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>> 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.