PebHmong Discussion Forum

General Category => Hmong Culture & History => Topic started by: mker on September 29, 2013, 01:14:00 AM

Title: Explain this superstition about infants not going outside until a certain time?
Post by: mker on September 29, 2013, 01:14:00 AM

Someone I know had a baby many years ago. It was a beautiful sunny day, I was holding the baby and went outside to join a group of people hanging out. The father was outside and yelled out, "No, she's not ready! She can't come outside, she's not ready!" I felt I did something really wrong and immediately went back inside.  I never did ask about the reasoning behind this. I assume this may be a Hmong tradition or superstition-- that Hmong infants aren't suppose to be exposed to sunlight or outside until a certain time? Has anyone heard of this?

Title: Re: Explain this superstition about infants not going outside until a certain time?
Post by: VillainousHero on February 17, 2014, 10:50:05 AM

The superstition roots in medical knowledge...wh y expose someone who has not developed an immunity to diseases.

Title: Re: Explain this superstition about infants not going outside until a certain time?
Post by: duckwingduck on March 10, 2014, 08:19:39 AM

Quote from: VillainousHero on February 17, 2014, 10:50:05 AM

The superstition roots in medical knowledge...wh y expose someone who has not developed an immunity to diseases.

You are probably correct.  There was a when children die from disease left and right.  That might be how the superstition came about.  In the old days, every ten children, 5 will die.