“Preserving Heritage and Building Community: The Story of Hmong Culture and the Newton Cultural Center”

When you think back to the old times, putting on a traditional Hmong phuam txoom suab used to be quite a task that needed skillful hands to wrap the fabric into a headpiece. Elizabeth Thao, sharing her insights, explains that things are much simpler nowadays. She places a pre-wrapped purple cloth on her head as an example.

Thao tells us that the phuam txoom suab is something she really loves having. It’s pretty versatile and can be worn with many modern Hmong outfits. But it’s cool to know that it was originally worn by Hmong girls during their weddings or for the Hmong New Year festivities.

You can easily see how much Thao values her culture as she chats about traditional Hmong clothing, decorations, and other items. She’s been collecting a bunch of Hmong artifacts and wants to make sure Hmong history and culture stay alive through them.

Now, Thao is putting her energy into organizing a fundraiser. It’s all aimed at helping out the Hmong Cultural Center in Newton. They’ve got big dreams of raising $500,000, which will be a huge boost for the Hmong Southeast Puavpheej (HSP).

This center already has a 47-acre space of land that’s all set up and ready for building, according to Thao.

So, what’s the big deal about this cultural center? Well, it’s got some pretty awesome goals. First off, it wants to be a place where Hmong history is preserved and shared. Plus, it’s going to honor the Hmong veterans who bravely fought during the Vietnam War.

Speaking of which, did you know that during the Vietnam War, the United States asked many Hmong people to help out? They played a big role in disrupting the activities of North Vietnamese communists and the Pathet Lao. This part of the war is sometimes called the secret war, as the Hmong American Center explains.

After all the turmoil of the secret war and the Vietnam conflict, things got really tough for the Hmong. The governments of Laos and Vietnam went after them, and sadly, more than 35,000 Hmong folks lost their lives, as documented by the Hmong American Center. Many Hmong sought refuge in countries like those in Europe and the West. A lot of them found a new home in the United States.

Thao tells us that North Carolina became a favorite spot for many Hmong people to settle down because the mountains there reminded them of their homeland in Laos.

But what’s the grand vision for this cultural center? Thao paints a pretty picture. They want it to be a hub of education, not only for the Hmong community but also for everyone around. They’re excited to share their story, where they came from, and why their journey led them here.

Thao is worried that some of the cool traditions of her generation might get lost along the way. She’s sad to see the Hmong language slowly fading, even though her kids can understand it, they mostly answer with short words.

To tackle this, the cultural center is planning to offer classes. They’re not just going to teach reading and writing in Hmong, but also cool stuff like traditional embroidery and cooking Hmong food. It sounds like a fantastic way to keep the culture alive and thriving!