% WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?
% WHAT ARE THEIR VALUES?
% WHAT ARE THEIR BELIEFS?
% AND, AGAIN, IN MY DAILY
% PROFESSION, I SEE THAT OUR YOUNG
% PEOPLE, THE HMONG PEOPLE, ARE
% REALLY LOSING IT BECAUSE IT
% REALLY IS NOT THE DOMINANT
% CULTURE.
% WE ALL KNOW THE DOMINANT
% AMERICAN CULTURE, WHICH IS A
% GREAT CULTURE AND EMBRACES ALL
% THE LAYERS OF THE SALAD AND
% THEREFORE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE
% SO GOOD AT CHANGING, YOU LOSE
% BITS AND PIECES IN HOLES OF
% YOURSELF.
% >> GENERATIONS, THEY CHANGE.
% AND I DO SEE SOME KIDS THAT ARE
% SAYING THAT WE LIVE IN AMERICAN
% SOCIETY NOW.
% WE DON'T NEED THAT OLD STUFF.
% BUT AT THE SAME TIME I'M NOT
% GOING TO JUDGE BECAUSE IF THAT'S
% HOW YOU THINK, THEN I GUESS
% THAT'S WHO YOU ARE.
% BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP THE
% CULTURE GOING BECAUSE I STILL
% WANT IT TO BE THERE.
% >> I THINK SOONER OR LATER EVERY
% ONE OF US, EVERY CHILD OF AN
% IMMIGRANT, AND THAT INCLUDES ALL
% OF US IN AMERICA, WILL HAVE TO
% COME TO TERMS WITH WHO WE ARE.
% AND WE ARE NOT JUST AMERICANS.
% NONE OF US ARE JUST AMERICANS.
% WE'RE GERMAN AMERICANS, POLISH
% AMERICANS, AND WE ARE HMONG
% AMERICANS.
% AND THAT IS SOMETHING TO BE
% PROUD OF.
% >> THIS IS "TEEN CONNECTION" ON
% WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION,
% YOUR PLACE TO CONNECT AND TALK
% ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE
% IMPORTANT TO YOU.
% CALL US TOLL-FREE WITH YOUR
% QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COURTESY
% OF NSIGHT LONG DISTANCE.
% OUR NUMBER IS 1-877-988-2888.
% >> WELCOME TO "TEEN CONNECTION."
% SO GLAD YOU COULD BE WITH US.
% I'M YOUR HOST, KATHRYN BRACHO.
% THE HMONG POPULATION IN THE
% UNITED STATES EXCEEDS 250,000,
% WITH THE LARGEST GROUPS IN
% CALIFORNIA, MINNESOTA AND RIGHT
% HERE IN WISCONSIN.
% THE HMONG POPULATION IN
% WISCONSIN GREW MORE THAN 39% IN
% THE LAST DECADE, TO ALMOST
% 50,000, AND TEENAGERS MAKE UP
% ABOUT 40% OF THE TOTAL.
% TODAY WE LOOK AT HOW WELL THE
% HMONG YOUTH ARE DOING, GROWING
% UP IN AMERICAN CULTURAL NORMS.
% THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS YOU CAN
% JOIN IN OUR DISCUSSION.
% YOU CAN CALL US TOLL-FREE,
% COURTESY OF NSIGHT LONG
% DISTANCE, AT 1-877-988-2888.
% AGAIN, THAT TOLL-FREE NUMBER IS
% 1-877-988-2888.
% YOU CAN ALSO TEXT YOUR QUESTIONS
% TO 920-288-2574.
% STANDARD TEXT MESSAGING RATES
% MAY APPLY.
% OR YOU CAN ALSO QUESTIONS ON
% FACEBOOK.
% JUST GO TO FACEBOOK, SEARCH FOR
% WISCONSIN TEEN CONNECTION AND
% MESSAGE US YOUR QUESTIONS.
% AS ALWAYS, WE HAVE SEVERAL
% GUESTS JOINING US ON THE PANEL
% TONIGHT, INCLUDING WA YIA THAO,
% PRESIDENT OF THE WISCONSIN
% UNITED COALITION OF MUTUAL
% ASSISTANCE ASSOCIATIONS AND
% MINORITY STUDENT COORDINATOR AT
% NORTHEAST WISCONSIN TECHNICAL
% COLLEGE.
% THANKS FOR BEING WITH US, WA YIA
% TONIGHT.
% >> IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
% >> TELL ME, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
% ISSUES THAT STUDENTS ARE FACING
% WHEN THEY COME TO YOU.
% >> THEY COME WITH ALL KIND OF
% CHALLENGE AND EACH STUDENT HAVE
% A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT THE
% MOST, MAJORITY THAT THEY FACING
% IS THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT DUE TO
% NOT ENOUGH FINANCIAL SUPPORT
% FROM THE FAMILY BECAUSE A LOT OF
% THE PARENTS ARE WORKING IN THE
% PRODUCTION WORK.
% >> FACTORY WORK, THINGS LIKE
% THAT?
% >> YES.
% YES.
% AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THE
% BALANCE ABOUT SCHOOL, WORK AND
% FAMILY.
% >> MM-HMM.
% >> BECAUSE A LOT OF THE STUDENT
% HAVE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY AT
% HOME AT THE SAME TIME.
% >> SO IT'S HARD TO GET THE
% SCHOOL WORK IN.
% >> CORRECT.
% >> WHEN MAYBE THEY'RE ALSO
% HELPING TO TAKE CARE OF
% SIBLINGS.
% THANK YOU.
% >> SURE.
% >> ALSO JOINING US IS LEE HER.
% TELL ME SOME WANT PROBLEMS THAT
% YOU THINK FACE HMONG HIGH SCHOOL
% STUDENTS.
% >> WELL, THE PROBLEMS I SEE,
% WELL, THERE'S REALLY NOT MANY
% PROBLEMS BECAUSE THE HMONG
% STUDENTS, SO FAR I KNOW FROM
% OTHER SCHOOLS, WE GET ALONG WITH
% ANY OTHER RACE FROM BLACKS TO
% WHITES TO MEXICANS, AND LIKE WE
% GET ALONG.
% WE HANG OUT.
% BUT LIKE THE HMONG PEOPLE,
% THEY'RE MOSTLY TOGETHER BECAUSE
% THEY JUST WANT TO BE THEIR KIND,
% YOU KNOW.
% I MEAN, OTHER RACE LIKE TALK TO
% THEM AND HANG OUT WITH THEM, BUT
% I KIND OF WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK
% HMONG TO EACH OTHER BECAUSE WE
% WANT FOR US TO KNOW IT ONLY,
% BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE WAY WE DO
% OUR THINGS AROUND SCHOOL.
% >> MM-HMM.
% YOU WANT TO KEEP THAT LANGUAGE
% GOING.
% >> YEAH.
% ALSO WITH US TONIGHT IS LUMINA
% HER, WHO IS ALSO A STUDENT.
% YOU GO TO COLLEGE.
% TELL ME, WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO
% GO TO COLLEGE, TRY TO PURSUE
% HIGHER EDUCATION?
% IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS
% IMPORTANT TO YOUR FAMILY?
% >> I DECIDED TO PURSUE HIGHER
% EDUCATION BECAUSE GROWING UP I
% WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT HIGHER
% EDUCATION MEANS BETTER JOB, MORE
% OPTIONS OUT THERE FOR YOU AND
% YOU'RE LIKELY TO BE HIRED.
% AND AS THE OLDEST CHILD, GOING
% TO COLLEGE WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN
% MY FAMILY.
% MY PARENTS NEVER GOT THE CHANCE
% TO, SO I BELIEVE THEY'RE GIVING
% ME THAT CHANCE.
% AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT I'M SEEN
% AS A MINORITY, BUT WHAT DEFINES
% ME IS THESE STEPS I TAKE TO BE
% SUCCESSFUL AND COLLEGE IS ONE OF
% THE FIRST STEPS.
% >> THAT'S REALLY COOL.
% PADI KONG IS ALSO WITH US
% TONIGHT.
% ALSO A COLLEGE STUDENT.
% PADI, IS THE HMONG CULTURE
% IMPORTANT TO YOU?
% >> IT'S DEFINITELY IMPORTANT TO
% ME.
% IT'S A PART OF WHO I AM AND WHO
% MY FAMILY AND MY PARENTS ARE.
% IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING I WANT
% TO TEACH MY KIDS, LIKE THE
% LANGUAGE, THE CUSTOMS AND OF
% COURSE THE FOOD.
% AND WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT ME, THEY
% ALWAYS WONDER LIKE WHERE I'M
% FROM OR WHO I AM.
% AND I AM HMONG AND IT'S PART OF
% ME AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO
% IMPORTANT.
% >> HAVE YOU FACED THAT, WHERE
% PEOPLE MIGHT ASK YOU A QUESTION,
% SOMETHING LIKE WHERE ARE YOU
% FROM OR WHAT ARE YOU, THOSE
% KINDS OF QUESTIONS?
% AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?
% >> THE MOST COMMON ONE I GOT IS
% WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
% I GO, OH, I'M FROM WAUSAU.
% THEY GO, NO.
% WHERE ARE YOU ORIGINALLY FROM?
% MY PARENTS, MY GRANDPARENTS?
% I WAS BORN IN WAUSAU.
% THEY WANT TO HEAR LIKE, OH,
% LAOS, THAILAND.
% I TELL THEM THAT MY PARENTS ARE
% FROM THAILAND, BUT I'M BORN IN
% THE UNITED STATES.
% >> HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN
% QUESTIONS LIKE THAT?
% >> YES.
% >> WHAT DO YOU DO?
% >> I'VE BEEN CALLED A GUY FROM
% CHINA BEFORE.
% WHEN THEY SAY THAT, ALL I SAY IS
% I'M NOT FROM CHINA.
