So my parents are really americanized, how do i stop the haters?

[morninglory]

What do you need to do to be consider "Americanized"? 

[yuknowthat]

Honestly, my parents grew up with the same struggles during the war and everything and have been through a lot of shit and yeah and found what they like and stuck with it and changed.. and they are teaching their values to us.. to stick true to your heart and follow what you want with passion but take one step at a time.. my sister has a hard time speaking hmong but she can understand it fine.. let alone none of me or my siblings can really read hmong, probably i am the best and i cant read it that great..

it's not like i dont appreciate my culture and it's not like i disown it.. the elders in my family respeect my dad becuase they know how his life was and how things came to be..

honestly, i think me and my family appreciate our culture more then some of the ones born with the culture around them all the time

anyways, im sick of hearing people not calling me hmong.. take this episode of people calling Carloton not black enough

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOY9CbIK9zk&t=2m10s

and u and your family appreciate more  than others but don't have the intention to learn how to speak it properly "not in the annoying mtt way" nor learn how to write the basics? how so?

not trying to be a hater...then again elders will always be elders they'll never be satisfied with anything..some can be very ignorant to the core but let them be, some will understand the hardships of you had to do what you had to do at that time, just remember not to lose your identity of who you are and where you come from. make sure you can find your way back home.

[Whiteboy]

Who cares! It's like this... Ex: Youre Hmong and you go to church... Why do the funeral for three days with out the drum and the flute? If you want to go to church then do it for one day! and throw the body away... Why have that guide line for three days? That's stupid! It's either and or... Hmong peeps are just confuse at what is happening and still following the Hmong tradition way... Youngster these days don't give a damn. To be hOnest, it's a two face game that hmong old folks be playing nowadays. I don't come to your party and your going to get mad at me because you didn't invite me! Wtf craP is that!

[Hmong_Dude]

Being americanized is okay, we live in america so of course we should assimilate to work with the system.  However, we should not forget who we are as that will always be with us until death do we part.  Speaking Hmong and understanding Hmong is an important part of our identity as Hmong.  It is through oral tradition that tells of our story and who we are, so to know it in Hmong is much better since some content and context won't be lost in translation.  I cannot speak Hmong too well but enough to hold a conversation.  I certainly cannot read Hmong.  But just like you, I appreciate and respect our tradition and our people.  In fact, I am very proud to be Hmong and I'm not just saying this because I am Hmong but because of who and what our Hmong have done and have not done.  I know many cultures out there but out of all of them, I'd have to say that Hmong is one of the most noble group since compassion was and still is the underlying foundation of our culture.  The ignorant will state stigma and "facts" about the negatives but like anything, it is the negatives that are remembered not the positives.  To know who we are will say otherwise.

[saki saki]

Haters gonna hate bro!

My inlaws are americanized as well.  My wife can understand it, read some and speak some.  Not the best but enough to get the conversation going.  Her younger siblings under 12yrs (4 of em) dont understand it at all, but their english is pretty good.  Let them people hate.

We are in American, speak and live the american lifestyle.  Aint no shame in that.

you guys R lame...my oldest boy can speak just a little,byt speaks engrish very well, yet he is in ESL...
My wife was fuming but i told her, C c c c....you tink ameekas sooooo wonderful..N you no need to speak Hmong..just cuz you live in ameeka world.. look @ ur skin...you ain't white...i mean no dis respect to all my fellow hmng out there.. we need to cum back and try to learn our culture and speak our tounge.

[Believe_N_Me]

supa,

This may not pertain to you so take it with a grain of salt.

The reason why some people receive a lot of criticism is because they're trying to live in two worlds but don't know enough about either worlds. Thus, they lean any which way that benefits them in their time of need. This doesn't sit well with the Hmong nor even Americans. Like thehotone, I do have relatives who no longer participate in their rich Hmong culture. I am absolutely fine with that as long as when their time of need comes, they don't expect all the relatives to bring out the bells and whistles Hmong style. They probably should do whatever white Americans would do in that situation and the relatives will just follow along.

Unfortunately, nobody ever wants to go the American way when their time of need comes. Since they are Hmong, they still want to incorporate Hmong flavor. As you know, traditional Hmong rituals are very laborious and nobody would ever help out if it wasn't because of family. More importantly, feeling secure that the same favor will be returned. However, nobody can expect these people who live in two worlds to ever repay the deeds when they've gone off to be Meskas. And this is why they're irritated at such people whom appear to be users.

[Necromancer]

I believe there is a lot of misunderstandi ng because of lack of education and critical thinking.  If you really pressed some of these haters on what Hmong is, most would not be able to answer you.  Having said that, I believe language is important, but you must be in an environment that allows you to practice it often.  I feel it would be good to make a special effort to try and speak it more often when around other Hmong.  However, if your family has the same vocabulary as you then it does makes it harder. 

[jon_jon]

I don't think they're americanized.. ..

there's no such thing as being americanized.. ....lols

i think u watch too much TV and compare ur family with the media. which isn't a good thing. U might be labeled as such Propaganda because people are ignorant to their own ideas of what "american" should look like......

[saki saki]

What do you need to do to be consider "Americanized"? 

no need any.. you already one...lol

[Sleipnir]

hrm....  supa, after reading what you said...  you guys still sound hmong to me...  and you're a pretty typical american hmong family from my persepective.. .

man, it'd make a great TV show...  Modern Hmong Family.... 

[new2006k]

There are only 3 things that can truly tell if you are still a Hmong. So, if you fall into one of the 3's then you're still a Hmong.

1. Hmong language. If you can still speak and understand Hmong language then you're good.
2. Hmong Customs. If you still wear Hmong clothes to the New Year then you're still good.
3. Hmong talents. What I mean by Hmong talent is if you know how to play the Qeej, Raj, Ncas, hais kwv txhiaj, etc...

If you have none of the 3's in you, then there must be something wrong. So don't get pissed off if others give you name...

I'd never ashamed to be Hmong. I speak Hmong in my house 90% of the time. I'd wear Hmong cloths to the New Year. I'm lack in the Hmong talent or Txuj Ci. Though I'll get there one day.

[MilesDaddy]

not speaking the language very well does not make you less Hmong... Don't worry about what others say

[sunrain]

You are Hmong no matter where you are in this world, even if you don't speak, write, or can read it.  You can dye your hair, wear contacts, become a transgender, live like white, black, other asians, animal or insects, marry someone who is not Hmong,  but what you cannot get rid of is the blood in you. 

So with that said, you're Hmong.  The thing that will make you stupid for being Hmong is if you don't claim yourself as one.  The End. Kthxbye!

[realism]

There are only 3 things that can truly tell if you are still a Hmong. So, if you fall into one of the 3's then you're still a Hmong.

1. Hmong language. If you can still speak and understand Hmong language then you're good.
2. Hmong Customs. If you still wear Hmong clothes to the New Year then you're still good.
3. Hmong talents. What I mean by Hmong talent is if you know how to play the Qeej, Raj, Ncas, hais kwv txhiaj, etc...

If you have none of the 3's in you, then there must be something wrong. So don't get pissed off if others give you name...

I'd never ashamed to be Hmong. I speak Hmong in my house 90% of the time. I'd wear Hmong cloths to the New Year. I'm lack in the Hmong talent or Txuj Ci. Though I'll get there one day.

I haven't gone to Hmong New Year since 2007, nor do I wear Hmong cloth at all if I do go..dont know any #3 either..so how much Hmong am I?

[saki saki]

Like my boy says..only 1%hmng. Lol