6th International conference booklet

Our Vision
The Vision of the Center for Hmong Studies is to create a high academic program that will strike a balance between
academic study and community engagement.
Our Mission
The mission of the center for Hmong studies is to honor the past, interpret the present and enrich the future
through research and publication, curriculum development and teaching, and conference and community
engagement.
Established in 2004, the Center for Hmong Studies is a Concordia University-affiliated institution. The Center exists
to promote the scholarly interest, the rich legacy and the complex heritage of the Hmong people.
The Hmong are in a unique position to articulate the ideas and practices of a shifting modern world. Dispersed
across the globe, without the advantage of a written script for much of their history, the Hmong are a powerful
byproduct of global interactions and international relations. Bonded by a foundation of the oral, a tradition
embedded in legends and memory, the Hmong are an example of a global community that has survived despite the
influences of dominant cultures and perspectives, the powers of market economies and the strident pulls of politics.
The Center for Hmong Studies is an academic resource center that is unique in its service and commitments. The
Center exists to track, document, research, develop and teach the long history, the current conditions, and the
future trajectory of an international community in the midst of transition. Funded by both public and private dollars,
the Center for Hmong Studies is excited to meet the needs of a diverse population in the pursuit of delivering the
most accurate information on the Hmong. Since its founding, over 10,000 students, scholars and community
members from throughout the world have visited the Center.
Our Work and Accomplishments
-Welcomed over 15,000 visitors from throughout the world to the Center for Hmong Studies.
-Organized and hosted six International Conferences on Hmong Studies, which drew more than 180
presenters/scholars and over 3,000 participants from around the world.
-Provided more than 20 lectures, exhibits, film showing, book launched/reading, and discussions relating to the
Hmong experiences; attracting over 2,000 participants.
-Served as senior advisor to the We Are Hmong Minnesota Exhibit at the Minnesota History Center and the Hmong
Stories 40 Project in California. These exhibits commemorates the 40th anniversary of Hmong leaving the country of
Laos and being in the United States.
-Hosted/Sponsored Dr. Gary Yia Lee, a former faculty member from the University of Sydney, Australia as the
Center’s first Scholar in Residence for one year.
-Hosted/Sponsored Professor Long Yuxiao, a Fulbright Scholar from China, for one semester where he taught Hmong
History and Culture of China.
-Hosted four visiting scholars from China and Australia.
-Developed and launched the first Minor in Hmong studies in 2006. Soon will launch a Major in Hmong History,
Cultural, and Language out of the College of Education at Concordia University-St. Paul.
-Facilitated the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between Concordia University and Guizhou
University and Guizhou University of Nationalities in China.
-Conducted four academic tours to China and Southeast Asia for over thirty staff, students and faculty, and
community members.
-Acquired over 2,000 books, DVDs, CDs, artifacts, and over a million documents and photographs as well as other
special collections relating to the Hmong experiences throughout the world.
-Provided over 20 keynote addresses as well as presentations for community groups and organizations throughout
the United States
Welcome!
On behalf of Concordia University, St. Paul, welcome to the Sixth
International Conference on Hmong Studies. Director Lee Pao Xiong, Chamee
Vue, and countless volunteers have worked hard to make the conference a
time for scholarly discourse and building lasting mutually beneficial
relationships. My hope is that the conference will help us all understand
better that there are challenges to face, responsibilities to accept and reasons
to celebrate. So it is with great pride that we once again welcome you to
Concordia University and to the City of St. Paul. Enjoy the conference!
Rev. Tom Ries
President
Concordia University, St. Paul
Welcome to the Sixth International Conference on Hmong Studies. We are
excited to have you join us. We sincerely hope you will enjoy and engage in
the many topics that are presented at this year's conference. While you are
here, take the time to meet other scholars, professionals and students with
interest in the area of health disparities and Hmong studies. Also, visit the
many vendors and partners that help make the conference a success. I hope
you will give us feedback as to how we are doing so that we can better
prepare for future conferences. Again, thank you for your support and
participation.
Lee Pao Xiong,
Director of Center for Hmong Studies
Professor of Hmong Studies and American Government
6th International Conference on Hmong Studies
Schedule at a Glance
Time
Activity
Location
Friday Evening Reception March 18, 2016
Time
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Activity
Check – In & Registration
Location
Pearson Commons
5:45 pm – 8:15 pm
Mingle/Network
6:00: pm – 6:30 pm
Performance by the Hmong United Martial Arts Society
6:30 pm – 8:15 pm
Welcome & Overview of the 6th International Conference on Hmong Studies
6:40 pm – 8:15 pm
Dr. Cheryl Chatman– Executive Vice-President of Concordia University St. Paul
6:50 pm – 8:15 pm
MN Elected Officials
7:00 pm – 7:10 pm
Dance Performance by Magnolia Yang Sao Yia: "20 Years Strong".