% I WAS BORN IN CALIFORNIA AND I
% MOVED DOWN TO KANSAS FOR A GOOD
% 14 YEARS AND MOVED DOWN HERE AND
% LIVING IN WISCONSIN NOW AND I'M
% LIVING MY LIFE, YOU KNOW.
% AND THEY MAY SAY I'M FROM CHINA
% OR SOMETHING, BUT TRUTH IS I'M
% FROM THE UNITED STATES.
% >> YEAH.
% WA YIA, YOU WERE NOT BORN IN THE
% UNITED STATES.
% >> NO.
% >> DO YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE IN
% THE WAY HMONG PEOPLE OF YOUR
% GENERATION ACT AND THE WAY
% PEOPLE OF THE NEXT GENERATION
% ACT?
% I MEAN, IN TERMS OF LIKE
% ADOPTING THE CULTURE AND, YOU
% KNOW, BEING INTERESTED IN THE
% CULTURE?
% >> I THINK THAT LITTLE BIT
% DIFFERENT IS THAT THOSE KIDS ARE
% BORN OVER THERE.
% IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
% I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ATTITUDE
% AND THE ADAPT TO THE CULTURE.
% THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE
% THE KIDS ARE BORN OVER THERE,
% THE WAY OF RAISING KIDS OVER
% THERE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
% FROM HERE.
% AND THE KID BORN OVER HERE, THEY
% MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIT
% DIFFERENT -- THE ATTITUDE A
% LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE
% KID THAT BORN OVER THERE.
% BUT I THINK THAT, AGAIN, THEY
% ADAPT AND ALSO LEARN THE SOCIETY
% VERY WELL.
% AND THEY APPLY WHATEVER THE
% SOCIETY -- WHAT IS GOOD FOR
% THEM, THEY ADOPT THAT AND APPLY
% TO THEIR LIFE AND USE TO THEIR
% FAMILY.
% YEAH.
% I DON'T SEE THERE'S A BIG
% CHALLENGE ON THAT.
% BUT, AGAIN, THE ATTITUDE WILL BE
% A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
% >> A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
% >> YEAH.
% >> PADI, I'M WONDERING, I
% UNDERSTAND THAT IN, CULTURALLY,
% IN THE HMONG CULTURE PEOPLE
% TRADITIONALLY MARRIED AT A VERY
% YOUNG AGE.
% HOW OLD ARE YOU?
% >> I'M 22.
% >> YOU'RE 22.
% SO A LOT OF HMONG WOMEN IN
% PREVIOUS GENERATIONS WOULD BE
% MARRIED, HAVE KIDS BY 22.
% ARE YOU MARRIED?
% >> NO.
% I'M NOT MARRIED.
% >> YOU'RE NOT MARRIED.
% SO THAT'S DIFFERENT.
% IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU DID
% ON PURPOSE, THAT YOU CHOSE TO DO
% DIFFERENTLY THAN YOUR ANCESTORS?
% AND WHY?
% >> OH.
% I THINK A LOT OF IT WAS MY
% PARENTS.
% THEY DIDN'T WANT US TO GET
% MARRIED YOUNG.
% THEY WANTED US TO GO TO SCHOOL
% BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT YOU DO, GO
% TO SCHOOL AND THEN GET MARRIED.
% MY DAD WAS LIKE YOU CAN DATE
% AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, THEN AFTER
% COLLEGE.
% IT WAS THAT KIND OF THING.
% I THINK A LOT OF IT WAS MY
% PARENTS.
% THEY WANTED ME TO WAIT UNTIL I
% COULD FIND SOMEONE WHO I'D WANT
% TO MARRY AND BE READY FOR IT,
% BECAUSE I THINK MAYBE THEY MIGHT
% HAVE KNOWN, YOU KNOW -- THEY GOT
% MARRIED WHEN THEY WERE 16 AND
% 17, SO THEY WERE YOUNG AND THEY
% WEREN'T READY FOR A FAMILY YET
% AND THEY DIDN'T WANT ME TO MAKE
% -- NOT THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE
% MARRYING EACH OTHER, BECAUSE
% THEY WERE IN LOVE, BUT NOT TO
% HAVE TO START OUT THAT WAY.
% >> IT WAS A DIFFERENT WAY OF
% DOING IT.
% >> YEAH.
% >> HOW ABOUT YOU, LEE?
% AT THE AGES YOU ARE NOW, WERE
% YOUR PARENTS ALREADY MARRIED?
% >> YEAH.
% MY MOM WAS MARRIED WHEN SHE WAS
% 14.
% I THINK THAT'S HOW I REMEMBER,
% WHAT SHE TOLD ME.
% AND MY DAD WAS 18.
% YEAH.
% >> HOW OLD ARE YOU?
% >> I WASN'T BORN YET.
% >> NO.
% HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW?
% I'M SORRY.
% >> I'M SORRY.
% >> NO.
% I PHRASED IT WRONG.
% >> I'M 17 RIGHT NOW.
% >> SO YOU WOULD BE GETTING
% MARRIED NEXT YEAR THEN.
% DO YOU PLAN TO DO THAT?
% >> NO, I DON'T.
% >> WHY NOT?
% >> BECAUSE I PLAN ON FINISHING
% MILITARY SCHOOL BEFORE I GET
% MARRIED.
% AND THAT'S LIKE SIX YEARS FROM
% NOW.
% YEAH.
% >> WA YIA, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT
% HAS CHANGED?
% >> WELL, I THINK THAT, AGAIN,
% THIS SOCIETY IS DIFFERENT.
% PEOPLE ARE VERY BUSY, AND THE
% CHALLENGE IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT
% WE HAVE OVER THERE.
% SO THE SOCIETY, YOU NEED TO BE
% READY FOR EVERYTHING, FOR THE
% CHALLENGE.
% AND IF YOU ARE NOT READY FOR
% THAT, THEN IT WILL BE VERY HARD
% TO GET MARRIED THAT EARLY.
% SO THAT'S WHY A LOT OF THE
% PARENTS REALLY WANTED TO PUSH
% THE KIDS TO AT LEAST GRADUATE
% FROM COLLEGE.
% >> TO WAIT.
% >> YEAH.
% YEAH.
% TO WAIT.
% >> YEAH.
% WHAT ABOUT, LUMINA, MARRYING A
% HMONG PERSON?
% IS THAT SOMETHING -- YOU KNOW,
% MAYBE YOU'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT
% MARRIAGE YET, BUT WHEN YOU DO,
% WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT'S
% IMPORTANT TO YOU?
% >> YEAH, ESPECIALLY TO MY
% GRANDPA AND GRANDMA.
% THEY WANT ME TO MARRY MY OWN
% RACE SO I CAN EDUCATE PEOPLE
% ABOUT OUR CULTURE AND WHAT HMONG
% IS LIKE.
% AND JUST SO THE HMONG PEOPLE
% WILL EXPAND MORE, YOU KNOW.
% >> HOW ABOUT YOU, PADI?
% DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT MARRY A
% HMONG MAN?
% >> I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN IN A
% RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE WHO IS
% NOT HMONG FOR A VERY LONG TIME,
% AND I'M JUST REALLY LUCKY THAT
% MY PARENTS NEVER, EVER REALLY
% PUT A RESTRICTION ON ME LIKE
% THAT.
% IT WAS JUST LIKE MARRY WHO YOU
% LOVE.
% IT DIDN'T MATTER REALLY WHO THEY
% WERE.
% IT MATTERS WHO THEY ARE, BUT
% THEIR RACE AND EVERYTHING.
% THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
% >> HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT?
% DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT MARRY A
% WOMAN WHO IS ALSO HMONG?
% >> YES.
% I HAVE TO.
% >> WHO SAYS YOU HAVE TO?
% >> WELL, MY GRANDPARENTS AND
% PARENTS.
% I MEAN, I CAN DATE ANY OTHER
% RACE, BUT THEY SAY I CAN'T MARRY
% THEM BECAUSE IT'S BAD FOR ME.
% AND SO I'M JUST LIKE IF IT'S BAD
% FOR ME AND MY GRANDPARENTS AND
% PARENTS, I MIGHT AS WELL DATE
% OTHER RACE, BUT DON'T MARRY
% THEM.
% IF I WAS TO GET MARRIED, I HAVE
% TO FIND A HMONG WIFE.
% YEAH.
% >> GOT YOU.
% >> YEAH.
% >> OKAY.
% WE WANT TO MOVE ON NOW.
% WE HAVE A TEXT QUESTION.
% AND THE QUESTION SAYS -- IT'S
% FOR WA YIA.
% WHEN YOU MOVED TO AMERICA, WHAT
% WAS LIFE LIKE?
% WAS IT HARD THEN?
% AND DID IT GET EASIER?
% >> IT IS VERY HARD.
% IT'S JUST SOMETHING LIKE YOU ARE
% NOT EXPECT TO BE.
% YOU JUST LIKE DROP INTO A PLACE
% THAT YOU'RE NOT EXPECT AT ALL.
% >> EVERYTHING WAS DIFFERENT, I'M
% SURE.
% >> EVERYTHING WAS DIFFERENT.
% YOU TURN AROUND AND THINGS ARE
% DIFFERENT.
% THE HOUSE, THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU
% ARE VERY DIFFERENT.
% SO YOU ARE JUST LIKE -- A LOT OF
% TIME, ESPECIALLY MY DAD, KEEP
% SAYING TO ME THAT, SON, I THINK
% WE ARE IN THE WRONG PLACE.
% I WANT TO GO HOME.
% THAT'S WHAT MY DAD KEEP TELLING
% THAT.
% >> BUT HOME WASN'T EVEN
% YOUR FAMILY'S ORIGINAL -- I
% MEAN, WHERE DID YOU COME FROM
% BEFORE YOU CAME TO THE UNITED
% STATES?
