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6601

Online Journal / Re: Dear Old Friend

« on: August 30, 2013, 08:52:03 PM »

I wasn't afraid or even nervous in anyway.

Just two hours later and the shaking came back and slowly we descended to a floor of glittery lights again.

Hong Kong, it was, I later learned.

I slept on a bunk bed with a cuddling pillow.

6602

Online Journal / Re: Dear Old Friend

« on: August 30, 2013, 08:40:27 PM »

Dear Old Friend,

America is nothing like Laos. Not that it's worse. It's better in every sense of it.  But let me tell you about our trip here first. We'll talk about America at some other times.

We got on a plane for the first time in my life right in Bangkok. It was around 8:00 p.m. and we walked up some stairs on a bridge that's much like the one you and I walked across to Mai's place that night. But they didn't have wooden bars on the side like our old one. They had fabric walls and as we walked on it, it shook a bit, too. It didn't bounce like our torn-down wooden bridge back in the village.

Then we entered the side of a plane or something and saw a lot of chairs inside. Those chairs had straps on them, so the pilot's people could tie us up in order to prevent us from escaping, I guess.

There was some voice coming on the ceiling. I don't know if we were in an airplane anymore.  Nothing there looked like an airplane anymore. It was more like a room of a house but a long room with lots of chairs.

Soon the floor was shaking and then I saw some lights through a thick oval window. We were definitely lifting away from some stars or something.

6603

Online Journal / Dear Old Friend

« on: August 30, 2013, 08:15:25 PM »

Dear Old Friend,

Remember the time you walked me across that torn-down wooden bridge to the side of the hill near our thatch? The time we groped in the dark up the dry clay hill? It was so steep we had to hold onto some dead bushes on the way to slowly push ourselves up to her thatch. To Mai's thatch, so we could whisper to her through those nitches of the wall under the tranquil tropical moonlight. Yes, I know: she was real beautiful. I know you liked her just as much as I did. And somehow she liked us both. And you were so great. You villagers were so traditional. At our age only and you already knew how to whisper to a girl through the wall. You were also telling me you would want to have a child with Mai one day soon. When she came to play with her friends under the bamboo silo, you even said you'd take her into the bamboo hills and do your thing. You were so funny. Do you think we could already do that at our age? Maybe if the mind could think it, the body could do it, huh?

But that's a long time ago. We had to leave your village after just 20 days there. What has happened to you and Mai? Did you ever go back up that hill after I left? The elders just told me we were going to the farm. And we did go to the farm. But once out there someone told us to go down the stream and to follow it down to the Mekong River. One afternoon of walking over rocks and shrubs and we made it to the Mekong shores. Turned out, they had already arranged for a canoe to take us over to Thailand. We crossed at dusk, according the main canoe man's instructions. That way, the Commies wouldn't see us.

But I still thought a lot about you and Mai. As soon as we got to the farm that morning and the soldier said to go down to the stream, I knew we were running again. We had been doing that all the way from the north.  And then from KM52 to your village. My life was like that: always running, Old Friend. I never knew where we were heading to. I never questioned the elders. I just went along like the rest of my siblings. I never knew what would happen the next day. That's why I didn't tell you. I didn't even know we were going to leave. It never occurred to me. All I knew was that I was in your village at that time.  I didn't notice my running life that much yet when I was still with you. We were so young then. I was just following the elders. The three years before was full of that from the north and I had forgotten to pay attention to the packing. It was so natural that I just kept packing but didn't think of what it was for. Just packed when told to.

But weren't you also happy? Happy that now you had Mai all to yourself? I'm so jealous of you.

But I met you and we got along so well. We played hop-scotch together. We raced each other. We caught some fish together. We ate together and just enjoyed walking and playing with each other all over the village.  We even liked the same little village girl. If you can think into the future, you should know that I also met another boy in Ban Vinai after my family left your village that morning. He became real close to me and when he left for America, he left his girlfriend to me. I think it was so much like me leaving Mai to you, too.

That morning was so early. When we got to the path that led us to the farm, some local boys were already out checking on their rodent traps.  That's early but also late in a sense. I'm not sure if you were up yet. But you village boys were always up with the roosters, so I think you may have already been up.

When I first saw the soldier at the farm, my heart sank. In my mind, I realized right away that we were going away and that I would never see you and Mai ever again. There was no turning back somehow.

All these years, I haven't seen you or Mai. And I don't know what you two look like anymore, either. I don't remember your full names, either. You may still be alive. But I've lost you both already.

6604

Hmong Websites & Resources / Re: hmongfunnystories.com

« on: August 26, 2013, 11:01:35 PM »

Come share it at http://www.hmongfunnystories.com or read some of our readers stories.

Cool. I'll see if I can contribute later. Thanks.

