Hmong also may wear accessories such as red necklaces made from silver and brass, white cloths around their wrists, and red or white strings on their wrists, necks, or ankles. Synonyms for facial features include features, appearance, countenance, face, lineaments, looks, mien, physiognomy, profile and visage. Whether the guest wants to eat or not, he or she should take part in the meal, just taking a bite or two will make the family happy. In the US, many Hmong now use the Western pattern of the given name first, followed by the clan name, and some women adopt their husbands clan name as their own. The biggest barrier is the cost of conventional health services. In addition, Hmong is mono-syllabic so one syllable represents one word or meaning. In Seattle, the Lao Highland Community Center is a membership organization located at 3925 S. Bozeman St., in the Rainier Valley. Indulgence cannot be defined in the Hmong culture or Hmong people. New Year celebrations are still a time of courtship and result in many marriages. The most common translation of Hmong clan names to facilitate American pronunciation is the following (with the common English spelling first, and the Hmong spelling in parenthesis): : Chang (Tsab); Chue (Tswb); Cheng (Tsheej); Fang (Faj); Her (Hawj); Hang (Taag White Hmong/Haam Green Hmong); Khang (Khab): Kong (Koo): Kue (Kwm); Lee (Lis); Lor (Lauj): Moua (Muas/Zag); Pha (Phab): Thao (Thoj): Vang (Vaj White Hmong /Vaaj Green Hmong): Vue (Vwj); Xiong (Xyooj): and Yang (Yaj). New villages could be a considerable distance away from a groups previous locale. From main page access theOnline Research Library at http://www.hmonglibrary.org/. According to the 200 Census, statistics pertaining to the socio-economics of Hmong Americans include a poverty rate of 38% for all ages, per capita income of $6,613, median family income of $32,224, average household size of 7 or more persons. The ritual/magic healer learns his craft from other healers, healing power, and helping spirits. House spirits are believed to inhabit each corner of a Hmong house. The concept of contagion is not new to the Hmong in understanding diseases like TB and Chickenpox. In general, Hmong believe a couple is ready for marriage when they are able to handle the responsibilities, socially and economically, of having a family. Hmong Ethnic Group - Features & Characteristics - Vietnam Local Tour Thousands of Hmong tried to escape from Laos across the Mekong River into Thailand. Traditionally, the Hmong practiced the shifting cultivation of unirrigated upland crops; buckwheat, barley, and millet were grown at the highest altitudes, and rice and corn (maize) at lower elevations. A family may show up unexpectedly and still be warmly welcomed inside. The groom enlists the help of his male clan relatives to raise the dowry. From 1963-1975 during the Vietnam War and the CIAs secret war in Laos, the Hmong were recruited for their military skill and trained and fought on the side of the United States. In Laos, bottle-feeding was not an option for Hmong mothers due to the high cost and inaccessibility of formula and cows milk. Hmong American Concepts of Health, Healing and Conventional Medicine (pp. In US cities, the New Year is held on different dates so people can attend more than one localitys celebration. The head of the household in a Hmong family is usually the father, though the mother also has a highly respected role at home and in some ways, especially in child rearing and daily household affairs, she is the leader of the family. However, under the oppression of the armies of the last dynasty in China, the Hmong rose in rebellion. For themselves, women made the pleated skirts and embroidered clothing which remains the traditional dress. (See Researchers Note: Hmong population figures and self-name.). There are some university-level courses offered in the language. Extended families often live together under the same roof, though may separate to different dwellings as siblings marry and have children. Before the wedding date is set, long negotiations are held at the brides home, beginning with the groom demonstrating his respect to the brides ancestors and living elders. Powerful roles exist for men and women in Hmong culture, though in the US there is disruption in gender roles based on economic need and acceptance of American ways. Traditionally, Hmong women who are close to each other share hugs as that of American greetings. Human souls are differentiated from spirits and are the spiritual energy inside a persons body, believed to dwell in the physical world. Traditionally, women are hard working and hospitable, primarily caring for the household and raising children, not going to school or holding a job outside the home. People may perceive they are receiving sub-par care because they are poor, lack insurance, are seen for so little time by the doctor, or feel the doctors impatience. Washington, D.C., St. Paul, Minnesota. Health Information in Hmong (Hmoob) - MedlinePlus The leader at the family level can be a powerful and influential person in the community. To their American neighbors who live nearby in Merced and Fresno, these rituals are seen as inhumane and violent. Households are classified by the race or detailed Asian group of the head. Visalia, CA 93291, Hmong Womens Heritage Association In the U.S. problems of iron-deficiency in children older than 1 year old have occurred when parents continue to give bottles of cows milk in the same quantities as formula had been given, in lieu of a more iron-rich diet of solid foods. Chinese text suggests the Hmong originated in 2300 B.C. phone: (209) 724-0102; fax: (209) 724-0153. When talking to less assimilated Hmong persons it may be necessary to repeat questions and allow extra time for responses. This is still practiced by some clan members. Variations in rituals are found in the practices among different clans and lineages and are passed down from generation to generation through oral tradition. In the homeland, all the household members go the farm and come back home together; or in a situation where a child did go to school, the parents would be back from the farm when school is out. Q. Hmong Association of Washington A traditional animist practices