% >> THAILAND.
% >> RIGHT.
% >> BUT YOUR FAMILY HAD
% ORIGINALLY --
% >> FROM LAOS.
% SO THE HOME WAS GONE, IN A WAY.
% >> IT IS.
% YEAH, YEAH.
% IT IS GONE.
% >> YEAH.
% THAT'S -- IS THAT -- DO YOU
% THINK IS THAT PARTIALLY WHY SO
% MANY HMONG IMMIGRANTS CAME TO
% PLACES WHERE THERE ALREADY WERE
% HMONG PEOPLE ESTABLISHED?
% >> CORRECT.
% YEAH, YEAH.
% THEY WANT TO BE IN A PLACE THAT
% THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK
% LIKE THEM.
% THEY FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE, FEEL
% MORE SAFE AND SECURE.
% ALSO, THEY MOVE TO A PLACE THAT
% THERE ARE MORE LOOK LIKE THEM.
% MORE PEOPLE LOOK LIKE THEM.
% >> CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT
% ABOUT, THESE TWO ARE FROM GREEN
% BAY, BUT CAN YOU TELL US A
% LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HMONG
% COMMUNITY IN WAUSAU?
% >> THE HMONG COMMUNITY IN
% WAUSAU?
% EVERYBODY'S REALLY CLOSE.
% I MEAN, WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER.
% WE ALL HANG OUT TOGETHER.
% AND THERE'S -- I THINK YOU'RE
% JUST MORE COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR
% OWN KIND, SO IN SCHOOL PUBLIC
% ALL THE HMONG PEOPLE ALWAYS
% TOGETHER.
% THE WHITE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS
% TOGETHER.
% AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE
% ALWAYS TOGETHER.
% AND IF A HMONG PERSON HANGS OUT
% WITH ANOTHER RACE, HE'S KNOWN AS
% A WHITEWASH.
% YEAH.
% THE HMONG PEOPLE ARE REALLY
% TIGHT.
% EVERYBODY IS REALLY HELPFUL
% THERE.
% >> NOW THAT YOU LIVE IN GREEN
% BAY, DO YOU MISS THE WAUSAU
% COMMUNITY?
% >> I DO.
% I GET HOMESICK A LOT.
% BUT I MET NEW PEOPLE HERE AND
% IT'S GREAT.
% >> THAT'S GREAT.
% DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS AT SCHOOL
% THAT ARE NOT HMONG?
% >> YEAH.
% I HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS THAT ARE
% NOT HMONG.
% I HANG OUT WITH THEM MAINLY IN
% CLASSES BECAUSE LIKE IN MOST MY
% CLASSES I DON'T HAVE ANY HMONG
% FRIENDS EXCEPT FOR A FEW CLASS,
% WHICH I ONLY HANG OUT WITH THEM
% WHEN I'M WITH THEM.
% BUT MY TIME IN SCHOOL, LIKE I
% LIKE TO MAKE FRIENDS, SO I HANG
% OUT WITH ANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT
% ISN'T HMONG, SO I BE KNOWN.
% YOU WANT TO BE KNOWN IN CLASS.
% SO EITHER BE A CLASS CLOWN OR
% JUST BE COOL WITH EVERYBODY.
% >> MM-HMM.
% >> SO IT'S JUST BASICALLY I'M SO
% USED TO MAKING FRIENDS THAT I
% JUST TALK TO EVERYBODY WHO WANTS
% -- WHO I WANT TO KNOW.
% >> YOU'RE TALKING TO ANYONE AND
% EVERYONE.
% THAT'S GREAT.
% PADI, I KNOW THAT HIGH SCHOOL --
% YOU'RE IN COLLEGE NOW, AS WE
% SAID, BUT HIGH SCHOOL, IT CAN BE
% A CHALLENGING TIME FOR ANYONE.
% BUT DO YOU FEEL LIKE BEING HMONG
% YOU HAD SOME ADDED CHALLENGES OR
% DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAT YOU
% DEALT WITH?
% >> I THINK SOME CHALLENGES MIGHT
% HAVE JUST BEEN PEOPLE NOT
% UNDERSTANDING SOME THINGS, LIKE
% CULTURALLY ABOUT YOU, AND LIKE
% PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO GET TO
% KNOW YOUR CULTURE AS MUCH
% BECAUSE A LOT OF MY FRIENDS
% WEREN'T HMONG.
% SO IT WAS HARD FOR ME -- IT WAS
% HARD FOR THEM TO RELATE TO ME IN
% THAT SENSE AND HARD FOR ME TO
% RELATE TO THEM.
% THEY DIDN'T GET THE ASPECT OF
% BEING A MINORITY WELL.
% >> IF I MAY, WERE A LOT OF YOUR
% FRIENDS WHITE?
% >> YEAH.
% MOSTLY, YEAH.
% >> OKAY.
% >> AND A LOT OF IT -- WELL, AT
% THE SAME TIME IT WAS A GOOD WAY
% FOR ME TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT MY
% CULTURE.
% >> YEAH.
% THAT'S TRUE.
% DO YOU EVER FEEL, LUMINA, LIKE
% YOU DO THAT, EDUCATE PEOPLE
% ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HMONG,
% LIKE JUST FRIENDS OR JUST PEOPLE
% IN A STORE OR --
% >> YEAH.
% >> AND DO YOU ENJOY DOING THAT
% OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S KIND OF
% A PAIN?
% >> I FEEL IT'S INTERESTING
% BECAUSE I'M NOT THAT
% WELL-EDUCATED IN MY OWN CULTURE,
% SO IT LEADS ME TO ASK MY
% GRANDPA, GRANDMA AND MOM MORE
% ABOUT IT.
% PADI AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT
% IT.
% IT'S A WAY FOR US TO EDUCATE
% OTHERS.
% I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING.
% I USED TO ALWAYS FIND IT
% OFFENSIVE.
% OH, SO WHEN YOU ASK ME WHAT AM
% I, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO ANSWER
% YOU WITH?
% BUT THEY DON'T KNOW.
% THEY'RE NOT EDUCATED ABOUT THIS.
% >> YOU HAVE CHILDREN?
% >> YES.
% >> HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU AS
% A PARENT TO MAKE SURE THAT --
% AND IS THEIR MOTHER ALSO HMONG?
% >> YES.
% >> HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU
% AND YOUR WIFE TO CONTINUE THE
% HMONG CULTURE WITH YOUR CHILDREN
% AND EDUCATE THEM ABOUT IT?
% >> I THINK --
% >> AND THE LANGUAGE ALSO.
% >> SURE.
% I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
% AS A PARENT, I THINK THAT MY
% WIFE AND I, WE ALWAYS TELL KIDS
% THAT FROM MONDAY TO FRIDAY YOU
% ARE IN SCHOOL.
% AND MAINLY 100% YOU SPEAK
% ENGLISH IN SCHOOL.
% VERY LITTLE IN HMONG.
% BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S ALL
% ENGLISH.
% AND MY WIFE AND I, WE EXPECT
% THEM WHEN THEY -- WHEN THEY COME
% HOME, WE EXPECT THEM TO SPEAK
% HMONG.
% >> DO THEY EVER PUSH BACK
% AGAINST THAT?
% >> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
% SOMETIMES THEY DO, BUT I CAN
% UNDERSTAND WHY, BECAUSE A LOT OF
% TIME WHEN WE ASK THEM TO GO
% SOMETHING FOR US IN HMONG,
% THEY'LL NEVER FIND THEM.
% SO WE'LL HAVE TO SAY IN ENGLISH
% SO THAT THEY CAN FIND IT.
% AND THAT AGAIN, IT ALSO TEACH
% THEM AT THE SAME TIME, USE THE
% OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH THEM TO
% FIND THINGS, BUT ALSO LEARNING
% THE HMONG LANGUAGE.
% SO, YEAH, WE DO A LOT OF THOSE
% KIND OF THINGS.
% >> YEAH.
% THAT'S INTERESTING.
% LEE, YOU SAID THAT YOU MAKE AN
% EFFORT TO SPEAK HMONG TO YOUR
% HMONG FRIENDS.
% >> YEP.
% >> WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF THAT?
% WHY DO YOU DO THAT?
% >> BECAUSE I WANT THE HOME
% LANGUAGE TO KEEP GOING AND,
% LIKE, LIKE, HOW THEY SAY, LIKE
% THE HMONG LANGUAGE, THE ELDERS,
% SINCE HMONG PEOPLE CAME TO
% AMERICA, LIKE EVERYBODY STARTED
% SPEAKING ENGLISH AND HMONG IS
% DROPPING REALLY FAST.
% SO ME, I WANT THE CULTURE TO
% KEEP GOING, RIGHT?
% SO THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS SPEAK
% HMONG IN FRONT OF MY HMONG
% FRIENDS SO THEY CAN KEEP
% SPEAKING HMONG WITH ME.
% >> DO THEY EVER NOT WANT TO?
% >> I DON'T KNOW.
% THEY NEVER TOLD ME BECAUSE WHEN
% I SPEAK HMONG WITH THEM, THEY DO
% IT BACK.
% >> THAT'S GREAT.
% LEE'S GOT IT GOING ON.
% PADI, WHAT ABOUT YOU?
% DO YOUR PARENTS SPEAK HMONG TO
% YOU?
% >> YEAH.
% MY PARENTS USUALLY ALWAYS SPEAK
% HMONG TO ME, BUT I USUALLY
% ALWAYS REPLY IN ENGLISH.
% I TRY TO SPEAK HMONG TO MY MOM A
% LOT.
% MY DAD WILL SOMETIMES SPEAK
% ENGLISH TO ME, BUT MY MOM MAINLY
% ALWAYS SPEAKS HMONG.
% SO I'LL TRY TO.
