Messages

46

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: What to expect at a Christian funeral

« on: March 20, 2012, 11:39:17 AM »

Sounds like a typical Christain funeral, except for the Pastor saying no crying b/c you'll attract ghosts.  Mostly Christians don't cry a lot b/c they know that their loved ones went to be with God and that someday they will see each other again in heaven.  Most of the time we cry b/c we miss the deceased or b/c it hit us that we will not see that person again this side of Heaven. 

As for the history on the deceased, ONE of the sermons, either the last one or the second to the last is reserved for that... of course, different people do it differently, but from the funerals that I went to, one is dedicated to talking about the person.

I actually think "hniav" was forbidden by church goers so they cried but it wasn't like crying cry which made the funeral sad to me b/c no one was crying-cry that their loved one has passed. It felt almost like no one was sad this person died. Everybody just pray, sing and bury and that was it. After the burial, in the old tradition, they invite the guests to the house to eat before they leave but in this Christian funeral, everyone went their own way.

Although, I like it for it simpleness but I also didn't like it b/c there were no traditions to follow. I like the qeej and drum and the hais xis on the last night and there was no words of wisdom for the deceased children or grandchildren at this christian funeral.   

47

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: Church hmongs vs non church hmongs... a funnie story someone told me..

« on: March 15, 2012, 12:15:51 PM »

I find it strange that Hmong Christians have so much they can't do, but the Americans have little or no restriction and has done everything that non-Christians has done. Can someone elaborate on this? Can this because Hmong Christians are still fairly new to the faith and so they have to be on their best behavior?

This is a new faith for Hmong people so they are extra cautious to not get burn.

48

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: What to expect at a Christian funeral

« on: March 15, 2012, 12:10:12 PM »

Thank you all. Came back and learned something new. They open at 8am, speeches started at 10am till 12pm then lunch and then speech again at 4pm and dinner at 6pm. I however did not like the too many songs they have singing up there and no biography spoken of the deceased except for things from the bible. I also do not like how the family thank the church for their love but not the family members and friends who all came. I was also quite surprise to not hear the Pastor speak against non-Christians. 

Overall, I do like how the church came to cook and relief the family of that duty though the family did make breakfast and snacks for the guests. It was sad to see everyone leaving after dinner that there wasn't alot of us left to zog hmos till midnight so they told everyone to leave early instead.  There wasn't alot of crying so it was a quite burial too. The pastor said to keep it quite and not cry b/c you'll attracted ghosts instead. 

Good thing to know what to expect next time. I was expecting an American receiving and burial but everything is Hmong except there's no qeej and drum.

49

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: What to expect at a Christian funeral

« on: February 20, 2012, 11:11:12 AM »

The have all those, but it's all being handled by the Church, including the cooking.  And yes, they do have people to accept sunshine money, but they won't pe you... they will just thank you and ask God to bless you.  They are usually set up in the back or in a corner, with two or three people with computers or notebooks.  They register everything to hand over to the family.

Your role, as a nyab is just to show up at the funeral home and mingle.  Help tidy up here and there and perhaps drive people to the church for lunch and dinner.  That's about it.

Thanks! And would it be improper to give sunshine money directly to one of the sons?

50

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: Kicking the bone at the funeral door

« on: February 20, 2012, 11:08:18 AM »

Sounds like something a new cult group would do.

A cult based on Christianity?

51

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: What to expect at a Christian funeral

« on: February 20, 2012, 10:56:07 AM »

What is funeral food though? I've eaten so many different kinds of food at traditional funerals.

52

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: Ask to be Cua Nyab or Txiv Daglaus

« on: February 09, 2012, 07:54:36 AM »

Going to print this out! 

53

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: Traditional Hmong Funerals

« on: February 09, 2012, 07:33:27 AM »

yuknowthat, our family practiced the white strings for a long time. my dad said at my grandfather's funeral back in laos, they did the same so i think it use to be part of the funeral tradition but was abandon by some people back then. I'll verify with my dad however. 

54

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: What to expect at a Christian funeral

« on: February 09, 2012, 07:29:24 AM »

youknowthat... . I've only been to one Christian funeral as a guest but my hsb didn't want to stay any longer. i have to admit, it was kind of boring b/c i didn't listen to half of what they said. after the first 5 mins, my mind when somewhere else.


Toxic, so in a way, they still do their funerals traditional with the exception of playing the drum/qeej and burning paper. How do give thanks to those who give sunshine money? Just a thank you? And whom do we give the money to? Directly or indirectly to the family?

My hsb is the nephew of this deceased man and we have no clue what to do besides pay our respects. 

55

Funeral Rituals & Customs / Re: What to expect at a Christian funeral

« on: February 07, 2012, 02:51:38 PM »

Gemini, i think they are CMA's.

56

Funeral Rituals & Customs / What to expect at a Christian funeral

« on: February 07, 2012, 02:30:27 PM »

Can someone light the way for me on what to expect at a Christian funeral? Is there any ka-sue, cua-cha, niam cooking, sho-cuab? (hmong spelling ) What are my roles as a nyab? Do we cook or do they cater? Who do he give nyiam sunshine too or do we give any at all? Do they zog-hmo? I'm so lost. 

57

Hmong Stories / Re: Hmong ghost stories

« on: January 26, 2012, 01:33:11 PM »

of course christian people see ghost to. If there is Jesus there are bound to be demon's and evil spirits! Christians get temp the most by the devil because christians are already God's children. The devil doesn't really bother non christians because they already bounded to go to where the devil lives. No offense to anyone.

really??    have you seen it already where non christians go to where the devil lives? please describle in full detal what you witness.

58

Hmong Stories / Re: Dream Experts Plz.

« on: January 09, 2012, 02:22:53 PM »

i know that when you see a burning fire in someone's house, that is trouble.

59

Hmong Websites & Resources / Re: www.hmongflix.com - a new DVD rental website for Hmong people

« on: November 29, 2011, 01:07:48 PM »

is this a working site now?

60

Hmong Stories / Re: Hmong ghost stories

« on: November 11, 2011, 02:40:09 PM »

i almost scroll up until i saw the tip of that picture! and then I scroll back down. tsk-tsk.