6605

Hmong Culture & History / Re: Hmong Shamanism Should be Eliminated

« on: August 25, 2013, 08:30:10 PM »

I still think shamanism is just an aspect of animism. Spirits are part of animism. So is the demon.

6606

Hmong Culture & History / Re: Hmong Shamanism Should be Eliminated

« on: August 23, 2013, 02:36:33 PM »

Christianity is not a religion.  It's a cult. 

A cult is a religion.

 

6607

Hmong Culture & History / Re: Hmong Shamanism Should be Eliminated

« on: August 22, 2013, 06:22:16 PM »

No, people have the right to practice whatever religion in this great country as long as they are not doing anything illegal such as sacraficing virgins.

Or engage in terrorism?

6608

Hmong Culture & History / Re: Hmong Shamanism Should be Eliminated

« on: August 22, 2013, 05:03:00 PM »

Hmong-Everything,
You bring up some very interesting topics and sound so sophisticated, but you do nothing but bash the Hmong community. If you want to be white, just convert and stay in your corner of the world.

Are you suggesting dying his hair?

6609

Hmong Culture & History / Re: Hmong Shamanism Should be Eliminated

« on: August 22, 2013, 05:02:29 PM »

Shamans receive major respect.   My grandpa was one and when he passed out, hundreds of folks came to pay their respect.   

How much did each pay?

6610

Hmong Culture & History / Re: Hmong Shamanism Should be Eliminated

« on: August 22, 2013, 02:18:05 PM »

Hmong Everything, we need to rethink about whether shamanism is actually a religion. I don't think it is. But that's just my thinking.

To me, a religion entails a powerful spiritual deity that rewards good behavior and punishes bad behavior.  Something or someone that touches our conscience.  To the Chrisitans, that's God. To the Muslims, that's Allah. Etc. To the Hmong, we have had our ancestors and the natural spirits that play that role. So, our true Hmong religion is a combination of two: ancestor-worshiping and animism.

Siv Yis heals and exorcises but does not reward or punish our behaviors.  It cannot guide us into doing good things, so to say. He just has the power to chase out demons and the psychological effects  in our minds.

To me, that's not religion. But, again, that's just me.

Many of you grew up experiencing Hmong shamanism~  The hmong culture revolves around shamanism; the spiritual world of our ancestors and the dead.  This religion carries a deep root that has been practices for centuries. 

But there is a problem with this religion!  Especially if you're living in America.  One major problem with Hmong shamanism is that it doesn't teach people morals.  Hmong shamanism is a form of communication with the spiritual world.  If a person doesn't believe in spirituality - Hmong religion is just one big joke!

But lets dissect the religion into 3 catagories. 

1) Does this religion engage people's morality and humanity?  No
2) Does this religion help give people enlightment and salvation?  No
3) Does this religion create fear and caution?  Yes

Why are you afraid when an elder says "your spirit has left your body."  This fear and panic creates even more stress- and could cause you to become more sick.  The "fear" tatic. 

Why doesn't Hmong Shamanism teach morality and good judgement~  If it did; the hmong culture would be very different.  Certain religion teaches "right from wrong"  but Hmong shamanism lacks those teachings.  Shamanism teaches fear and prevention.  It doesn't teach moral values that can build a person to have good judgement.

If a person lacks good judgement; there will be violence and destruction~  We see this in many Hmong families. 

Religion is suppose to build a foundation for the people/family/community.  If a religion is only used as a "fear" tactic and a tool for healing.  There is no value~ in it.  The truth; spiritual healing is does not work~ it's a form of mental healing. 

If you raise your children around Shamanism; make sure to teach them good values and behaviors.  Many hmong parents forget to teach moral values to their children~ this always leads to abuse and violence in the future.

6611

Creative Writing / Re: Attempt at descriptive writing

« on: August 17, 2013, 04:12:10 PM »

The Beautiful Old Oak Tree

The air changes as the eastern wind blows.  I looked over my shoulder and saw how much the old beautiful oak tree has begun the shedding process.  My finger aches, my hands shaking as blood rushing through my blue veins.  My heart trembles, beating a beat faster and faster, my belly felt lighter as if the butterflies have swirler inside of me. It jumped from branches to branches looking for something.  There is another one nibbling on the seed of the Oak.  My heart is racing, my thought of where my dear friend is, he would definitely tribute to my cause.  As I looked on, more and more little fury things had gather on the old oak tree.  I wish my dear friend would be here with me.  He sure will be helping me chase my temptations.  My hearts beats uncontrollable ly as I stood there watching, studying, watching their every move, knowing soon, I will visit the old beautiful Oak tree again with my dear friend. 


 

Here's an incident of animals taking over another's companion for sex. Real story witnessed personally by Reporter.

Not necessarily a descriptive piece though, but an interesting story.