7:10 pm – 7:20 pm
Hmong Culture and Language Program - Lao Khaen student.
7:20 pm – 7:30 pm
Hmong Dance – Concordia Hmong Unity Student Association
7:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Reception Close
Saturday March 19, 2016
Time
7:30 am – 12:00 pm
Activity
Check-In /Walk-In Registration
Location
Pearson Commons
7:30 am – 8:30 am
Continental Breakfast
Buetow Auditorium
7:30 am – 4:00 pm
Conference Vendor Booth
Pearson Commons
8:30 am – 9:00 am
Introduction & Welcome
Buetow Auditorium
9:00 am – 9:55 am
Opening Plenary Session
Buetow Auditorium
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Session I
See session schedule
11:00 am – 11:15 am
Break
Pearson Commons
11:20 am – 12:20 pm
Session II
See session schedule
12:20 pm – 12:45 pm
Break
Pearson Commons
12:45 pm – 2:00 pm
Lunch / Special Lunch-In Sessions
Buenger Education Center
2:05 pm – 3:05 pm
Session III
See session schedule
3:10 pm – 4:10 pm
Session IV
See session schedule
4:15 pm – 4:30 pm
Break
Pearson Commons
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Final Plenary Session
Pearson Theater
6th International Conference on Hmong Studies Schedule
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Opening Plenary Session
Time
7:30 am – 12:00 pm
Activity
Check-In /Walk-In Registration
Location
Pearson Commons
7:30 am – 8:30 am
Continental Breakfast
Buetow Auditorium
7:30 am – 4:00 pm
Conference Vendor Booth
Pearson Commons
8:30 am – 9:00 am
Introduction & Welcome
Buetow Auditorium
Dance Performances by Eternal Beauty, Dao Lan Dance School:
"Beautiful Enchanted Swan Princess"
9:00 am – 9:55 am
Opening Plenary Session
Buetow Auditorium
Hmong Poem by Tou Saiko Lee
Street Stops and Mountain Tops
“Hmong Stories in Hmong Studies: Making Meaning of Our Lives.”
Kao Kalia Yang is a teacher, public speaker, and writer.
Yang is the author of the award-winning book, The
Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir (Coffee House
Press, 2008) and the forthcoming book, The Song Poet
(Metropolitan Books, 2016). She is a graduate of Carleton
College and Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Kao
Kalia lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her family.
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Session I
See session schedule
11:00 am – 11:15 am
Break
Pearson Commons
11:20 am – 12:20 pm
Session II
See session schedule
12:20 pm – 12:45 pm
Break
Pearson Commons
12:45 pm – 2:00 pm
Luncheon Plenary Session
Buenger Center
“Dialogue with Clan Leaders on International Marriages and Interpersonal Violence.”
Dr. Zha Blong Xiong, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
2:05 pm – 3:05 pm
Session III
See session schedule
3:10 pm – 4:10 pm
Session IV
See session schedule
4:15 pm – 4:30 pm
Break
Pearson Commons
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Final Plenary Session
Buetow Auditorium
“Claiming Place: On the Agency of Hmong Women.”
Chia Youyee Vang, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (Moderator)
Session Information and Abstracts
Session I | 10:00 am – 11:00 am
1.
Title: Workshop: A conversation on Hmong Sexualities
Location: LTC 214/215
Presenter(s):
Pao Lee Vue, St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY
Louisa Schein, Rutgers University, NY
Kong Pheng Pha, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Abstract
This workshop will be in the form of a conversation, rather than a traditional conference panel. Three scholars who
study Hmong communities will facilitate a discussion that tackles some of the most difficult questions about sexuality
within the last 40 years. In these decades, heterosexual and/or heteronormative sexualities have dominated discussions
about Hmong sexual life, including gender exploitation, morality, family and reproduction. We have seen these norms
change, not only in the U.S. but also in Asia. Hmong Americans have been especially engaged in emerging conversations
around erotics, interracial relationships, LGBTQ identities, homoeroticism, and transnational marriages. Hmong
Americans have also participated in mainstream debates about sexuality, such as marriage equality, racial politics,
private/public sexualities, and women’s sexual rights. The West, forms of education, religion, mobility and diaspora have
all influenced Hmong Americans, especially as we begin to acquire the language and knowledge to understand and thus
debate about sexual morality and norms. We also want to think about what has influenced Hmong in Asia, and consider
relations between generations, between continents, between city and country, and other differences that perhaps
define the Hmong diasporic community.
