Hmong International New Year Foundation, Inc.


 Hmong American

 The majority of Hmong in the United States are from Laos, thus the celebration in the United States are similar to the Laotian New Year celebration.

The following are adaptations:

  • Sporting events for Hmong in the US exclude cock fighting, bull fighting, and kicking matches. Hmong sports in the US are soccer, basketball, takrow, volleyball, and golf.
  • Hmong in the US host a beauty pageant, whereas in Laos, true beauty is believed to be within a person and not on the surface of the skin and cannot therefore be determined at a glance.
  • Hmong in the US have singing and dancing contests; the talent contests in Laos are to see who wins the hearts of others, be it in courtship, poetic singing, bull fighting, or farming. 
  • Pov pob in Laos/Thailand consists of lines of women on one side and men on the other; Hmong in the US exercise the freedom from lines.
  • Singing and dancing are talents displayed in the US; kwv txhiaj, lus taum (poetic singings) are those displayed in Laos/Thailand.
  • Kwv txhiaj fill the tshav qaib venue in Laos/Thailand; loud music filled the venue in the US.

Preserving culture, language and heritage.

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