I was casting into this side of a twin lake that was known to have a lot of large mouth bass.  Behind me was a thatch over some lawn and trees. A green-headed malard and his beige hen were walking on the lawn, even nibbling the grass. Then came three other green-headed, handsome malards alighting onto the lawn. They all moved towards her and one had pecked her upper neck and was climbing onto her. Her malard companion moved in to drive the climbing male out. But the other two male malards budged in and drove him away.

The first incoming male malard succeeded in having sex with the hen. It got down and flew away. One of the other two turned from the fray and got on top of her. He, too, did the same thing as the first one and flew way.

By the time, the hen's male malard was just standing by, watching them.

The third one then moved in and got on top of her and did the same thing: had sex with her.

He, too, flew away.

The hen and drake that were originally on the lawn just started walking together again.

This was in Winona, MN.

6612

Online Journal / Re: I'm disturbed over Panhia Vue's corpse case.

« on: August 17, 2013, 03:35:00 PM »

Why be upset at 18 Xeem if both clans agreed to seek their mediation?  Plus, y'all getting excited over an organization that can't realistically enforce anything. For that you get a double 
Who is guessing at anything? If I was merely guessing then none of you would be so fueled up by my responses. Obviously, I've hit upon some truths.

In this great country that so many of you have passionately and more like "conveniently" brought up when it suits you, let me "conveniently" remind all of you that neither clan has to bear responsibiliti es at all if they don't want to - that is the great thing about this country. The body goes unclaimed and then is in the possession of the state. It will get what is called a "pauper's burial". Different states may have different laws and guidelines about this. 

I'll say it again: you are guessing from the distance.

We are all talking about our Hmong traditions and things are done according to what the leading OGs have always known how. You don't know Hmong traditions and so you are guessing about what we are talking about without knowing how it all plays out.

Your comments aren't driving us nuts. We could just ignore you. But I'm trying to educate you.  I'm just saying you are missing the point about this whole thing the Hmong ways. All this time and you aren't even aware we are talking about Hmong traditions.

6613

Online Journal / Re: I'm disturbed over Panhia Vue's corpse case.

« on: August 16, 2013, 11:03:06 AM »

I know you are guessing a lot. I've seen you guessing from the distance a lot in other posts and replies, too.

You are missing the point here. The women in WI are in support of the Vues; they have worked hard to get the Xiongs to be responsible for Panhia's funeral. But on top of that they are outraged about how 18 Clan Council handled this. And you know 18 Clan Council is male-driven. That's the inequality part comes in.

I'm not pointing fingers at anybody. It's too clear that either the Vues or the Xiongs should be responsible for her funeral. By tradition, the Xiongs would be; but if the Xiongs aren't able to handle it, then the Vues would be and maybe should.  Too clear.  But I'm disturbed that the Hmong are able to let her body rot in the morque in this manner. This is not a case where she was killed in the woods or somewhere during warfare and couldn't be found or where she's drowned and her body could not be recovered for a long time.

Many of you are totally misunderstandi ng the situation and using it to fuel your own agenda on gender inequality. In this video it is obvious that Vue's male relatives care about her. Regarding the issue that her body was in the morgue, their intentions were to seek Hmong justice for her by making the Xiong pay for her funeral. The activists trying to spin this into a gender inequality issue is only fueling things when instead, they should back Vue's relatives and place accountability on the Xiong (if in fact Vue did not sever ties with them). The reason why Hmong Women Activists don't receive a lot of support is NOT because the Hmong overlook women's rights. It's because the Hmong Women don't know how to use the Hmong culture to their advantage. They don't understand where their strength is.  It's just like American law. Those who understand it best always get their way. Those who don't are only fighting hard but not smart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X13RoLHCZRo

6614

Online Journal / Re: I'm disturbed over Panhia Vue's corpse case.

« on: August 16, 2013, 12:39:42 AM »

So are you more disturbed that it's gone to mainstream and will make the Hmong people look bad as a whole? That is very contradicting to me when many of you have always made it clear that you want to bring awareness. Well, awareness means getting it out there into mainstream.

You also have to remember that right now there is a crusade in America to castrate men. So of course a case like this is going to make headlines.

Personally, I'm more disturbed about that case where Tou Pao Hang was murdered, decapitated, dismembered, then hidden between cushions in a basement by another Hmong man. Not to mention how his head was found in a bucket in the trunk of his assailant.

A corpse left to rot doesn't disturb you? It's not so much that it gets to the mainstream; it's that it's letting it rot and getting to the mainstream on that.

6615

Positive News / Re: Elk Grove's Hmong find a voice on their school board

« on: August 16, 2013, 12:37:23 AM »

im just saying that Everyone needs to learn. Not just the Hmong kids.

I see.