We want to use this workshop to collectively consider these pressing issues, in order to confront the continued, yet
different, struggles that we face about sexuality. Furthermore, we believe that a conversation in and of itself is an action
step towards a bright and dynamic Hmong America. Our workshop will be crucial to research in areas of gender and
sexuality and the transformative within Hmong Studies. We also hope that attendees of this workshop will acquire tools
to initiate and tackle serious programming and curriculum concerns in education and classrooms, in order to promote
tolerance and mutual respect for differences. Both facilitators and attendees will be able to discuss these concerns with
each other, and will be able to take away key points that will impact everyone personally and professionally in the
future. We believe that progress is beginning to be made regarding conversations about sexual practices and identities
within different Hmong communities. This workshop will serve as a site where we can extend and deepen these valuable
exchanges on topics that are often hushed or go unacknowledged within our communities. Moreover, a consideration of
the politics of sexuality is at its most crucial time.
We intend to pose discussion questions that allow participants to wrestle with difficult issues by suspending judgment of
each other and offering diverse perspectives, thereby taking a fresh look at some of the assumptions that are made
about Hmong sexualities. Sample questions include:
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•
•
•
•
•
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What sets of moral standards about sex are Hmong Americans and Hmong in Asia living by? Who is
excluded/condemned by these standards?
What are Hmong sexual cultures? What is permitted and prohibited? What is considered perverse? How has this
changed? What should be upheld?
If homosexuality as an identity was not part of Hmong tradition, can we assume the same about homoerotic
practices?
How do queerness and queer identities complicate assumptions about Hmong sexualities?
What considerations are there in evaluating interracial relationships and marriage?
Is there room for genuine erotics in arranged marriage?
If arranged marriage seems to be a thing of the past, what about all the digital sexual courting activities that are
prevalent now? How do these differ?
2. Title: The construction of the folk belief system in the Hmong village of Huawu
Location: LTC 216
Presenter: Huang Xiurong, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Visiting Scholar to the Center for Hmong Studies, Concordia University, St. Paul
Abstract
In the Hmong Village of Huawu, folk belief is popular. The folk belief system there includes a number of elements. First,
nature worship is an essential part of their belief system, which includes sacred Mountains, sacred trees and geomancy.
Second, ancestor worship, which includes the belief in ghosts and the practice of sacrificing to one’s ancestors. Third,
there is a widespread belief in such rituals as “opening the gate” and practicing divination. This presentation uses the
concepts of space and time as leading factors, and analyzes how diversified folk beliefs of Hmong people have been
constructed into an integrated system during the process of social change.
3. Title: Important factors for understanding the Moob’s Spiritual Healers, “Txiv Neeb.”
Location: LTC 217
Presenter: Andrew Xiong, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Abstract
In view of the exploration into some of the themes that determine trajectories for who are the Moob txiv neeb (male)
and nam neeb (female) in the Moob community suggests what their roles are as members, parents, relatives, and
religious and spiritual healers. In attempt to restore and preserve a difficult portion of historical knowledge of these
particular people, I have participated and observed the rituals performed by some of these men and women, both in
Laos and the United States, and recorded their experiences of the different processes they each go through. This
becomes evident to explore and understand how they are chosen to be these so called, “shamans” within the scheme of
the Moob belief system. Before moving forward, I will be using “txiv neeb” within the essay to identify both male and
female counterparts. This is not an attempt to exclude women who practice as well, but rather to allow for simple
understanding and less confusion of names and titles I will be using. My project, thus, attempts to tell the stories of
these men and women in hopes of gaining greater understanding of the lives they lead and generate further discourse
of the relevance and implications this practice of ua neeb may have on the lives of Hmong people in the twenty-first
century.
4. Title: Veterans from the Secret War in Laos: War, Remembrance, Ritual, Rank, and Racism
Location: LTC 218
Presenters: Ian Baird, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Paul Hillmer, Concordia University, St. Paul
Abstract
Many former soldiers from the Royal Lao Army (RLA) and the Secret Guerilla Units (SGUs)—who fought against the Pathet
Lao and Vietnamese Communists in Laos before the country’s government was taken over by the communist Lao People’s
Revolutionary Party in 1975—came to the United States of America as political refugees between 1976 and the mid-2000s.