% I'M NOT THE GREATEST AT HMONG
% AND I KNOW THAT, BUT I
% DEFINITELY DO WANT TO GET BETTER
% BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I DO
% WANT TO PASS ON TO MY KIDS.
% I WANT MY KIDS TO KNOW HMONG.
% AND AT THIS POINT IT SEEMS LIKE
% MY PARENTS WILL BE THE ONES THAT
% HAVE TO TEACH THEM, BUT IT'S
% SOMETHING I WANT TO CARRY ON.
% >> HAVE YOU EVER SERVED -- WELL,
% DO YOUR PARENTS -- YOU SAID YOUR
% DAD SPEAKS ENGLISH?
% >> BOTH OF THEM DO.
% >> AND SO YOU'VE NEVER -- HAVE
% YOU EVER HAD TO SERVE AS KIND OF
% A TRANSLATOR, OR HAVE THEY
% ALWAYS BEEN GREAT?
% >> THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN GOOD.
% LIKE MY DAD, ACTUALLY, HE
% TRANSLATES FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
% SO I'VE ALWAYS -- I'M LUCKY THAT
% I HAVEN'T HAD TO DO THAT.
% >> YEAH.
% LEE, WHAT ABOUT YOU?
% DO YOUR PARENTS SPEAK ENGLISH?
% >> MY STEPDAD RIGHT NOW, HE
% SPEAKS ENGLISH PRETTY GOOD, BUT
% MY MOM DOESN'T KNOW ENGLISH.
% >> SO TELL ME ABOUT LIKE IF YOU
% GO TO THE GROCERY STORE WITH
% YOUR MOM, ARE THERE EVER TIMES
% WHERE YOU HAVE TO HELP HER
% UNDERSTAND THINGS?
% >> YEAH.
% THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I HAVE TO
% HELP HER.
% I CAN'T SAY I'M THE BEST
% TRANSLATOR, BUT I DO HELP MY MOM
% TRANSLATING WHEN I GO GROCERY
% SHOPPING.
% >> IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU?
% >> YEAH.
% IT'S OKAY WITH ME.
% BUT IT'S MAINLY MY SISTER WHO
% DOES THE TRANSLATING BECAUSE
% SHE'S BETTER THAN ME.
% >> OKAY.
% OKAY.
% GOT IT.
% WE HAVE A FACEBOOK QUESTION THAT
% WE WANT TO GET TO.
% IT SAYS IS IT TOUGH TO SPEAK
% ENGLISH ALL DAY AT SCHOOL AND
% THEN GO HOME AND HAVE TO SPEAK
% HMONG?
% LUMINA, DO YOU SPEAK HMONG AT
% HOME?
% >> I DO.
% >> IS THAT TRANSITION EVER
% TOUGH, TO SWITCH THE LANGUAGE IN
% YOUR MIND?
% >> I THINK JUST SPEAKING FOR
% MYSELF IT'S NOT AS TOUGH BECAUSE
% MY PARENTS ARE ALL AMERICANIZED,
% SO WE SPEAK ENGLISH AT HOME.
% BUT WE PLAY GAMES WHERE WHOEVER
% STOPS SPEAKING HMONG FIRST GETS
% DISCIPLINE FOR THAT.
% IT HELPS US LEARN BETTER.
% US KIDS, WE'RE NOT THAT FLUENT
% IN HMONG YET, BUT WE'RE GETTING
% THERE.
% BUT BACK TO THAT QUESTION.
% IT'S NOT AS HARD BECAUSE YOU
% GREW UP LIKE THAT.
% >> HOW ABOUT YOU, LEE?
% IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU REALLY -- I
% MEAN, HMONG IS THE LANGUAGE OF
% YOUR HOME, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT.
% >> YEAH.
% >> SO IS THAT HARD EVER TO GO
% FROM SCHOOL TO HOME?
% >> NO.
% IT'S NOT HARD.
% BECAUSE AT SCHOOL I SPEAK HMONG
% TOO.
% SCHOOL IS JUST LIKE HOME TO ME
% BECAUSE I SPEAK ENGLISH TO MY
% AMERICAN FRIENDS, THEN TO MY
% HMONG FRIENDS I SPEAK HMONG TO,
% WHICH MAKES IT EASIER FOR ME
% WHEN I GO HOME AND SPEAK HMONG
% TO MY PARENTS, BECAUSE THAT'S
% BASICALLY WHAT I DO.
% >> MM-HMM.
% WA YIA, SOME OF THE STUDENTS
% THAT YOU WORK WITH, DO YOU TALK
% ABOUT THE LANGUAGE ISSUE AND HOW
% LEARNING ENGLISH PRESUMABLY CAN
% HELP THEM IN THEIR CAREER PATH?
% >> OH, YEAH.
% AGAIN, THE STUDENT, A LOT OF
% THEM ARE BORN OVER THERE AND
% RAISED OVER THERE.
% AND WHEN THEY CAME HERE, THEY
% HAVE A LANGUAGE BARRIER AND THEY
% NEED TO DO MORE TO BE ABLE TO
% EXIST IN THE PROGRAM.
% SO, YES, WE DO HAVE TO OFFER
% SOME OF THE BASIC COURSE THAT
% THEY NEED TO TAKE PRIOR TO
% GETTING TO --
% >> AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU
% WORK NOT ONLY WITH HMONG
% STUDENTS, BUT STUDENTS FROM ALL
% OVER THE WORLD.
% >> CORRECT.
% >> RIGHT?
% >> YEP.
% MM-HMM.
% INTERNATIONAL STUDENT, YEAH.
% >> GOT YOU.
% BUT FOR ANYONE, ENGLISH CAN HELP
% THEM IN THE WORKFORCE?
% >> OH, YEAH.
% YEAH, YEAH.
% ENGLISH WILL BE ONE OF THE KEY.
% I KEEP TELLING THEM THAT YOU
% NEED TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ENGLISH
% TO SURVIVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
% OTHERWISE, IT WILL BE VERY HARD
% FOR YOU TO SURVIVE IN THIS
% COUNTRY.
% >> MM-HMM.
% >> SO THEY WILL HAVE TO DO TWO
% OR THREE -- TWO OR THREE THING
% AT THE SAME TIME, LEARNING
% ENGLISH AT THE SAME TIME, ALSO
% KEEP THEIR LANGUAGE AS MUCH AS
% THEY CAN.
% >> AND THEN THE CLASSES ON TOP
% OF IT.
% >> YEAH.
% BUSY.
% I'M WONDERING, YOU TALKED A
% LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SISTER
% BEING A BETTER TRANSLATOR THAN
% YOU.
% DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE IS ONE OF
% YOU SIBLINGS WHO IS MORE
% INTERESTED IN THE HMONG CULTURE
% PART OF IT, NOT NECESSARILY THE
% LANGUAGE PART, BUT THE CULTURE
% PART, OR ARE ALL OF YOU KIND OF
% EQUALLY -- YOU KNOW, THE HMONG
% FOOD, HMONG TRADITIONS, THINGS
% LIKE THAT?
% >> WE'RE ACTUALLY ALL EQUALLY
% BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY CLOSE
% BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
% >> HOW MANY OF THERE ARE YOU?
% >> NINE.
% >> BIG FAMILY.
% BUT THEN SINCE MY FOUR ELDERS
% MOVED, I HAVE TO BE THE ELDEST,
% AND IT'S PRETTY TOUGH TO BE THE
% OLDEST ONE IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE
% YOU HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING IN THE
% HOUSE.
% YEAH.
% >> YEAH.
% BUSY HOUSE.
% EVEN THOUGH THE HMONG HAVE LIVED
% IN WISCONSIN SINCE THE 1970s,
% THEY REMAIN A MYSTERY TO A LOT
% OF PEOPLE.
% THE NEVILLE PUBLIC MUSEUM IN
% GREEN BAY IS HELPING PEOPLE TO
% GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
% THROUGH AN EXHIBIT CALLED WHO
% ARE THE HMONG?
% DEAN LEISGANG WENT ON A FIELD
% TRIP TO THE MUSEUM TO SEE HOW
% STUDENTS ARE GETTING AN
% EDUCATION IN THIS ANCIENT
% CULTURE.
% ♪ ♪
% >> INSIDE THE NEVILLE PUBLIC
% MUSEUM IN GREEN BAY, SCHOOL
% GROUP AFTER SCHOOL GROUP TAKE IN
% THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF A
% DIFFERENT ERA.
% THESE KIDS ARE TREATED TO A
% FIRSTHAND LOOK AT HOW THE HMONG
% CULTURE HAS SURVIVED FOR
% THOUSANDS OF YEARS, THROUGH WARS
% AND MIGRATION.
% >> I REALLY LIKE HISTORY AND I
% LIKE HOW IT'S TOLD HOW
% EVERYTHING WAS LIKE HOW IT WAS
% BACK THEN AND HOW IT'S SLOWLY
% PROGRESSING AND LIKE I LIKE THE
% TIME LINE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
% THAT MUCH ABOUT WAY BACK, BUT I
% KNOW LIKE UP TO THE VIETNAM WAR.
% >> WE ARE CONTINUING TO EDUCATE
% OTHERS ABOUT WHO WE ARE.
% AT THE SAME TIME, EDUCATE
% OURSELVES ON WHO WE ARE.
% AND WE'RE CHANGING THE
% DEMOGRAPHIC OF A LOT OF AMERICAN
% SOCIETIES.
% >> EVERY ARTIFACT ON DISPLAY
% TELLS A STORY.
% THE EXHIBIT LINKS THE PAST WITH
% THE PRESENT BY FOCUSING ON FOUR
% THEMES, BEGINNING WITH A PROFILE
% OF THE ANCIENT CULTURE.
% >> FOR A CHILD TO UNDERSTAND WHO
% THEY ARE THEY NEED TO GO BACK
% AND REDISCOVER WHO ARE MY
% PARENTS?
