Opening the way: hmong kinship and belonging in far north queensland
Author(s):
Wieberg, G. L.
Format:
Thesis
Degree granted:
Ph.D.
Publisher:
Ann Arbor : Queen's University Belfast (United Kingdom), 2010.
Pages:
1
Language:
English
Abstract:
This thesis weaves together an account of the resettlement experiences of the Hmong community, who resided in the coastal city of Cairns, Australia, and its immediate surrounds between July 2006 and July 2007. It explores the impact that the diasporic movement from Laos has had upon the structure, beliefs and customs of Hmong families. The thesis is divided into 5 chapters. The Introduction covers the methodology, ethics and the central concepts employed throughout the thesis. Chapter 1 discusses the paths Hmong refugees took in order to get to Australia. In particular, the chapter examines the ways in which the legacy of the “White Australia” policy has affected the shape of the Hmong community in Far North Queensland (FNQ). It focuses on patterns of sponsorship, in order to illuminate the interaction of divergent cultural concepts of family and kin. Chapter 2 considers the relationship between ritual practice and kin identities. As such, it describes the impact of diaspora on communally held ritual knowledge and subsequently kin reckoning. Chapter 3 investigates the ideologies driving internal migration within Australia and the concept of the ‘house’. Tracking several families’ journeys since arrival, the chapter looks at previous migration patterns within Laos to assess the degree of continuity and change. Chapter 4 compares first generation and second generation attitudes towards choosing spouses, reasons for marriage, and the process of divorce. Chapter 5, attempts to chart the extent of language retention within the FNQ community. At the end of the thesis, the author reflects upon the (dis)junctures between global processes of diaspora and the experiences of locally situated families. Overall, the author concludes that whilst kinship concepts show consistency with Southeast Asia pasts, emplacement in Australia has fundamentally altered the knowledge base upon which kinship was conceived.