These former soldiers, especially those who are ethnically Hmong and Lao, consider themselves “veterans of the Secret
War in Laos”. In the 1980s and 1990s many veterans became politically involved against the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic (Lao PDR) government. Some organizations, such as the United Lao National Liberation Front (ULNLF) (Neo Hom
Pot Poi Xat in Lao) provided higher military and political ranks, often based on the amounts of money donated to the ULNLF.
More recently, many veterans have joined private organizations set up primarily to lobby for increased recognition and
benefits for veterans from the US government. Veterans from Laos have also joined private organizations which claim to
be devoted to US national security and disaster relief, such as the United States National Defense Corps (USNDC) and other
similar groups. The USNDC recognizes the previous military ranks of veterans from Laos, and also gives military ranks out
to non-veterans based on educational attainment and other career factors. Rank can increase based on service, and now
a number of Hmong have attained the rank of general, even though the late General Vang Pao was the only Hmong military
general in Laos before 1975.
In this presentation, we explore the intersection between Hmong veterans, and issues associated with remembrance,
military ritual, and rank. We argue that the identities of many veterans from Laos as political refugees in the United States
are closely linked to their identities as Secret War veterans. We also consider how many veterans and have attempted to
achieve military ranks through associating with private organizations in the United, including those opposed to the Lao
PDR government, veterans groups, and organizations officially devoted to US national security and disaster relief. We show
that for many veterans from Laos, the boundaries between these different types of organizations have often become
blurred, and we ultimately argue that veteran activities in the United States are frequently linked to responding to racism,
and showing that their involvement in the Secret War—in support of the United States—forced them to become political
refugees in America.
5. Title: Educational achievement of Hmong college students
Location: LTC 219
Presenters: Pao Lor, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay
Ray Hutchison, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay
Abstract
Research on the Hmong American educational experience is an emerging area of study. It is a topic of great importance
for the Hmong community and for colleges and universities in the Midwest and other areas with sizeable Hmong
populations. Much of this research has focused on high schools and following earlier educational research on the
association between family background, parent’s education, and family orientation toward education. Less emphasis has
been given to the college experience and post-secondary educational achievement of Hmong students. Yet, this is a
crucial area for study as the Hmong community moves into the middle decades of the 21st Century. As such, the study
attempts to answer the following research question: How well prepared are Hmong students for college? How
successful are Hmong students at the college level? How are their academics compared to that of other college
students? Is there a significant academic performance difference between Hmong genders? We present information for
one hundred ninety (n=194) Hmong students attending the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay from 2002-2010. More
specifically, we provide an analysis of their demographics, high school academic performance and post-secondary
academic performance. Demographics include gender, cohort, high school attended, geographical region and clanship
represented. The high school academic measures, our dependent variables, include high school GPA; high school credit
units in English, math, science, and social studies; ACT composite scores; and ACT scores in English, math, reading and
science. The post-secondary measures, our independent variables, include number of semesters enrolled; number of
credits completed; final cumulative GPA; degree completion. We also provide an analysis of the university Hmong
student who transfer and graduate from other educational institutions.
Session II | 11:20 am – 12:20 pm
1. Title: Hmong women mobilizing globally for gender equity.
Location: LTC 214/215
Presenters:
Moderator:
KaYing Yang, Lead Organizer & Co-Founder
Building Our Future: A Global Community Campaign, USA (BOF)
Panelists:
1.
Rasamee Thawsirichuchai, Coordinator & Researcher
Hmong Women’s Network of Thailand (HWNT)
2.
Su Thi Tan, Founder & Director
Sapa O’Chau, Sapa, Vietnam
3.
Pheng Thao, Co-founder
ManForward, Minnesota, USA
4.
Xong Xiong, Executive Director
Hmoob Cultural and Community Agency, Wisconsin, USA
Abstract
Building a social justice movement led by Hmong women is essential to creating gender equity. For hundreds of years,
patriarchal practices have isolated Hmong women and girls, consequently creating inequality and gender-based
discrimination which is a primary impediment of progress for all Hmong. Nevertheless, Hmong women around the world
have worked tirelessly (often in silo and alone) to address these issues. Today, we have started an international
movement to eradicate these harmful practices and shift social norms.
In 2013 and 2015, Building Our Future convened Hmong women from China, Laos, Thailand, United States and Vietnam
to learn about each other’s situations. At these gatherings we concluded that certain fundamental Hmong cultural
practices negatively impact Hmong women and girls, no matter which country they lived in. Each panelist will share their
pioneering efforts to empower women to collectively speak up against gender injustices and focus on the progress of
our community. Ms. Thawsirichuchi will present HWNT’s research on the significance of utilizing spiritual ceremonies to
welcome women back into their family home through the healing ritual of calling the soul/spirit of a widow, divorced
and abandoned women. Ms. Tan’s social enterprise, which has received international recognition, tackles illiteracy,
creates educational and job opportunities for young tour guides and street vendors, most of whom are women and girls.