% WHO ARE MY GRANDPARENTS?
% WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?
% SO I CAN BE CENTRAL, I CAN TRY
% TO LIVE THROUGH WHERE THEY CAME
% FROM, SOME OF THEIR STORY.
% BECAUSE EACH ONE OF US HAVE A
% STORY.
% >> I HOPE THAT AS PEOPLE ATTEND
% THE EXHIBIT, THAT THEY LEAVE
% WITH A SENSE THAT HMONG
% AMERICANS IN MANY WAYS ARE VERY
% SIMILAR TO PAST AMERICANS TO
% THIS COUNTRY.
% >> AS THE TEENAGERS WATCH VIDEOS
% AND STUDY THE ARTIFACTS, THEY
% GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHY
% THE HMONG CAME TO THE UNITED
% STATES.
% THE PICTURES THAT CANVAS THE
% WALLS OF THE MUSEUM HELP
% ILLUSTRATE WHY THE HMONG WERE
% ALLIES AND REFUGEES.
% >> THE HMONG WERE AN ALLY OF
% THE UNITED STATES DURING THE
% VIETNAM WAR.
% AFTER THAT, THEY WERE FORCED TO
% GO TO REFUGEE CAMPS.
% AND THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THEIR
% LIFE.
% AND MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
% HERE TODAY CAN RELATE, CAN TELL
% STORIES OF THEIR LIFE IN A
% REFUGEE CAMP.
% >> I LEARNED THAT WE HAD A
% REALLY HARD TIME IN THE REFUGEE
% CAMP AND THAT WE WENT THROUGH
% HARD TIMES FINDING FOOD.
% >> THE FINAL THEME BRINGS US TO
% THE PRESENT DAY.
% IT SHOWS HOW THE HMONG HAVE
% CREATED THEIR OWN IDENTITY IN
% WISCONSIN AND HAVE BECOME OUR
% NEIGHBORS.
% >> SOME STUDENTS MIGHT PICK ON
% OTHERS AND SO NOW THEY KNOW, OH,
% THIS IS WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH.
% MAYBE NOW I MIGHT WANT WANT TO
% DO THAT.
% >> ONE THING THAT I THINK IS
% VALUABLE ABOUT THIS EXHIBIT IS
% THAT IT GIVES CREDENCE TO AN
% IMMIGRANT CULTURE THAT HAS COME
% HERE AND HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF
% HERE IN WISCONSIN.
% AND THERE ARE -- WISCONSIN HAS A
% BEAUTIFUL, RICH CULTURAL HISTORY
% OF THAT.
% WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT
% IMMIGRANT GROUPS THAT COME HERE
% TO WISCONSIN AND THEY ESTABLISH
% THEIR CULTURE AND THEY
% EVENTUALLY BECOME OUR COMMUNITY
% LEADERS, THEY BECOME OUR
% TEACHERS, THEY BECOME OUR
% BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVERS
% AND SHAKERS, AND THE HMONG
% PEOPLE ARE CERTAINLY DOING THAT
% HERE IN WISCONSIN.
% >> WHEREVER WE LIVE, WE WORK
% HARD AND WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
% TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY
% THAT WE LIVE IN.
% >> FOR SOME OF THE KIDS WALKING
% THROUGH THE MUSEUM, THIS WAS
% THEIR FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE
% HMONG CULTURE.
% FOR OTHERS, IT WAS A REFRESHER
% COURSE IN THEIR OWN CULTURE.
% FOR EVERYONE, IT WAS A GREAT
% LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
% >> YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW YOUR
% CULTURE IS SOMEDAY BECAUSE IF
% YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, THEN
% HOW IS -- LIKE HOW ARE YOU
% SUPPOSED TO KEEP YOUR CULTURE
% WITH YOU?
% >> SOME STUFF ON THE INTERNET
% ISN'T TRUE, BUT IF YOU ACTUALLY
% GO TO A MUSEUM, THEY WILL HAVE
% THE FACTS, AND I THINK THAT
% WOULD BE GREAT FOR KIDS OF THE
% CULTURES TO GO TO A MUSEUM AND
% LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR CULTURE.
% >> A LOT OF THEIR STUDENTS ARE
% RELATED TO SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE
% THAT THEY'VE SEEN IN THE EXHIBIT
% TODAY, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING
% FOR THEM, TO SEE THAT THEIR
% CULTURE IS REPRESENTED AND
% VALUED BY THE GENERAL SOCIETY.
% ♪ ♪
% >> THE WHO ARE THE HMONG
% EXHIBIT IS ON DISPLAY UNTIL
% MAY 5 AT THE NEVILLE MUSEUM,
% WHICH IS IN DOWNTOWN GREEN BAY.
% JOINING US NOW IS KATIE THAO, A
% HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR IN THE
% GREEN BAY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
% SO, KATIE, HOW VALUABLE DO YOU
% THINK A FIELD TRIP LIKE THAT IS,
% NOT ONLY FOR HMONG PEOPLE, BUT
% FOR EVERYONE?
% >> WELL, FIELD TRIPS IN GENERAL
% ARE VERY PARTS TO ANY LEARNING,
% REALLY EMPHASIZING HANDS-ON,
% INCORPORATING NOT JUST THE
% VISUAL, BUT OTHER OBJECTS THAT
% REALLY TIES THE PAST TO THE
% PRESENT AND PUTTING IT INTO
% REALITY.
% >> GET OUT OF THE CLASSROOM A
% LITTLE BIT.
% >> SUCH A DISPLAY AT THE EXHIBIT
% THAT IS GOING ON IS REALLY GOING
% TO DRAW ALL THOSE OUT OF A
% PERSON, THE VISUAL, THE OBJECTS,
% TYING THE PAST TO THE FUTURE.
% >> THAT'S GREAT.
% I WANT TO WELCOME LINDA THAO.
% LINDA, I'M WONDERING DO YOU
% SPEAK AND WRITE THE HMONG
% LANGUAGE AT HOME?
% AND IS DOING THAT IMPORTANT TO
% YOU?
% >> I DO SPEAK.
% WE LEARNED HOW TO WRITE IT.
% AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
% AND ALTHOUGH ENGLISH IS SPOKEN A
% LOT, MORE THAN HMONG IN OUR
% FAMILY, MY PARENTS AND ELDERS
% AND RELATIVES ENCOURAGE US AND
% THEY HAVE TAUGHT US A LOT.
% >> IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S
% IMPORTANT TO YOU TO KEEP IT
% GOING?
% >> YEAH.
% >> OR JUST KIND OF LIKE MY
% PARENTS WANT ME TO, BUT I'M NOT
% REALLY THAT INTO IT.
% >> I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
% BECAUSE IT'S PART OF MY CULTURE.
% AND KNOWING THE LANGUAGE AND
% KNOWING THE LANGUAGE THEN MY
% KIDS CAN LEARN IT TOO.
% AND SO YEAH.
% YEAH.
% >> DO YOU THINK THAT YOU MIGHT
% -- DO YOU HOPE THAT MAYBE YOU
% WILL MARRY A MAN WHO IS HMONG?
% OR YOU HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT
% ABOUT IT YET.
% >> I HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT
% ABOUT IT YET.
% >> THAT'S OKAY.
% THAT'S OKAY.
% I GOT IT.
% WE ALSO WANT TO WELCOME JER
% VANG.
% DO YOU KNOW ANY OF THE RITUALS
% OF THE HMONG PEOPLE, THINGS LIKE
% HMONG NEW YEAR, THINGS LIKE
% THAT, AND IS IT IMPORTANT TO
% YOUR FAMILY TO KNOW THESE
% THINGS?
% >> YES.
% I CONSIDER IT VERY IMPORTANT AND
% THERE ARE SEVERAL CEREMONIES AND
% HOLIDAYS, LIKE THE NEW YEAR,
% WHICH BACK THEN WAS ONCE EVERY
% YEAR AFTER THE HARVEST SEASON,
% BUT NOW IT'S MORE YEARLY EVENT.
% >> AND WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME
% VIDEO OF SOME OF THE
% CELEBRATIONS THAT CAN HAPPEN
% DURING THE HMONG NEW YEAR
% FESTIVITIES.
% LOOKS LIKE IT'S A LOT OF FUN.
% WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STUFF --
% WHAT'S SOME OF THE STUFF YOU DO?
% >> THE THING THEY'RE DOING RIGHT
% NOW IS WHERE A WOMAN AND A
% MAN --
% >> LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE THROWING
% A BALL BACK AND FORTH.
% >> YEAH.
% AND THIS IS --
% >> KATIE, DO YOU KNOW THE
% SYMBOLISM OF THAT?
% >> WELL, THAT IS -- BACK IN OUR
% SOCIETY, OPENLY COURTING WAS
% PROHIBITED, BECAUSE IT OFTEN
% LEADS TO MARRIAGE.
% SO AT THE HMONG NEW YEAR, THAT
% IS SOCIALLY VERY ACCEPTABLE,
% WHERE THE MAN AND OPPOSITE SEX
% CAN ENGAGE IN OPEN DIALOGUE,
% PUBLIC CONVERSATION IN LIEU OF
% TOSSING THAT BALL BACK AND
% FORTH.
% AND IT CAN BECOME VERY
% COMPETITIVE, WHERE OFTEN IT CAN
% LEAD TO MARRIAGE.
% IN TOSSING THAT BACK AND FORTH,
% THEY NEGOTIATE, IF I DROP THE
% BALL, I GIVE YOU SOMETHING, THAT
% EVENTUALLY IF TWO PEOPLE LIKE
% EACH OTHER, THEY SAY IF YOU DROP
% THE BALL ENOUGH, YOU COULD
% BECOME MY WIFE OR MY SPOUSE.
% >> THAT'S INTERESTING.
% OUR FINAL GUEST IS JENNY HER.
