cultural lessons...lesson number 1.

[yaweh]

whenever i have time, i will be posting a few cultural "explanations" in here for all to know/learn.  and hopefully, through these things, we will learn many more things from each other...

long time ago, the arrow was used to "xa xov"...this is why mong still say "ib xib xub ntsia nej qab taw rooj.."  this arrow is given to the bride's side of the family.  in return another arrow is given (exchanged) to the groom.  we do not practice this ritual anymore.  however, we still exchange other possessions... such as "diav, riam, cows etc..."  the good thing is, although we don't exchange the arrow anymore, this arrow is still used during funerals.  in the old days, the groom would keep that arrow until the death of his wife/or himself.  that arrow is then, used mus hu qhua...given as evidence of "death" of their daughter and/or vauv...this is why peb mus hu qhua, peb thiaj li coj ib xib xub mus hu qhua (especially niam txiv dab...because that arrow orginally belong to him).  niam txiv dab also gave a cow (lub ncauj tsiag given during the wedding) to vauv...and thus niam txiv dab yuav tuaj tu nyuj....

so, vim li no peb mus hu qhua peb thiaj li coj xib xub ntawm hauv pliaj.

yaweh

[DonJuan]

It'll be great to give a cultural lesson in the international language!
Me no read Hmong.

[yuknowthat]

whenever i have time, i will be posting a few cultural "explanations" in here for all to know/learn.  and hopefully, through these things, we will learn many more things from each other...

long time ago, the arrow was used to "xa xov"...this is why mong still say "ib xib xub ntsia nej qab taw rooj.."  this arrow is given to the bride's side of the family.  in return another arrow is given (exchanged) to the groom.  we do not practice this ritual anymore.  however, we still exchange other possessions... such as "diav, riam, cows etc..."  the good thing is, although we don't exchange the arrow anymore, this arrow is still used during funerals.  in the old days, the groom would keep that arrow until the death of his wife/or himself.  that arrow is then, used mus hu qhua...given as evidence of "death" of their daughter and/or vauv...this is why peb mus hu qhua, peb thiaj li coj ib xib xub mus hu qhua (especially niam txiv dab...because that arrow orginally belong to him).  niam txiv dab also gave a cow (lub ncauj tsiag given during the wedding) to vauv...and thus niam txiv dab yuav tuaj tu nyuj....

so, vim li no peb mus hu qhua peb thiaj li coj xib xub ntawm hauv pliaj.

yaweh

i thought lub ncauj tsiag would be *money to yuav tu nyuaj rau niam txiv dab tuaj tua rau tus ntxhais los nyab ." because vim tias when the daughter gets married, niam txiv tom nos muab nyiaj phij cuam ua lub ncauj tsiag.

[yaweh]

in laos, ncauj tsiag (those who have it) ces muab kiag ib tus tsiaj tiag tiag....cov uas tsi muaj tsiaj ces muab 1 choj tej ua lub ncauj tsiag mus yuav menyuam nyuj los yug. regardless if you killed the cow and buys one later for the funeral, tus tsiaj ces yog lub ncauj tsiag mas.

[MSV]

Interesting. I'll have to take it one sentence at a time. There's so much to learn here. Thank you for taking your time to share. I definitely will stop by this thread more often to see what's in store for us. We are the holders to tomorrow's culture, traditions and customs so I at least want to do my part and learn as much as I can.