18 Clan Foundation = Hmong Achilles’ Heel

[GhostRider]

 “An Achilles’ heel is a deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, that can actually or potentially lead to downfall”

The Achilles’ heel of us Hmong has been our last name(Self Inflicting).  For centuries the Hmong have used their last name as a mean of preventing each other from prosperity, pulling chairs from under each other.  Becoming nomadic, always on the move, no country to call home was due to this reason.  The existence of this organization just solidified the existence of our Achilles’ heel.  We need to get rid of this mentality instead of making it more apparent.  Will history repeat itself?

[Reporter]

I'm glad to see such statements being made. I've heard people say similar things around our community these days. Those who want to cling onto clan powers want to promote it. Those who want to move on for better unity want to let it go.

It is very obvious that we have seen the clan system as a problem in our community.  Feuds have arisen from it. Our descendants are affected by things they had never been involved with. The feuds have impacted not just our political positions but also our marriages and even our jobs and educational endeavors, e.g. if a Yang is advancing educationally, a Vang would try to destroy it. Just look at how much the community has tried to take out YD's Ph.D. even when that's not possible to do.

If we want to keep the clan system, we need to develop better understandings among ourselves so that it will not divide us anymore.

“An Achilles’ heel is a deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, that can actually or potentially lead to downfall”

The Achilles’ heel of us Hmong has been our last name(Self Inflicting).  For centuries the Hmong have used their last name as a mean of preventing each other from prosperity, pulling chairs from under each other.  Becoming nomadic, always on the move, no country to call home was due to this reason.  The existence of this organization just solidified the existence of our Achilles’ heel.  We need to get rid of this mentality instead of making it more apparent.  Will history repeat itself?

[magicofju]

I thought it was so people would avoid tabooing with each other too? For instance, since my name is Pa and my clan last name is Vang, and if we get rid of all the 18 clan names, what would our last names be legally then? Hmong? So my new name is going to Pa Hmong? My dad's name is Nhia, so would his name be Nhia Hmong too?

Reporter would be now known as Eric Fong Hmong? 

[Reporter]

I thought it was so people would avoid tabooing with each other too? For instance, since my name is Pa and my clan last name is Vang, and if we get rid of all the 18 clan names, what would our last names be legally then? Hmong? So my new name is going to Pa Hmong? My dad's name is Nhia, so would his name be Nhia Hmong too?

Reporter would be now known as Eric Fong Hmong? 

Hey, that makes us the same family, right? Come, let's give thanks to the same ancestors.

[magicofju]

Nah, I'll keep the last name I was born with until I marry whoever   We should all be proud of our last names, there's 18 clan names out there so we should not change it or drop it. Nor should we use our last names to compete, advance or feel mightier than other clans either. I have a lot of cousins and inlaws that are Ly/Lee, Cha, Thao, Moua, Yang, Vue, Xiong, because my dad has a lot of sisters and brothers that married into those clans.

I don't think 18 Clan Councils across the nation are going to go anywhere either, maybe just modify and correct some of the issues, and hopefully learn to be more open hearted and minded towards each other.

[Reporter]

If we want to keep the clan system, we need to develop better understandings among ourselves so that it will not divide us anymore.

[3miao]

When it comes to politics, it does not matter what people call themselves there will always be people against you.  It is just the way life is.  There will always be people who can only find happiness when others are hurting.  The key is to limit these people's ability to cause problems.

[hmongperson]

“An Achilles’ heel is a deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, that can actually or potentially lead to downfall”

The Achilles’ heel of us Hmong has been our last name(Self Inflicting).  For centuries the Hmong have used their last name as a mean of preventing each other from prosperity, pulling chairs from under each other.  Becoming nomadic, always on the move, no country to call home was due to this reason.  The existence of this organization just solidified the existence of our Achilles’ heel.  We need to get rid of this mentality instead of making it more apparent.  Will history repeat itself?

An "Achilles' Heel" is an excellent way of describing the clan names. However, I don't think we should abandon it all together. We lack a common enemy, and so that would explain why we attack each other. Hitler had to create an "enemy" for to get the German people fighting under the same banner. And, as many of you are aware, Germany use to be compromised of numerous principalities vying for power. The United States was also on the same boat. What we need is a common goal, a common enemy.

[Reporter]

An "Achilles' Heel" is an excellent way of describing the clan names. However, I don't think we should abandon it all together. We lack a common enemy, and so that would explain why we attack each other. Hitler had to create an "enemy" for to get the German people fighting under the same banner. And, as many of you are aware, Germany use to be compromised of numerous principalities vying for power. The United States was also on the same boat. What we need is a common goal, a common enemy.

I wonder why we haven't learned all these centuries of moving around. Did we never have a common enemy or two?

[hmongperson]

I wonder why we haven't learned all these centuries of moving around. Did we never have a common enemy or two?

I'm sure we had plenty of enemies, but they were anything but common. There is always one or two people who was always on the side of the enemy. I don't think we can say we have a common enemy then can we?

[Reporter]

I'm sure we had plenty of enemies, but they were anything but common. There is always one or two people who was always on the side of the enemy. I don't think we can say we have a common enemy then can we?

An enemy does not have to be a physical human enemy. A culture's enemy can even be within itself--internal conflicts within its own community. Generational marital feudalism is one good example.

[3miao]

The problem was not enenmy.  The problem was success.  What happens when a leader dies?  Either the leadership is divided or a struggle for power.  If the Yelang are Hmong,  looking at that kingdom there was no one to replace the dead king.  Without a leader, all the other tribes went their separate way.  Another thing is that the kingdom never went beyond an agrarian society.   The allocation of resources was inefficient.  There was no standing army to perfect Hmong art of war.  No matter how fierce a people is in war, individuals fight against a group is out classed.  The Romans proved that against the Gauls, Celtic, Vandals, etc.

In term of individuals working for the enemy, everyone has that problem.  When Alexander fought the Persians, the fought against fellow Greeks.  When Ceasar became emperor, he fought against fellow Romans.  It is just a minor problem to overcome.

[Xyooj96]

“An Achilles’ heel is a deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, that can actually or potentially lead to downfall”

The Achilles’ heel of us Hmong has been our last name(Self Inflicting).  For centuries the Hmong have used their last name as a mean of preventing each other from prosperity, pulling chairs from under each other.  Becoming nomadic, always on the move, no country to call home was due to this reason.  The existence of this organization just solidified the existence of our Achilles’ heel.  We need to get rid of this mentality instead of making it more apparent.  Will history repeat itself?

this has been debated 20 years ago 

why don't the Jews just call themselves with the same last name, such as Thomas Jews, Johnny Jews, etc?
why don't the Americans just not use American as their surname, such as Jim American, Dan American, etc?

titles and wealth can be earned, but in Hmong last name you have to be born into !!

it's always the uneducated, idiots, psycho, etc that are always fighting....it's all about self-interest that's dividing every person from any other person.

[3miao]

The success of any society is its strenght not its weaknesses.  Everyone has weaknesses.  Lets look at the US during WWII.  American had some of the worst weapon systems during the war.  The Sherman was a mobile coffin because its gun was over matched and its armor was only 4 inches thick at its thickess point.  Until 1945, the US airplanes could not stand against the Germans.  When the Americans entered the African campaign, they wete destroyed by the Germans in the first battle. Yet, America won the war.  America won with its vast resources and industrial might.

During the Korean War, the Chinese were outmatch on every thing except man power.  The Chinese still held its ground.  During the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese again were outclass on everything except determination.  They won.

What does thst.say/  It's all about strengths.

[HPA]

Clan Power = "what and why again?"