% JENNY, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
% THINGS YOU'VE LEARNED FROM YOUR
% HMONG ELDERS?
% AND DO YOU FEEL LIKE WHAT THEY
% HAVE TO SAY, IS IT IMPORTANT, DO
% YOUNG PEOPLE LISTEN TO THEM?
% >> WELL, NOT ONLY THE ELDERS,
% BUT ALSO MY PARENTS.
% THEY ALWAYS TEACHING ME EVERY
% MORNING, TO COOK AND DO LIKE THE
% CHORES AND EVERYTHING, NOT BE A
% LAZY.
% BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, OF COURSE,
% THEY ALWAYS HAD TO GET UP VERY
% EARLY IN THE MORNING EVERY DAY
% JUST TO COOK AND THINGS LIKE
% THAT.
% I RESPECT THEM A LOT BECAUSE
% THEY'RE OLDER AND JUST RESPECT
% THEM AND LISTEN TO THEM.
% JUST DON'T DISOBEY THEM.
% >> JER, I WAS WONDERING, THERE
% ARE A LOT OF STORIES ABOUT HOW
% THE HMONG PEOPLE CAME TO THE
% UNITED STATES.
% DO SOME OF YOUR -- DO YOUR
% PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS TELL
% SOME OF THOSE STORIES EVER AT
% HOME OR HAVE YOU HEARD SOME OF
% THOSE STORIES ABOUT HOW YOUR
% FAMILY CAME TO THE UNITED
% STATES?
% >> YEAH.
% MOSTLY MY MOM, SHE WOULD ALWAYS
% TELL US ABOUT HOW SHE CARRIED
% LIKE US AS KIDS AND LIKE HER AND
% THE REST OF THE HMONG PEOPLE RAN
% ACROSS THE MEKONG RIVER.
% >> WHEN YOU HEAR THOSE STORIES,
% DO YOU THINK ABOUT HOW LIKE IT
% WAS HARD FOR THEM?
% OR DO YOU JUST KIND OF GET LIKE
% SICK OF THE -- YOU KNOW, HEARING
% THE SAME -- OKAY, MOM'S TELLING
% STORIES AGAIN.
% YOU KNOW, DO YOU LIKE HEARING
% THEM?
% OR IS IT NOT IMPORTANT TO YOU?
% >> OH, I DON'T GET SICK OF THEM.
% I THINK IT'S GOOD TO REMEMBER
% THOSE KIND OF STORIES, BECAUSE
% -- AND I CAN'T EVEN LIKE IMAGINE
% WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE GONE
% THROUGH.
% >> YEAH.
% THAT'S REALLY NEAT THAT YOU FEEL
% THAT WAY.
% HOW ABOUT YOU, LINDA?
% WHEN YOU HEAR THE STORIES THAT
% YOUR FATHER -- BECAUSE I
% UNDERSTAND YOUR FATHER WAS A
% REFUGEE AND CAME OVER.
% WHEN YOU HEAR THOSE STORIES, HOW
% DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
% >> IT MAKES ME RESPECT THEM EVEN
% MORE THAN I DO NOW, BECAUSE IT
% SHOWS ALL THE STRUGGLES AND
% DANGERS THAT THEY'VE GONE
% THROUGH AND STUFF.
% >> YEAH.
% WE HAVE ANOTHER TEXT QUESTION.
% I WANT TO READ THAT FOR YOU NOW.
% IT SAYS IS THE VIETNAM WAR AN
% ACCEPTABLE TOPIC TO DISCUSS IN
% YOUR HOUSE?
% MY FATHER DOESN'T TALK ABOUT IT.
% WE DON'T KNOW IF THE PERSON WHO
% SENT THIS TEXT MESSAGE IS HMONG
% OR PERHAPS OF ANOTHER FACE AND
% MAYBE FOUGHT IN THE VIETNAM WAR.
% KATIE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
% THAT?
% IS IT DIFFICULT FOR SOME HMONG
% FAMILIES TO TALK ABOUT IT, THE
% WAR?
% >> I THINK FOR SOME WHO
% PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR, IT
% MIGHT BE POST-TRAUMATIC FOR THEM
% TO DISCUSS IT.
% I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT IT IS
% VERY IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT IT
% SO THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATION
% CAN GAIN THE VALUE OF THE
% STRUGGLE OF WHERE THEY CAME
% FROM, THE PART THAT THEY PLAYED
% AND THE VALUE THAT IS SO
% ESSENTIAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE
% IN SEARCH OF WHO ARE WE, WHERE
% DID WE COME FROM.
% >> WHAT ABOUT YOU, JENNY?
% NOT NECESSARILY THE VIETNAM WAR
% ITSELF, BUT THE PROCESS OF YOUR
% FAMILY COMING TO THE UNITED
% STATES, DO YOU TALK ABOUT THAT
% IN YOUR HOME?
% >> WELL, MY GRANDPA, HE IS --
% JOINED THE VIETNAM WAR.
% I ASK HIM, BUT HE DOES NOT SAY
% ANYTHING.
% AND, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT HIS
% LEGS.
% HE HAS LIKE ALL BRUISES ALL OVER
% HIS LEGS.
% I ASK HIM.
% HE JUST STAYS QUIET, DOESN'T SAY
% ANYTHING.
% SO I'M LIKE, OKAY, I DON'T WANT
% TO ANNOY HIM.
% >> YOU DON'T WANT TO PRESS.
% >> YEAH.
% >> WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU
% THINK, THAT YOU DOESN'T WANT TO
% TALK ABOUT IT?
% >> PROBABLY BECAUSE ALL THE
% STRUGGLES ARE BEEN THROUGH, LIKE
% THE BOMBS AND EVERYTHING, JUST
% DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT
% ANYTHING ABOUT IT, YEAH.
% >> ARE THERE ALSO STORIES ABOUT
% HOW YOUR FAMILY CAME OVER?
% HAVE YOU HEARD THOSE STORIES?
% >> WELL, MY MOM, SHE MARRIED MY
% DAD, SO MY GRANDPA, THEY CAME
% AFTERWARDS.
% SO BASICALLY I DO NOT KNOW MUCH
% ABOUT IT.
% THEY DON'T TELL ME MUCH ABOUT IT
% EITHER, SO...
% >> IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU
% WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT?
% >> YES.
% DEFINITELY.
% >> YEAH.
% THAT'S INTERESTING.
% KATIE, DO YOU THINK -- IS IT
% DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT
% FAMILIES?
% YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE WANT TO
% SHARE THOSE STORIES, SOME PEOPLE
% DON'T?
% I MEAN, HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE
% CHILDREN WHEN THE PARENTS TELL
% THOSE STORIES, DO YOU THINK?
% IS IT GOOD FOR THEM TO HEAR
% THEM?
% >> I TRULY BELIEVE THAT
% EVERYBODY HAS A STORY TO TELL
% AND CERTAINLY, AS JENNY SHARED,
% SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE
% HARDER TO SHARE BECAUSE OF THE
% STRUGGLES THAT THEY'VE GONE
% THROUGH.
% MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT TO RELIVE
% THAT PAST OR THAT PART OF THEIR
% LIFE THAT WAS SO TRAGIC.
% SO IT IS A PERSONAL CHOICE.
% HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT AS A YOUNG
% PERSON WALKING INTO A CULTURE,
% IT IS ESSENTIAL TO LEARN FROM
% THOSE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THEIR
% FAMILY MEMBER, THE TRIALS, THE
% TURBULENCE, SO THAT THEY CAN
% UNDERSTAND AND FIND THE MEANING
% OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY'S
% ROOTS.
% SO I THINK IT IS CRUCIAL THAT IF
% ANY FAMILY MEMBER CHOOSES TO
% SHARE AND SPEAK ABOUT IT, TAKE
% THAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT
% IT.
% >> MM-HMM.
% JER, DO YOU THINK -- ARE YOU
% GLAD THAT YOUR FAMILY LIVES IN A
% COMMUNITY LIKE GREEN BAY THAT
% HAS SOMEWHAT OF A HMONG
% POPULATION?
% AND HOW COME?
% >> YEAH.
% I'M VERY GLAD BECAUSE, WELL,
% EVEN THOUGH WHEN I'M GOING
% THROUGH SCHOOL, THERE'S NOT THAT
% MANY OTHER HMONG KIDS, BUT AS
% YOU GO THROUGH LIKE HIGH SCHOOL,
% YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A GREAT --
% THERE'S A DRASTIC CHANGE TO THE
% NUMBER.
% >> THERE ARE MORE?
% >> YEAH.
% >> OKAY.
% AND IS THAT HELPFUL?
% >> YEAH.
% I THINK IT IS, BECAUSE YOU CAN
% RELATE TO THEM AND YOU CAN TALK
% TO THEM AND YOU CAN SHARE ALL
% YOUR HMONG MEMORY AND STUFF.
% >> WHAT ABOUT, KATIE, THE ROLE
% OF HMONG WOMEN?
% IS THAT CHANGING THROUGH THE
% GENERATIONS?
% >> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
% I THINK BACK IN OUR -- MY
% PARENTS' GENERATION, THERE
% DEFINITELY WAS A GREAT
% DELINEATION BETWEEN GENDER
% DIFFERENCES.
% FOR EXAMPLE, BACK IN LAOS, THE
% PRIVILEGES AND ALSO THE MALE
% CHILDREN WERE THE PREFERRED
% CHILDREN TO GET EDUCATED.
% BUT IN AMERICA THERE IS REALLY
% NO BIAS.
% WHICH GENERATION, WHICHEVER
% CHILD THEY'RE GOING TO SUPPORT
% AND THEY'RE GOING TO PROMOTE THE
% SAME AS A BOY CHILD OR A GIRL
% CHILD.
% SO, YES, WOMEN IN OUR CULTURE IS
% REALLY, REALLY MAKING
% HEAD-STRONG PATHWAYS.