shamanism. (Culhane-Pera, et. Sometimes a shaman acts as a political leader, as there is no specifically Hmong political institution above the level of the village or local descent group. Feelings of isolation and helplessness (due to physical health or acculturation factors like lack of English language skills) are possible reasons for many of the undiagnosed/untreated mental health cases among Hmong adults and elderly. "In California, the celebration lasts a week and 100,000 people will be there," Lor said. For instance, if the first child is a boy, it is said that the daughter in-law/wife has brought good fortune. The Hmong dog is a new dog breed that is rapidly gaining popularity; it is originally from Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam. (Hmong Cultural Center, 2000)As well as uniting a man and a woman, the Hmong marriage rituals unite 2 families in a formal relationship. When entering a Hmong home during mealtime, guests will be invited to join the family in eating. Hmong believe that if a bad spirit hears such comments, it might come and take the childs soul away. The reincarnation soul leaves the body at death and is reborn in another beings body. Shamans are usually well known, well respected, and mostly male though some are female, and are key figures in traditional culture. Economics/jobs: Many parents must both work in order to earn a living or to pursue their economic goals, leaving many teenage kids home alone. Fathers pass animist ritual traditions to their sons. According to the 2000 census, the Hmong are the only ethnically based population with a median age under 20. Shamans are people who mediate between the visible and spirit worlds through ritual practices conducted for purposes of healing, divination, and control over natural events . When entering a Hmong home, a seat or chair will be offered. Dictionary Entries near facial features. In Thailand, where many Hmong joined the Communist Party during the 1960s, they earned a reputation as enemies of the state for that reason. Professor, Department of Anthropology, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies at Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. US studies have shown high rates of depression, often related to the life situation difficulties of the Hmong refugee especially difficulties of adjusting to life in the US. Kinship is based on marriage and descent. The Indochinese Farm Project, funded by a Seattle city block grant and by the King County Park Commission from 1983 through 1990, helped some Hmong and other former farmers from Laos learn about Seattle soil, weather, marketing, and business practices. They settled in the mountains of northern Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Hostile spirits, spells, curses and a violation of taboos are other factors believed to cause illness. Human Anatomy Fundamentals: Basics of the Face Human Anatomy Fundamentals: Mastering Facial Expressions Ancestral spirits include any deceased member of the family. A soul calling ceremony is required to cure the sick person. Boys moved from village to village for the purpose of meeting girls and participating in festivals where they had relatives. See also China: People. But when the Chinese began limiting their. (Hmong Cultural Center, 2000), Having children is important in Hmong culture. Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. Language: Limited or no English language skill is still a problem faced by many Hmong people who had less than 5 years of formal or adult education. New Year (traditionally marking the end of one agricultural year and start of next) is a time for family reunions, community gatherings and meeting prospective mates/partners. During the early days when Hmong started settling in the US, a Hmong neighborhood was filled with people who knew each other. Also retrieved September 19, 2006, from http://hndinc.org/content/view/41/. Hmong were victims or witnesses to terror bombings, murder, rape, drowning, starvation, displacement and discrimination. Post-traumatic stress disorder may be prevalent among Hmong in the United States. People travel from afar, even across the country, to join different New Years events. Hmong society is organized through a number of patrilineal clans with Chinese surnames such as Li, Wang, and Yang. Hmong rituals usually revolve around the practices that their ancestors passed onto them. From ancient days in Vietnam, this dog was used as a hunting dog by the people of Hmong. Multiple-choice. Modern health care is believed to be beneficial, but traditional diagnosis and treatment (either herbal or spiritual) may be used first. In the 20th century the Hmong of Southeast Asia were divided by the conflicts between communist parties and states. Can find topics such as Hmong Clans, Traditional Hmong Religion, Etiquette for Interacting with the Hmong, Information for Visitors to a Hmong Home http://www.hmongcc.org/ Hmong is an advanced oral language and highly expressive; it includes proverbs, poem-songs, plain language of morality tales and ancestral stories, flowery speech of elders, code speech of sweethearts, and antique language of wedding and funeral rituals. Babies were weaned when another child was born. E. in northern central Asia, the area of present day Mongolia. Children are still young when they begin helping in the farming. In the United States, the changing roles between the young and the old has altered the traditional social structure, with older members relying on the younger people for language and income assistance. Reviewer(s): Dao Moua, Program Manager of Kashia Health and AANCART at Hmong Womens Heritage Association, Sacramento, CA 1729 Canal Street Merced, CA 95340 If the visitor does not sit on the familys furniture, family members might assume that the visitor thinks that something is wrong with their furniture, or that the visitor assumes a higher status than the family. Anyone without money is denied conventional medical services even for life-threatening but preventable health conditions, such as diarrhea in young children. In Laos, infants were carried on their mothers backs. Natural hazards include floods and droughts and current environmental issues include unexploded ordnance (landmines), deforestation and soil erosion. 