Through a newly formed organization, ManForward, Mr. Thao is developing new practices of brotherhood among men,
boys, and masculinities to end gender-based violence and promote gender equity. Ms. Xiong, a leader in providing
culturally appropriate domestic violence services will highlight how Hmong American women have played a critical role
in mobilizing social justice activists in the US to partner with Hmong sisters in Asia to galvanize our efforts.
2. Title: Hmong educated parents’ perspectives and support for their children in higher
education
Location: LTC 216
Presenters: Maimoua Xiong, California State University, Fullerton
Albert M. Gloria, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Abstract
Empirical research demonstrates that parents understanding of college and their role greatly impacts their ways of
providing support for their child(ren) attending college. According to the preliminary research, Her’s study (2011) found
that Hmong parents with little to no formal education were unaware of resources and opportunities offered on their
child’s college campus, impacting their ability to provide adequate support for their child in college. As a result,
community and family members serve as important stakeholders and contribute to the support systems among Hmong
students educational experiences. The researcher believes understanding the perspectives and support Hmong
educated parents provide as it contributes to the successes and self-efficacy of their children attending college can
provide implications for higher education institutions and Hmong communities at large. This is a preliminary qualitative
study examining two sets of Hmong parents and one Hmong mother in the Midwest of the United States. The research
focuses extensively on their perspectives and support for their child/ren in college with a focus on their academic
background. Interviews were conducted and analyzed to identify emergent themes and interview questions were based
on the psychosocialcultural (PSC) model.
3. Title: An ideal minority: Hmong Americans and the politics of
loyalty and citizenship.
Location: LTC 217
Presenter: Nengher N. Vang, University of Wisconsin, White Water
Abstract
In discussions surrounding the Model Minority, Hmong Americans and other Southeast Asian refugees are often
used to show the myth of the Model Minority. While Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Americans are hailed as model
minorities, Hmong Americans and other Southeast Asian refugees are still far from achieving the educational and
socioeconomic success of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Americans. Unfortunately, such a contrast, in spite of its
noble intentions, also implies an uncomfortable corollary, and that is that Hmong Americans and other Southeast
Asian refugees are not "model minorities" even if it does not necessarily suggest that they are “bad” minorities. It
is my argument, however, that the Hmong are very much the ideal or model minority when we look at the history
of their political activism in America. In spite of abandonment in Laos by the Americans and disappointment after
disappointment at the US government after their arrival in America, including the denial of Hmong veteran
benefits, the labeling of the Hmong as terrorists, the arrest of General Vang Pao and his alleged co-conspirators, and
the denial of the honor and burial right of the late General Pao in Arlington Cemetery, Hmong Americans remain
wholeheartedly loyal to the US. Domestically, they continue to get involved in local, state, and national politics in
increasing number as means to demonstrate not only their loyalty but also their model citizenry in
America. Internationally, they continue to carry and export America's mission, values, ideals, and policies abroad. If
not the model minority in the traditional sense of the word, Hmong Americans are undoubtedly the "ideal" minority
for America, for they remain staunchly loyal to America and active political citizens in America despite repeated
disappointments and what some might call "betrayals" by the US government. In short, their incessant loyalty to
the US government makes them model citizens and, hence, a model minority in America.
4. Title: Creating new societies: Over the Hmong transnational migration of China-Vietnam border.
Location: LTC 218
Presenter: Yasuhisa Taniguchi, Osaka University of Tourism, Japan.
Abstract
This paper mainly discusses migrants of the Hmong people who moved from Vietnam to China around and after the SinoVietnamese War in 1979. The political upheavals between two countries in the late 1970’s have serious consequences
for the Hmong near the border. The Hmong evacuees from Vietnam had to respond to their situation with passivity.
Some sought to get better life through increased migration as refugees. It turned out to be the onset of their relocation
in China for 624 persons from Ha Giang Province, Vietnam, to Yuanjiang prefecture, Yunnan, during 1978-1986. Especially
in Yunnan, the expansion of displaced population from Vietnam increased around the Sino-Vietnamese War. Local
government and Overseas Chinese committee answered establishing of new villages and accommodation facilities (i.e.