% AND I THINK A HUGE PART OF THAT
% TOO IS I THINK WOMEN IN MY
% GENERATION ARE MORE PERSISTENT,
% MORE WILLING TO TAKE RISKS.
% AND SO IT'S A GREAT MOVEMENT.
% >> THAT'S WONDERFUL.
% INTERESTING TO HEAR.
% WE HAVE ANOTHER TEXT QUESTION
% THAT WE WANT TO GET TO.
% IT SAYS WHAT DO THE HMONG
% TEENAGERS FEEL ABOUT WESTERN
% CULTURE AND RELIGION COMPARED TO
% THE CULTURE OF THEIR ELDERS?
% AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SHAMAN
% HAS A BIG ROLE IN HMONG CULTURE.
% DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE HMONG
% CULTURE AND RELIGION IS A LOT
% DIFFERENT FROM "AMERICAN"
% CULTURE?
% >> WELL, MY FAMILY'S A SHAMAN,
% TOO.
% >> CAN YOU TELL US WHAT A SHAMAN
% IS?
% >> IT'S LIKE SPIRITUAL CEREMONY
% WITH LIKE SPIRITS AND STUFF LIKE
% THAT.
% >> IS THE SHAMAN KIND OF LIKE A
% SPIRITUAL PERSON?
% >> HE'S SOMEONE WHO CONNECTS THE
% HUMANS WITH THE SPIRIT WORLD.
% >> AND YOUR FAMILY HAS SOME
% MEMBERS WHO ARE SHAMANS?
% >> YES.
% >> YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S A LOT
% DIFFERENT FROM GOING TO A
% LUTHERAN CHURCH, SAY?
% >> YEAH.
% IT'S DEFINITELY DIFFERENT.
% BUT I THINK I'VE GOTTEN USED TO
% IT, LIKE THE DIFFERENCES AND
% STUFF, YEAH, BEING EDUCATED FROM
% LIKE SCHOOL AND STUFF.
% SO YEAH.
% >> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S
% IMPORTANT IN YOUR FAMILY, THE
% SHAMAN, OR NOT REALLY?
% >> NO, NOT REALLY, BECAUSE I'M
% NOT SHAMAN.
% I'M ACTUALLY A CHRISTIAN.
% BUT MY MOM'S SIDE OF THE FAMILY,
% PART OF HER SISTERS, THEY ARE
% SHAMAN, SO I'M NOT REALLY, SO --
% >> DO YOU KNOW IF IT WAS
% DIFFICULT FOR YOUR MOM TO BE
% DIFFERENT FROM HER SISTERS IN
% THAT WAY?
% >> DEFINITELY IT WAS.
% IT WAS REALLY HARD ON HER.
% SHE DID NOT KNOW WHICH TO
% CHOOSE.
% SO SHE'S LIKE OKAY.
% SHE SAT FOR A WHILE THINKING.
% SHOULD I BE A CHRISTIAN OR
% SHOULD I BE A SHAMAN?
% SHE THOUGHT, NO, THE BEST WAY
% FOR ME IS TO BE A CHRISTIAN.
% SHE DID NOT BELIEVE ALL THE
% SPIRITUAL STUFF.
% SHE CHOSE TO BE A CHRISTIAN,
% WHICH IS A GOOD IDEA.
% >> GOT YOU.
% HOW ABOUT YOU?
% IS SHAMANISM PART OF YOUR
% FAMILY?
% >> YEAH.
% I AM SHAMAN, AND I SEE A LOT OF
% LIKE DIFFERENCES, LIKE THERE ARE
% SHAMAN FAMILIES AND FAMILIES
% THAT SWITCH OVER TO CHRISTIAN
% AND CATHOLIC.
% I THINK IT'S KIND OF A GOOD
% CHANGE OR LIKE A GOOD EXPERIENCE
% FOR SOME FAMILIES, BUT I THINK
% IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO
% STAY AND REMAIN IN THE SAME
% RELIGION.
% >> IN SHAMANISM, KATIE, CAN YOU
% TELL ME, IS THERE A -- SORT OF A
% DAY OF WORSHIP LIKE CHRISTIANITY
% OR HOW IS IT PRACTICED?
% >> THE PRACTICE IS THAT THE
% PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN SHAMANISM
% IS NOT THE SHAMAN.
% THE SHAMAN IS A SPIRITUAL
% CALLER, LIKE THE MEDICINE MAN,
% THAT CAN CONNECT TO THE SPIRIT
% WORLD, AS LINDA'S ANSWER
% EARLIER.
% IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE
% PRACTICE EVERY SEVENTH DAY LIKE
% GOING TO CHURCH OR WORSHIP.
% BASICALLY AS A HUMAN PERSON, A
% HMONG PERSON BELIEVES IN MANY
% SPIRITS, IN ALL OF OUR SPIRITS
% BEING IN BALANCE WITH EACH
% OTHER.
% WHEN A PERSON BECOMES ILL OR
% THEY SUFFER A TRAUMATIC
% INCIDENT, THEN IT IS BELIEVED
% THAT THEIR SPIRIT HAS BEEN LOST
% OR FALLEN FROM THEIR BODY OR
% SOUL.
% AND SO IN INSTANCE LIKE THAT,
% THE SHAMAN WOULD COME AND
% PERFORM RITUALS TO CALL YOUR
% SPIRITS TO BE INTACT WITH YOUR
% BODY OR TO HAVE THAT BALANCE
% WITHIN YOU OR IN YOUR HOME
% AGAIN.
% SO IT'S NOT A DAILY
% SEVEN-WORSHIP THING.
% ONLY IN SITUATIONS THAT YOU FEEL
% OUT OF SYNC.
% >> IT'S HEALING IN A WAY.
% >> EXACTLY.
% BECAUSE WE REALLY BELIEVE IN
% HOLISTIC APPROACHES, NOT JUST
% PHYSICALLY BEING INTACT, BUT
% BEING HOLISTIC INTACT, MENTALLY,
% EMOTIONALLY BALANCED AS WELL.
% >> I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT
% SOMETHING I SAW IN SOME VIDEO
% THAT WE WERE SHOWING EARLIER,
% JENNY.
% I'VE SEEN BEFORE SOME OF THE
% CLOTHING THAT HMONG, ESPECIALLY
% GIRLS AND WOMEN, SEEM TO WEAR
% DURING LIKE THE NEW YEAR
% CELEBRATIONS.
% DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE
% OUTFITS?
% AND HAVE YOU EVER WORN ONE?
% FORGIVE ME IF THAT'S NOT THE
% RIGHT WORD TO USE, OUTFIT.
% I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD CALL
% IT.
% >> THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
% ONES.
% MY FAMILY, I AM HMONG GREEN.
% THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF
% HMONG CLOTHES.
% THEY HAVE THESE STRIPED ONES ON
% THE SIDES OF THE ARMS.
% THERE'S DIFFERENT COLORS FOR IT
% TOO.
% THOSE ARE THE CLOTHES.
% THE OTHER IS HMONG WHITE, THOSE
% ARE LIKE, I GUESS, THE PRETTY
% ONES, YOU COULD SAY, LIKE
% FLOWERY ONES, STUFF LIKE THAT.
% SOME CLOTHES ARE FOR LIKE SOME
% OF THE TEENAGER ONES, THE KID
% ONES AND THE OLDER WOMEN ONES
% TOO.
% SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
% KINDS.
% >> HAVE YOU EVER WORN THOSE
% OUTFITS?
% >> YES, I HAVE THEM A LOT.
% EVERY YEAR MY MOM WOULD ACTUALLY
% BUY ME ONE.
% >> HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU'RE
% WEARING IT?
% >> I FEEL PROUD, ACTUALLY.
% I FEEL PROUD BEING HMONG, YOU
% KNOW.
% WHY NOT?
% WHY NOT KNOW ABOUT OUR CULTURE?
% IT'S FUN.
% YOU DO A LOT OF STUFF, THINGS
% YOU LEARN NEW EVERY DAY.
% >> YOU LIKE IT.
% >> YES.
% >> THAT'S GREAT.
% WE HAVE ANOTHER TEXT QUESTION.
% IT SAYS EVEN IF HMONG YOUTH
% DON'T RETAIN TRADITIONAL
% LANGUAGE, ART, ET CETERA, ISN'T
% IT POSSIBLE THAT THE CULTURE IS
% JUST EVOLVING TO THE NEEDS OF
% THE NEW GENERATION?
% THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION,
% KATIE.
% WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
% >> WELL, CULTURE IS MADE UP OF
% SO MANY VARIABLES, LANGUAGE,
% FOOD, HERITAGE AND THE EVOLVING
% OF THOSE LITTLE COMPONENTS IS A
% GOOD THING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME
% IT ALSO LOSE ITS ORIGINALITY AND
% THE HMONG PEOPLE HAS BEEN GREAT
% IN ANY COUNTRY THAT THEY LIVE IN
% TO ASSIMILATE AND ADJUST.
% I PROBABLY SAY IN AMERICA IN OUR
% SHORT TIME OF 37, 38 YEARS WE'VE
% BEEN SO GOOD AT CHANGING THAT
% WITH OUR RAPID CHANGE WE'VE LOST
% SO MUCH OF THOSE VARIABLE.
% SO TO ANSWER THAT TEXT, I WOULD
% SAY THERE'S ASPECT THAT THERE
% ARE GOOD CHANGE AND THERE'S ALSO
% ASPECT THAT ARE NOT.
% FOR EXAMPLE, OUR LANGUAGE, WHICH
% WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN THE
% FIRST SEGMENT HERE.
% OUR LANGUAGE IS BEING LOST AT
% THIS RAPID FACE.
% >> JER, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU
% WANT TO KEEP, WANT TO HOLD ON TO
% THOSE THINGS IN YOUR HMONG
% CULTURE, THE LANGUAGE AND THE
% TRADITIONS?
