Hmong and American: From Refugees to Citizens

by Vincent K. Her (Editor), Mary Louise Buley-Meissner (Editor)

Overview

Farmers in Laos, U.S. allies during the Vietnam War, refugees in Thailand, citizens of the Western world—the stories of the Hmong who now live in America have been told in detail through books and articles and oral histories over the past several decades. Like any immigrant group, members of the first generation may yearn for the past as they watch their children and grandchildren find their way in the dominant culture of their new home. For Hmong people born and educated in the United States, a definition of self often includes traditional practices and tight-knit family groups but also a distinctly Americanized point of view. How do Hmong Americans negotiate the expectations of these two very different cultures?

In an engaging series of essays featuring a range of writing styles, leading scholars, educators, artists, and community activists explore themes of history, culture, gender, class, family, and sexual orientation, weaving their own stories into depictions of a Hmong American community where people continue to develop complex identities that are collectively shared but deeply personal as they help to redefine the multicultural America of today.

Contributors: Mary Louise Buley-Meissner, Amy DeBroux, Jeremy Hein, Vincent K. Her, Don Hones, Gary Yia Lee, Song Lee, Pao Lor, Bic Ngo, Keith Quincy, Chan Vang, Hue Vang, Ka Vang, Kou Vang, May Vang, Ma Lee Xiong, Shervun Xiong, Kao Kalia Yang, Kou Yang.

Vincent K. Her is an assistant professor of cultural anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Mary Louise Buley-Meissner is an associate professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Since 2000 they have collaborated on many projects exploring the Hmong American experience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780873518482
Publisher:	Minnesota Historical Society Press
Publication date:	03/15/2012
Edition description:	1
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Vincent K. Her is an assistant professor of cultural anthropology at the Universityof Wisconsin–La Crosse.

Mary Louise Buley-Meissner is professor emerita of English at the Universityof Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She has contributed articles to such publications as the Journal of Asian American Studies, Hmong Studies Journal, and International Journal of the Image.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

1 Hmong American Studies: Bringing New Voices into Multicultural Studies Vincent K. Her Mary Louise Buley-Meissner 3

Part I Identity and History

2 Searching for Sources of Hmong Identity in Multicultural America Vincent K. Her 31

3 Homeland Narratives and Hmong Americans in Wisconsin Jeremy Hein 47

4 From War to Resettlement: How Hmong Have Become Americans Keith Quincy 59

5 The Spirit of Enterprise and the Emergence of Hmong and Hmong American Identities: Reflections of a Hmong Anthropologist Gary Yia Lee 81

Part II Family Challenges and Community Transitions

6 The Good Hmong Girl Eats Raw Laab Ka Vang 101

7 "There are no GLBT Hmong people": Hmong American Young Adults Navigating Culture and Sexuality Bic Ngo 113

8 The Challenges and Contributions of Hmong American Elders: A Personal and Professional Perspective Song Lee 133

9 Hmong American Professional Identities: An Overview of Generational Changes since the 1970s Pao Lor 147

10 Forging New Paths, Confronting New Challenges: Hmong Americans in the Twenty-First Century Kou Yang 161

Part III Cultural Integration through Education and the Arts

11 Pieces of the Puzzle: A Hmong American Teacher's Multifaceted Identity May Vang 177

12 Transforming the World and Oneself: The Arts and Hmong American Identity Don Hones Shervun Xiong Ma Lee Xiong Chan Vang Hue Vang Amy DeBroux 191

13 Making the Invisible Visible: Confronting the Complexities of Identity Family and Culture through Art Kou Vang 209

14 To See a Bigger World: The Home and Heart of a Hmong American Writer Kao Kalia Yang 225

15 Stitching the Fabric of Hmong Lives: The Value of Studying Paj Ntaub and Story Cloth in Multicultural Education Mary Louise Buley-Meissner 233

Contributors 261

Index 267

Editorial Reviews

"With both academic and community-based perspectives, this anthology provides a unique and valuable contribution to Hmong studies, Asian American studies, and ethnic studies."
—Mark Pfeifer, editor, Hmong Studies Journal

"Hmong and American clearly articulates what it means to be Hmong in the U.S. context. The inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives makes for an illuminating volume."
—Chia Youyee Vang, author of Hmong in Minnesota and Hmong American: Reconstructing Community in Daispora

From the Publisher