Overseas-Chinese farm) in Yunnan, after the Hmong refugees were recognized as war immigrants who have “Chinese
origin”. The Hmong of new nation, as the name of “Miao” ethnic nationality, had given civil rights as Chinese citizens, and
they allowed to hold identification card and to earn a livelihood by farming. However, their account of village life based
upon agricultural activities and they have been standing as a small silent minority, they never lacked the ethnic roots in
Northern Vietnam countryside in common with the Hmong who lives in other countries distinctively. Although some
attempts of transnational migration among the Hmong over the past four decades entails acculturation in the aspect of
culture, they foster a sense of ethnic identity in the face of the stream of national politics.
5. Title: Interrupting the conspiracy of silence: Historical trauma and the experience of Hmong American
women.
Location: LTC 219
Presenter: Ia Xiong, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Abstract
The Hmong have endured a history of oppression and trauma. The Secret War was particularly significant as it resulted
in genocide, dislocation, and oppression of the Hmong. In addition, the Hmong experience and their involvement as U.S.
allies remained largely a secret for several decades. Current research suggests that Hmong Americans experience a high
prevalence of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Do historical factors such as war,
genocide, and secrecy contribute to the current mental health conditions of the Hmong? This qualitative study applied
the conceptual frameworks of the intergenerational transmission of historical trauma (TCMI framework), the conspiracy
of silence, and the cultural context model to explore the Hmong experience. Specifically, this study posed the following
research questions:
1. What are the experiences of Hmong women in relation to intergenerational historical trauma?
2. What are Hmong women’s experiences of the conspiracy of silence in relation to Hmong historical trauma?
3. What is the impact of a psychoeducational intervention on historical trauma for Hmong women?
Nine Hmong American women were recruited and completed initial interviews, a psychoeducational intervention, and
post-intervention interviews. Results indicated that all participants described experiences relevant to the construct of
historical trauma and the conspiracy of silence. In addition, results suggest that following the psycoeducational
intervention, participants experienced new awareness, empowerment, and interruption of the conspiracy of silence.
Consideration of Hmong historical trauma may offer insight into the conceptualization and treatment of current Hmong
mental health issues. Results will be further discussed.
LUNCHEON PLENARY SESSION | 12:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Buenger Education Center
Title: Dialogue with Clan Leaders on International Marriages and Interpersonal Violence
Presenters:
Zha Blong Xiong, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (Moderator)
Wa Houa Vue, President of the Hmong 18 Council (H18C)
Nhia Vue Chue, H18C Member and Executive Director of the Hmong Mediation
HuePao Peter Lee, Former President of the Lee National Organization
WaThai Yang, Former Board Chair of Hmong National Development
Abstract
International marriages and interpersonal violence, particularly violence against women, have become too familiar
in our community in recent years. If you type in the phrase “Hmong murder-suicides” on google, you will see the
countless murder-suicide cases dated back to the 1990s to the latest case in California where Chinnawat Vue, 23,
killed his wife, Xia Vang, 22, who believed to be involved in an extramarital affair with another man. Although
various initiatives have been created across the country - including the Violence Against Asian Women and Children
Workgroup that appointed by the Minnesota Commissioner of Health - to address abusive international marriages
and violence against women, most of these initiatives are spearheaded by women. Thus far, we have not heard
from men who play a critical role in addressing these issues on a daily basis at the clan and lineage levels. They need
to be heard and engaged in the fight against those who perpetrate against women. Therefore, the purpose of this
panel discussion is to allow the opportunity for clan leaders to share their perspective on the issues of interpersonal
violence and international marriages and discuss what’s happening at the lineage and clan levels to change the
outcomes of these violent practices.
Session III | 2:05 pm – 3:05 pm
1. Title: The Hmong, Latino, and Somali Hospice Stories Project
Location: LTC 214/215
Presenter: Kathie Culhane-Pera and The Hospice Stories Project Partnership
SoLaHmo/ West Side Community Health Services.
Abstract
Background: A 2103 national survey indicated that 18.5% of hospice patients were from minority populations, a
disparity that also exists in Minnesota. The Hospice Stories Project seeks to create culturally and linguisticallyappropriate stories to increase Hmong, Latino, and Somali community knowledge about and willingness to consider
hospice at the end-of-life as well as increase hospice professionals’ abilities to respond to ethnic communities’ endof-life needs.
Methods: The project uses community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) and entertainment education
(EE) approaches. CBPAR is a partnership between community members, clinicians and researchers that elucidates
community issues. EE promotes change through emotional stories that entertain and educate.
Results:
1. Hmong, Latino, and Somali community leaders identified important community-specific themes about end-oflife experiences.
2. We created a digital video short that represents communities’ common and disparate themes at end-of-life, in
Hmong, Somali, Spanish, and English.