% >> YEAH.
% I DESPERATELY DO, BECAUSE IT'S
% JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY
% NEED TO HOLD ON TO.
% AND WHEN I LOOK AT MY NEPHEWS
% AND NIECES' LIFESTYLE, ALL THEY
% LIKE -- THEY SIT IN THEIR ROOM
% AND TOUCH COMPUTERS AND USE
% TECHNOLOGY.
% AND I THINK THAT THIS IS JUST
% STAYED THE WAY IT ALWAYS WAS.
% >> AND YOU THINK THE LANGUAGE IS
% PART OF THAT, KEEPING THAT
% GOING?
% >> YEAH.
% WHAT ABOUT YOU, LINDA?
% WHEN YOU -- WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
% THE LANGUAGE AND THE HERITAGE.
% IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU --
% YOU KNOW, YOU MAY GET PRESSURE
% FROM YOUR PARENTS TO KEEP IT
% GOING, BUT IN YOUR OWN HEART IS
% IT SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO
% KEEP GOING WITH YOUR CHILDREN?
% >> MM-HMM.
% I THINK SO, BECAUSE, LIKE, IT'S
% PART OF OUR CULTURE, AND IF THE
% LANGUAGE DISAPPEARS, PART OF
% THE CULTURE DISAPPEAR AS WELL.
% SO, YEAH, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
% >> WHAT ABOUT -- I KNOW YOU
% SPEAK IT AND YOU LISTEN TO IT A
% LOT.
% >> MM-HMM.
% >> BUT WHAT ABOUT ACTUALLY
% WRITING THE HMONG LANGUAGE?
% ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT?
% >> YEAH.
% WELL, AS A CHILD, MY PARENTS --
% >> BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING
% THAT'S TAUGHT IN SCHOOL, RIGHT?
% >> YES.
% SO MY RELATIVES ACTUALLY TAUGHT
% US WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER AS WELL
% TOO, SO...
% >> THAT'S GREAT.
% SO YOU CAN WRITE IT AND READ IT
% SOMEWHAT?
% >> YEAH.
% >> HOW ABOUT YOU, JENNY?
% CAN YOU WRITE IT AND READ IT?
% >> I CAN ACTUALLY READ IT.
% SOME WORDS I CAN WRITE IT, BUT
% SOMETIMES I GET MESSED UP ON
% WORDS, BECAUSE THE WRITING
% CLOSELY THE SAME, BUT THEY'RE
% PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY TOO.
% >> WHAT ABOUT YOU, JER?
% CAN YOU WRITE HMONG?
% >> I CAN WRITE A FEW WORDS.
% MY MOM ACTUALLY HAS SOME STORY
% BOOKS, SO I USUALLY READ THOSE
% AND TRY TO CONNECT THE WORDS TO
% ENGLISH WORDS.
% >> KIND OF TRANSLATE IT IN YOUR
% OWN MIND.
% YEAH.
% WE HAVE ANOTHER TEXT QUESTION.
% IT SAYS SPECIFICALLY NAME SOME
% OF THE TRADITIONS THAT ARE
% IMPORTANT TO YOU.
% CAN YOU DO THAT, LINDA?
% WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NEW
% YEAR.
% IS THERE ONE PART OF NEW YEAR?
% OR IS THERE ANOTHER TRADITION OR
% MAYBE LIKE A FAVORITE DISH THAT
% YOU HAVE, HMONG FOOD?
% >> WELL, THERE'S EGG ROLLS THAT
% WE -- MY PARENTS ACTUALLY MAKE
% THAT A LOT.
% AND THEN PAPAYA SALAD.
% TRADITIONS WOULD BE FOOD
% GATHERINGS, FAMILY GATHERINGS
% AND STUFF.
% THOSE ARE ALWAYS FUN, YEAH.
% >> HOW ABOUT YOU, JENNY, A
% TRADITION OR A FOOD THAT YOU
% REALLY LIKE?
% >> LET'S SEE FOOD.
% LOVE ALL THE FOOD.
% EVERY SUNDAY WE'LL GO TO CHURCH,
% COME BACK.
% WE'RE ALWAYS MAKING NOODLES.
% >> CAN YOU SAY THAT WORD AGAIN?
% >> FUD.
% THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD.
% THE TRADITION, LIKE LINDA SAID,
% FAMILY GATHERING, HAVING SOME
% FUN, ENJOYING OUR TIME TOGETHER.
% >> WE HAVE TO HIT EVERYONE ON
% THIS ONE ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE
% GOING TO TALK ABOUT FOOD.
% KATIE, IS THERE A TRADITION OR
% FOOD THAT YOU'RE SO EXCITED WHEN
% IT COMES AROUND AGAIN?
% >> WELL, THE PART TO ANSWER THAT
% TEXT, I REALLY FORESEE THAT AS A
% DANGER AND I'M VERY, VERY SET IN
% THAT AS BEING LOSSES.
% THE HMONG PEOPLE AS WE RELATE TO
% EACH OTHER ARE CLANSHIP,
% RELATIONSHIP, AND HOW WE RELATE
% TO ONE ANOTHER IS SO ESSENTIAL.
% IN FACT, WORDS THAT WE HAVE THAT
% ARE PREFIX TO ONE ANOTHER DEFINE
% WHO YOU ARE IN THE FAMILY
% POSITION, FAMILY STATUS SO.
% THAT PREFIX AND WORD THAT WE USE
% TO RELATE TO EACH OTHER IS BEING
% LOST.
% FOR EXAMPLE --
% >> YOU WOULD REFER TO A MOTHER
% DIFFERENTLY THAN --
% >> AUNTIE, UNCLE.
% WHEN WE REFER TO EACH OTHER IN
% THAT PREFIX WORD, FOR EXAMPLE,
% [ SPEAKING IN HMONG ] AUNTIE,
% YOU KNOW IN WHICH ORDER.
% ONE IS THE OLDER AUNT AND MY
% YOUNGER AUNT.
% AND WORDS LIKE THAT ARE BEING
% VERY, VERY MUCH LOST BECAUSE THE
% YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE PREFERRING
% SIMPLEXITY.
% EVEN IF YOU'RE MY SISTER-IN-LAW,
% I JUST CALL YOU KATHRYN VERSUS
% SISTER-IN-LAW KATHRYN OR THE
% RELATIONSHIPS YOU WOULD HAVE.
% WHEN I MARRIED INTO FAMILY.
% SO THAT ASPECT OF HOW WE RELATE
% TO EACH OTHER IS REALLY QUICKLY
% BEING LOST.
% >> INTERESTING.
% >> AND THE CLANSHIP, MAINTAINING
% THE CLAN, MAINTAINING THE --
% >> CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT
% ABOUT CLANS IN HMONG CULTURE?
% >> YES.
% THE CLAN REALLY IS THE ASSIGNING
% OF THE LAST NAME.
% WE HAVE ABOUT 18 POPULAR LAST
% NAMES IN THE USA.
% >> ONLY 18.
% MM-HMM.
% THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO SUB
% LAST NAMES THAT ARE FAR AND FEW,
% BUT ROUGHLY RIGHT ABOUT THAT 18.
% AND THOSE CLANS HARBOR TO EACH
% OTHER.
% FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU AND I ARE
% THE SAME LAST NAME, THAO, WE'RE
% CONSIDERED THE SAME FAMILY.
% WE MIGHT IN KINSHIP OR BY ORDER
% OF EACH OTHER, WE MIGHT BE AUNTS
% TO EACH OTHER OR SISTERS TO EACH
% OTHER.
% >> JER, DO YOU THINK AT ALL
% ABOUT THOSE CLANS, OR DO YOU
% THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT
% AS IMPORTANT?
% >> AS A CHILD I NEVER REALLY
% THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT DURING
% THESE FEW YEARS I -- I ACTUALLY
% THINK IT'S INTERESTING.
% >> AND AT BIGGER GATHERINGS LIKE
% THE NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION DO
% YOU KIND OF LOOK AROUND, THERE'S
% A THAO, THERE'S A THAO?
% OR FOR YOU THERE'S A VANG?
% >> YEAH.
% IT'S KIND OF HARD, BUT, YEAH,
% SOMETIMES IT'S PRETTY COOL TO
% POINT ONE -- SOMEBODY OUT FROM
% ANOTHER.
% >> MM-HMM.
% JENNY, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY FOR
% PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW MUCH OF
% THE HMONG CULTURE?
% WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'D
% REALLY LIKE THEM TO KNOW?
% >> WHAT I'D LIKE THEM TO KNOW IS
% THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE
% -- WE DON'T HAVE LIKE A STRONG
% CULTURE AND A STRONG NAME FOR
% IT, I JUST WANT THEM TO KNOW
% THAT, YOU KNOW, GET TO KNOW US,
% A LITTLE MORE ABOUT US, AND, YOU
% KNOW, WE TRY TO LET IT OUT, LIKE
% NOT LOSE IT.
% AND JUST BE -- YOU KNOW, LIKE
% HOW EVERYONE IS.
% >> THAT'S WONDERFUL.
% THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR
% SHARING.
% I KNOW I'VE LEARNED A LOT
% TONIGHT AND I HOPE A LOT OF OUR
% VIEWERS CAN HAVE.
% THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR GUESTS.
% THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR
% TONIGHT.
% IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ON
% THE HMONG CULTURE AND THE MANY
% ITEMS WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT,
% PLEASE GO TO
% wpt.org/teenconnection.
% I WANT TO THANK ALL OUR GUESTS
% AND THANK NSIGHT LONG DISTANCE.
% PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE NEXT
% "TEEN CONNECTION" APRIL 10 WHEN
% WE LOOK AT TEENS AND ALCOHOL
% ABUSE.
% GOOD NIGHT.