4, 20, 36-37). From the late 19th through the 20th century the Hmong have periodically risen up in armed revolt against colonial and postcolonial authorities, a response to the exploitation and hardship imposed by more dominant peoples. The sense of being neighbors was also practiced on the farm. The best time to explore the Hmong Ethnic group is during their festivals. In the early 1990s many UN refugee camps in Thailand were closed and Hmong who remained there were forced to move to a non-UN camp at the Thai Buddhist temple Wat Tham Krabok, where suffering continued, especially isolation from not being allowed to go outside of the camp. Link no longer available, 2010. Every clan possessed skilled persons who served as healers, marriage brokers, teachers, and disciplinarians. He cannot think of anything that makes today . Having a youthful-looking face a babyface, as it were is desirable. When there is a challenge in a nuclear family setting, it is best resolved within that unit. Consider Lead and Other Heavy Metal Toxicities in the Evaluation of Nonspecific Symptoms, Health and Health Care of Hmong American Older Adults - Stanford, Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC). For Green Hmong the adult name is giving by the husbands parents. Women should drink hot or warm water after birth. Through pleas for asylum brought by Hmong human rights groups in the U.S., in June 2004 refugees from Wat Tham Krabok began arriving in the U.S. Former CIA Director Colby credited Hmong with saving thousands of U.S. soldiers by blocking the North Vietnamese from extending the Ho Chi Minh Trail into Laos. The organization was established by a coalition of Mien, Hmong and Khmuu people in May 2005, after eight years of planning. (Mote, 2004), Among American Hmong, fewer mothers are breast-feeding than in previous times. Hmong 101. Decades later, many Hmong in Thailand still continue to lack citizenship rights or proper titles to the land they cultivate. The dialects take their names from the differences in style and color of men and womens traditional clothing. These accessories may be worn for health and religious purposes. It is considered to be impolite to simply decline a drink, food or gift offered to you. The countrys major means of transportation is the Mekong River. The New Years game typically provided an outlet for the emergence of more intense romances. If you compare Mongolians to south Han Chin. In the 1800s, faced with political persecution, depleted soil fertility and increasing population pressure, some Hmong migrated into Southeast Asia. The marriage event is the creation of a new family, a bond between the couple and the families, and a strengthening of past family and community connections in the people present. A couple may elope or marry without parental permission, but the more usual and proper custom involves the groom, or a go-between, gaining permission of the brides parents, or an engagement is arranged by both sets of parents. Historically, neighborhoods were marked by a sense of caring and trust regardless of the clan name (last name). Traditionally they should eat hot rice and chicken soup with special herbs for 30 days post partum. Traditionally, the engagement follows a strict protocol of negotiations held between the brides parents and the groom, with the support of his male relatives. 1531 Bradner Place South Culhane-Pera, K.A., Vawter, D. E., Xiong, P., Babbitt, B., & Solberg, M. M (Eds.). Hmong neighborhoods that are still more visible are those in California and Minnesota. It is a community-gathering place, and offers programs for children such as after school tutoring and classes in traditional dance, language and arts. In Laos, women lay by fires. It is considered inappropriate to tell the visitors there is no time to visit. Within a lineage, there is an elder man, usually the oldest living descendant, who is the head leader, assuming major responsibilities over his lineage, resolving problems and conducting group ceremonies. They were slowly driven southward and marginalized by the expanding population of the Han Chinese. The Hmong culture is a minority here, so they are often treated unfairly. He directs the spirits toward the patients aliments through different media like bowls of water, knives or breath. If a person is of a particular clan, he is automatically welcomed into the house of another clan member, even if they do not personally know each other. Some are professional teachers, social workers or interpreters. Men have a higher status than women publicly, while women hold their power more privately. They sold opium to itinerant traders, usually Chinese, in return for silver. Some Christian Hmong label traditional animist practices as sinful. What is another word for facial features - WordHippo Some biomedical treatments may conflict with Hmong belief. When the guest leaves, they are encouraged to come back and visit (mus hos tuaj). Before entering a Hmong home, ask if visitors are allowed to enter. Every person has a number of souls who may wander away from the body or be trapped by evil spirits, causing illness, and it is the shamans job to diagnose this and to retrieve the soul (see shamanism; soul loss). In spoken Hmong, ideas are wrapped in words in a non-linear way. The first Hmong refugees began arriving in the US in late 1975, mostly sponsored by religious groups and non-profit organizations. The wandering soul leaves the body during dreams or to play with other souls or spirits. Social Psychology Exam 2 (CH. 6-10) Flashcards | Quizlet A traditional Hmong belief is that ill health may be the result of the soul wandering from the body unable to find its way home. Laos covers about ninety-one thousand square miles, an area similar to that of the United Kingdom or slightly larger than Utah. In the US, the gap between household incomes has resulted in decreased community coherence. Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC) The husband traditionally gets custody of the children in cases of splits or divorce (this is still the norm in the US), though traditionally divorce is not common. Persons of the same clan or sub-clan without any known blood relationship refer to one another as relatives.