3. We created 3 radio stories of fictional stories, based on interviews with 3 Hmong, 3 Latino, and 3 Somali
families, which dramatize cultural issues around end-of-life care, in Hmong, Somali, Spanish, and English.
4. The digital short and the radio stories will be aired on television and radio stations and will be shown at ethnic
community events and hospice professionals’ conferences.
Conclusion: We will evaluate community members and professionals’ responses to the stories. We expect the stories
will increase Hmong, Latino and Somali’s understanding about and openness to hospice services when consistent
with their desires for end-of-life care and increase hospice professionals’ abilities to respond to ethnic communities’
end-of-life needs..
2. Title: Educational Disparity by Ethnic and Regional Perspective – focus on Hmong Women in
Lao PDR.
Location: LTC 217
Presenter: Miki Inui, University of Hyogo, Japan
Abstract
The purpose of this presentation is to examine historical change of education access in Lao PDR since EFA(Education
for All) and investigate the remaining disparities by ethnic and regional perspective. As a research methodology,
data was collected by national census, education database and education data from local authorities. Besides, field
research including interview to the stakeholders are conducted by local level.
Existing data and perspectives from government and institutional representatives show that educational access for
minority women, especially for Hmong women, has improved in Laos. For example, comparing 1995 and 2005
census, literacy rate of Hmong, a biggest non Lao-Thai group was increased from 26.5% to 45.0 % in ten years.
Moreover, access to educational opportunities for Hmong women has become increasingly available due to
internal/external aid.
Although the quantitative expansion seems successful, there remain significant disparities within the country. For
example, the national average of survival rate of primary school (2014) is 77.5%; however, the data of Huaphanh
province and which shows the second highest Hmong population remains at 73.3%. On the other hand, Xieng
Khouang province where there is the highest population of Hmong shows the rate at 87.5%. Other data such as
dropout and repetition rates also shows significant disparities by provinces. It means attention needs to be paid not
only to the ethnicity but regional perspective.
There are significant education disparities within the country and the factors behind the disparities are seems to be
different from the local level. Therefore, specific strategies should be planned and implemented by their local needs
and contexts.
3. Title: Changes in Hmong Dress in Northwest Guizhou, China.
Location: LTC 218
Presenter: Yan Gao, Guizhou University and University of Wisconsin, Madison
Abstract
For thousands of years, Hmong in the Northwestern Guizhou alpine mountains lived a traditional way of life: a selfsustaining lifestyle of hunting and farming. Different sub-groups of Hmong had different clothing, even if they were
in the same branch, due to geographical location, environment, social environment and other factors.
Twenty years ago, people can determine different Hmong from their clothes. However, in recent years, especially in
the twenty-first century, due to the process of modernization in China, there have been great changes in Hmong life
in remote areas. Most of the young Hmong migrate to the city for work; they brought fashionable and popular
modern clothing styles to villages and the traditional dress culture has inevitably been strongly impacted.
Now when you walk into some Hmong villages, you have difficult to know whether they are Hmong from their
clothing. Most Hmong no longer dress in traditional Hmong costumes (except in major festivals) in their daily life.
Many young people hardly or ever wear traditional costumes. The new form of apparel processing embroidery and
sewing batch processing are becoming universal. Older Hmong no longer require young people to learn traditional
dress culture. Clothing skill level is no longer an important criterion for Hmong young men and women in finding
marriage mates.
Northwest Guizhou Hmong costumes one showing new features in modern society, such as more and more
convenient styles and more and more time-saving. Many traditional clothing crafts that lasted for hundreds or even
thousands of years are dying away. Hmong clothing culture is losing traditional costumes and artistic charm.
4. Title: HMong Christianity Today: The Blessings and Challenges.
Location: LTC 219
Presenter: Kou Seying, Concordia Seminary St. Louis, MO
Abstract
HMong Christianity today presents an array of confusing picture of what exactly is Christianity to the HMong community
of both non-Christian and Christian alike around the world. This presentation/paper presents an overview of the
historical development of HMong Christianity. It identifies some of the critical issues within HMong Christianity today
such as syncretism, legalism, moralism, and contextualization. Along with these issues, this paper introduces
ecclesiastical and theological development within HMong Christianity and the challenges that come along with it. It
answers the question of how the four distinct historical approaches to Christianity have impacted HMong Christianity
today. Through these lenses, the presentation/paper looks at the historic root cause of this confusion and finally offers
what are the contributions of HMong Christianity today.
Session IV | 3:05 pm – 4:05 pm
1. Title: An exploratory study of the relationship between fatalism, locus of control, and Hmong
individuals with alcohol-related offenses.
