Hmong New Year
The Hmong celebrate New Year with a renewed hope for prosperity
The Hmong celebrate New Year with a renewed hope for prosperity
By Heidi M. Pascual
The New Year is undoubtedly the biggest and most
important annual celebration for the Hmong, Wisconsin’s
largest Asian American population. Every year, the Hmong
community in the Madison area holds this event for two days
in November at the Alliant Energy Center in Dane County to
accommodate thousands of attendees from all over the state
and beyond.
Last Nov. 27-28, the biggest gathering of Hmong
Wisconsinites and guests renewed a deeply rooted tradition,
marked by gaiety and cultural pride. People were all smiles,
greeting their friends, meeting new ones, building
relationships, and talking about current happenings in each
other’s lives. The New Year symbolizes hope for a better life,
a better tomorrow for the Hmong.
It is interesting to observe that while the American
influence was noticeable in some of the modern dances
performed by young Hmong Americans as well as their
English proficiency, the Hmong cultural influence remains in
the people’s traditional costumes, music, language, games,
and the manner the elderly folks are treated with respect by
the young ones.
Families composed of parents, grandparents and
children were seated together, speaking Hmong to each
other and enjoying the “family bonding” moment obviously,
as they watched the program onstage. Young men and
women were throwing and catching balls at the pov vov
game, the first step to getting to know each other. Moms and
The New Year is undoubtedly the biggest and most
important annual celebration for the Hmong, Wisconsin’s
largest Asian American population. Every year, the Hmong
community in the Madison area holds this event for two days
in November at the Alliant Energy Center in Dane County to
accommodate thousands of attendees from all over the state
and beyond.
Last Nov. 27-28, the biggest gathering of Hmong
Wisconsinites and guests renewed a deeply rooted tradition,
marked by gaiety and cultural pride. People were all smiles,
greeting their friends, meeting new ones, building
relationships, and talking about current happenings in each
other’s lives. The New Year symbolizes hope for a better life,
a better tomorrow for the Hmong.
It is interesting to observe that while the American
influence was noticeable in some of the modern dances
performed by young Hmong Americans as well as their
English proficiency, the Hmong cultural influence remains in
the people’s traditional costumes, music, language, games,
and the manner the elderly folks are treated with respect by
the young ones.
Families composed of parents, grandparents and
children were seated together, speaking Hmong to each
other and enjoying the “family bonding” moment obviously,
as they watched the program onstage. Young men and
women were throwing and catching balls at the pov vov
game, the first step to getting to know each other. Moms and
daughters were busy doing their their holiday
shopping at the vendors’ booths selling
traditional Hmong costumes, headdresses,
jewelry, stuffed toys, and home decor. Fresh
produce was aplenty at Hmong farmers’ booths,
where folks gathered to purchase healthy
organic fruits and vegetables. And to educate
those unfamiliar with the Hmong history, there
was an exhibit near the wall facing the stage,
telling such history in words and illustrations.
The Hmong New Year in Madison definitely
became a venue to inform non-Hmong and young
Hmong kids born in America why the Hmong
became refugees from Laos and why thousands
of them ended up in the United States and of
shopping at the vendors’ booths selling
traditional Hmong costumes, headdresses,
jewelry, stuffed toys, and home decor. Fresh
produce was aplenty at Hmong farmers’ booths,
where folks gathered to purchase healthy
organic fruits and vegetables. And to educate
those unfamiliar with the Hmong history, there
was an exhibit near the wall facing the stage,
telling such history in words and illustrations.
The Hmong New Year in Madison definitely
became a venue to inform non-Hmong and young
Hmong kids born in America why the Hmong
became refugees from Laos and why thousands
of them ended up in the United States and of
course, in Wisconsin. It is a
tradition that will surely be kept
by Hmong Americans now and in
the future.
Wisconsin is home to more
than 45,000 Hmong. More than
30 years ago, thousands of
Hmong refugees who fled their
war-torn country, Laos, resettled
in the U.S. Most of them were
veterans — who worked with the
United States Army and the CIA
during the Vietnam War — and
their families. Today, Hmong
Americans have been integrated
into the American society, many
of whom have become
professionals in various fields,
entrepreneurs, and artists.
tradition that will surely be kept
by Hmong Americans now and in
the future.
Wisconsin is home to more
than 45,000 Hmong. More than
30 years ago, thousands of
Hmong refugees who fled their
war-torn country, Laos, resettled
in the U.S. Most of them were
veterans — who worked with the
United States Army and the CIA
during the Vietnam War — and
their families. Today, Hmong
Americans have been integrated
into the American society, many
of whom have become
professionals in various fields,
entrepreneurs, and artists.