Trans orming the World and Oneself: The Arts and Hmong American identity

Author(s):

Hones, Donald F.; Xiong, S.; Xiong, Ma Lee; Vang, Chan; Vang, Hue; Debroux, Amy

Format:

Book section

Publisher:

Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2012.

Language:

English

Abstract:

When one thinks of centers of culture and the arts, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, may not come immediately to mind. True, Oshkosh has gained fame as host to a large gathering of aviation enthusiasts each July, and it's a great place to spear a sturgeon in February. Yet, the casual visitor to the city might be forgiven for finding the cultural landscape as flat as the surrounding terrain. However, despite the cold of an April evening, things begin to heat up inside Albee Hall on the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh campus. Inside, at this kickoff event for Asian Heritage Month, tables ring the floor and groups of students representing China, Japan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and other nations share images, arts, and delicacies with the audience. Onstage in the front of the room, dancers whirl and spin in a variety of styles including traditional, hip-hop, and Bollywood. Performers sing romantic ballads to the accompaniment of a guitar. A pan-Asian fashion show ignites the crowd. All of Asia is celebrated in this evening of culture and the arts. An observer might be surprised that most of the performers are Hmong Americans. The arts appear to have a high profile in the Hmong American community, especially at celebrations such as New Year, which typically feature dozens of dance groups, singers, and musicians. Some scholars have suggested that New Year highlights the adaptability and flexibility of Hmong culture. In larger cities, such as St. Paul, Minnesota, centers devoted to the encouragement of Hmong artistic talent are prominent (for example, the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent and the Hmong American Institute for Learning). Hmong artistic talent contributed to the success of Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino. Even in smaller cities such as Oshkosh, young Hmong Americans often stand out in the quality of their visual and performing arts. Yet, some fear that changes in how young people approach the arts, such as the playing of the bamboo flute, qeej, jeopardize traditional Hmong customs. 1 The role of the arts within ethnic identity formation has been documented widely, including the role of music, theater, and community change; murals and photography within urban spaces; and ways in which the arts are connected specifically to culture within schools. Certainly the arts have played a tremendous role in the lives of Hmong people. Mai Neng Moua writes of Laos, "We Hmong lived our art? It was such an integral part of our everyday lives that there was no separation between what was art and what was culture." Traditional Hmong arts still practiced in the United States include sewing paj ntaub, playing instruments such as qeej, singing and dancing, and storytelling. Pajntaub traditionally contains intricate geometric paterns; since the 1970s, it also represents folktales and real history, such as the flight of Hmong refugees from Laos. Traditional instruments played by Hmong people range from the blowing of leaves, to flutes, to qeej, an instrument that has a particular importance at Hmong funerals. At a New Year celebration, one might hear the poignant sounds of a traditional Hmong song or view the stylized, intricate paterns of hand and foot movements associated with a traditional dance. Storytelling is an art that allows Hmong people-and, in fact, all cultures-to pass on important information, ideas, and beliefs to younger generations.2 This chapter focuses on the role of arts in the identity of four young Hmong Americans. For these young people, painting, animation, hiphop, and drama may provide different tools not available in the traditional arts, yet the influence of tradition is present in their lives. In weaving together disparate cultural styles with elements of traditional arts, these four Hmong Americans are transforming their own identities as well as the community around them. © 2012 by the Minnesota Historical Society. All rights reserved.

ISBN:

9780873518482 (ISBN)

Identifier:

HmongStudies1295