Spring Break
Hmong history examined
Speaker at Hmong Culture Fest addressed group's situation in Thailand, United States
Rob Hanson
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News
At the 19th installment of the Hmong Culture Fest Saturday afternoon, a room of around 150 people was asked how many of them had been born in Laos. Roughly a third of the quiet crowd raised a hand.
When asked how many were born in Thailand or in the United States, about the same number acknowledged.
But when asked how many knew the history of the Hmong, no one stirred. And that was exactly why Thua Vang was there.
As the event's keynote speaker, Vang, a researcher and media consultant on Hmong issues, presented a brief history of the Hmong people and their current situation in Thailand as part of a day of Hmong history and culture in the Council Fire Room of the Davies Center.
Hosted by the Hmong Student Association, the event comprised a wide array of Hmong culture exhibits, including an embroidery workshop, folk song workshop, art collections, food and plenty of entertainment.
Vang's agenda, however, was not about food, fun or games.
The speaker, who has been on the Fact Finding Commission since 2002 and has worked with news outlets such as BBC, CNN and Time Magazine, took the audience to the vast, green jungles of Thailand where many Hmong are holed-up in an effort to avoid being murdered and tortured.
"I was among them, we were among them and now we should never forget about them," he said.
The presentation outlined the Hmong's crucial role in helping U.S. forces fend off the Vietnamese during the Vietnam War.
After the Hmong were expelled from Laos, they lived in the mountains of Thailand, where they became allies with U.S. troops and trained to fight communist troops. Many have stayed since the United States' departure in 1975, Vang said.
Since then, Vietnamese troops have vowed revenge on the Hmong for aiding the U.S. in the war and the Laotian government has simply denied their existence, Vang said, adding that an estimated 46,000 Hmong were killed after the pull out by American troops and nearly 300,000 were chased into hiding in the mountains of Thailand.
When asked how many were born in Thailand or in the United States, about the same number acknowledged.
But when asked how many knew the history of the Hmong, no one stirred. And that was exactly why Thua Vang was there.
As the event's keynote speaker, Vang, a researcher and media consultant on Hmong issues, presented a brief history of the Hmong people and their current situation in Thailand as part of a day of Hmong history and culture in the Council Fire Room of the Davies Center.
Hosted by the Hmong Student Association, the event comprised a wide array of Hmong culture exhibits, including an embroidery workshop, folk song workshop, art collections, food and plenty of entertainment.
Vang's agenda, however, was not about food, fun or games.
The speaker, who has been on the Fact Finding Commission since 2002 and has worked with news outlets such as BBC, CNN and Time Magazine, took the audience to the vast, green jungles of Thailand where many Hmong are holed-up in an effort to avoid being murdered and tortured.
"I was among them, we were among them and now we should never forget about them," he said.
The presentation outlined the Hmong's crucial role in helping U.S. forces fend off the Vietnamese during the Vietnam War.
After the Hmong were expelled from Laos, they lived in the mountains of Thailand, where they became allies with U.S. troops and trained to fight communist troops. Many have stayed since the United States' departure in 1975, Vang said.
Since then, Vietnamese troops have vowed revenge on the Hmong for aiding the U.S. in the war and the Laotian government has simply denied their existence, Vang said, adding that an estimated 46,000 Hmong were killed after the pull out by American troops and nearly 300,000 were chased into hiding in the mountains of Thailand.
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Chuck Mahoney
posted 7/16/08 @ 10:49 AM CST
I have been married to a Hmong for the passed 3 years. I have been with my wife for almost 9 years. She is very Hmong( ha ha ) and many mis-understanding have happen to us. (Continued…)
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