Caption: Travel through time with us to an age long past
of warriors on horses,
and epic battles through mountains
If you have never heard of the Hmong people, this page will give you a
quick summary of their history. Also, take a look at the timeline
if you wish. At the bottom there are various links which you may click
on to lead you to other Hmong pages, with content ranging from stores,
history and culture, and Internet Communities. The links are provided
for purposes of research and general knowledge and neither First
Baptist Church of Irving nor the HBCC take responsibility for any of
the contents of said links.
History Summary
On the Asian continent, the Hmong people have a strong concentration in
southern China and Southeast Asia (Laos, Thailand, etc...). They are a
small ethnic group and still relatively little is known about them.
Their history in Asia mostly involves persecution, and so many fled
from China to the Southeast. Their involvement in the Vietnam War was
both a tragedy and a blessing. In this war, they lost 2/3 of their
population, as the Viet Minh singled them out for annhilation.
Ironically, this war also opened new paths for them. Many survivors
were taken to other countries as refugees, and after the initial
culture shock, the Hmong people have managed to make a life for
themselves in their new homes.
Currently, there are Hmong populations in
Australia, western Europe, and North and South America.
Interesting information about the Hmong
people:
- Chinese history begins mentioning the
Hmong people in 2500 BC, although records show Hmong being in China
since 3000 BC.
- Early European missionaries who came into
contact with the Hmong people in China spoke of light-haired (light
brown/blonde) and light-eyed (blueish) individuals. These individuals,
they wrote, looked more European than Asian. The question is, then, are
the Hmong people a Eurasian culture that became assimilated into the
Asian/Chinese culture, or are they an Asian culture that may have mixed
with European genes? Anthropological evidence points to an origin
outside of Asia (possibly Siberia).
- The Hmong written language was lost
during the Shang Dynasty (1600 - 1028 BC) when the Shang forbade Hmong
writing. Legend says that Hmong paj ntaub ("flower
cloth" cross-stitching) was the Hmong people's way of communicating in
secret codes. The Hmong people did not regain a written language again
until the French Missionaries in the 1800s romanized their language.
Today, paj ntaub is mostly for decorative use or
folk art.
- From the 5th to 10th centuries AD, the
Hmong experienced a time of significant political power, becoming such
a daunting force that the Chinese erected a small-scale wall on the
Hunan-Kweichow border to help ward them off. They were never strong
enough to overthrow the Chinese, but they were stubborn enough to
consistently annoy them.
- The Hmong were experts in guerilla
warfare, using their experience on the mountaintops to sabatoge Chinese
soldiers in the valley. This guerilla expertise later also helped them
during the Vietnam War.
- A legend explains that during the Sung
Dynasty (221 BC - 1367 AD), the Hmong were forced to wear clothes of
different designs, as an attempt to psychologically and physically
separate them so as to deter future rebellions. This possibly
explains why there are White Hmong, Green Hmong, Flower Hmong, Striped
Hmong, etc, today.
- In 1776, while America was gaining their
independence from Britain, the Hmong rebellion was squashed by the
Chinese. Due to the incident, the Hmong migrated en masse towards
Southeast Asia.
- The Hong Kong film Swordsman
starring Jet Li revolves around the conflicts between Chinese and
Hmong, with a supernatural twist. Rosamund Kwan stars as the Hmong
protagonist.
Some great books to read for more details:
- Cubbs, Joanne. "Hmong Art: Tradition and
Change." Hmong Art: Tradition and Change.
Sheboygan, Wisconson. John Michael Kohler Arts Center. 1986.
- Hamilton-Merritt, Jane. Tragic
Mountains: the Hmong, the Americans, and the Secret
Wars for Laos, 1942-1992. Bloomington, Indiana. Indiana
University Press. 1993.
- Miyares, Ines. The Hmong
Refugee Experience in the United States: Crossing the River.
Garland Publishing, Inc. New York 1998.
- Quincy, Keith. Hmong: History
of a People. Eastern Washington University Press.
1993.
- Trueba, Henry T. Cultural
Conflict and Adaptation: The Case of Hmong Children in American Society.
The Falmer Press, New York 1990.
|
Church Staff