Location: LTC 213
Presenter: MaiNhia Khang, Minnesota School of Professional Psychology - Argosy University
Abstract
This clinical research project was an exploratory study that examined if there was a relationship between fatalism and
locus of control (LOC) among 15 Hmong males with alcohol-related offenses in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Archival data
obtained from Pangea Care, a licensed chemical-dependency treatment facility, consisted of results from a
demographic questionnaire, the Fatalism Scale, and the Drinking-Related Locus of Control Scale (DRIE). A quantitative
analysis indicated that relationships between fatalism and LOC were not statistically significant. However, a post-hoc
analysis indicated that more acculturated individuals endorsed higher levels of fatalism and had a more internal LOC.
Specifically, acculturated individuals believed that things in life were predetermined, yet also believed they had the
ability to change it. There were some notable limitations of the study such as a small sample size, gender imbalance,
and cultural factors that may have impacted the outcome of the data. It is recommended that future studies focus
on identifying whether or not perspectives of fatalism and LOC differ between genders, the role that cognitive
dissonance plays in sobriety, and the impact that cultural factors may have on drinking behaviors in the Hmong
community.
2. Title: Hmong in China: Reviewing and reclaiming History.
Location: LTC 214/215
Presenters:
Daniel Meissner, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Vincent K. Her, University of Wisconsin, Lacrosse, Wisconsin
Mary Louise Buley-Meissner, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Abstract:
Panel Abstract: Within the last decade, increasing attention in Hmong studies has been given to the globalization of
Hmong identity, particularly the possibility of Hmong cultural origin in China. Recently, Hmong American teachers,
tourists and scholars have become interested in “returning to China” as an opportunity for rediscovering cultural
heritage. On trips to China, they learn from tour guides and government publications that minority groups in that
country peacefully have been assimilated for many years into a multiethnic national identity. Thus, Hmong people are
now welcomed back to China as if they have always belonged there. However, we propose that a closer look at the
history of Hmong people in China reveals that very rarely have Hmong voices been heard or have Hmong values been
respected in their ongoing struggle to maintain their cultural integrity. Instead, as our panel will show, Chinese accounts
of Hmong history – as reflected in legal, literary, political and popular sources from the 17th through the 21st century have been distorted by a dominant narrative of Han cultural superiority and the denial of Hmong cultural integrity. As
part of that narrative, Hmong people also have been conflated with Miao, effectively erasing the distinctive history of
Hmong people as a unique cultural group. Consequently, we argue that the history of Hmong people in China needs to
be reviewed and reclaimed in terms of their own actions, voices and driving concerns. Contributing to current
community debates regarding what it means to be Hmong in the world today, we will encourage our audience to engage
in a critical reading of what “returning to China” means.
Can the Hmong Be Civilized? Chinese Views of Hmong in Chinese History
Daniel Meissner
Hmong Americans today, perhaps more than ever, are reflecting on who they are and how their collective identities
have been shaped by historical forces over centuries of global migration. Yet, little attention has been paid to dominant
Chinese narratives of Hmong as “barbarians” who need to be “civilized” by their Chinese rulers. By providing legal and
political evidence of their struggles for self-determination and self-definition, I intend to engage the audience in
reconsidering whether or not Hmong ever have fully belonged in China. According to China’s national narrative of
ethnic assimilation, Hmong people have become "civilized" through Chinese campaigns to rule and reform them –
campaigns which have been carried out from at least the 17th century (when Chinese courts determined that many
Hmong were "savages" who could not be rehabilitated) until the mid-20th century (when the government decided how
to categorize hundreds of minority groups into an official 56). Indeed, Qing dynasty (1644-1912) legal decisions
characterize Hmong people as so morally and culturally deficient that they had to be “exiled beyond the habitable
world.” Since 1949, the Chinese government has carried out a campaign of minority group assimilation, including the
conflation of Hmong with Miao, effectively erasing the distinctive history of Hmong people as a unique cultural group.
As a professor of Asian history, I finally will emphasize that Hmong people have the right to tell their own story of where
they have come from and where they are now.
Where Do Hmong People Belong? Contemporary Views of Hmong in China and the US.
Vincent K. Her and Mary Louise Buley-Meissner
As educators who have been teaching in Hmong American studies for the past fifteen years, we recognize and respect
the efforts of multidisciplinary scholars to investigate Hmong identity and cultural origin. Recently, we have noticed that
Hmong American educators and scholars have become interested in “returning to China” literally and symbolically as a
possible homeland for Hmong people. On the one hand, we see this as a development arising from the globalization of
Hmong studies. On the other hand, we are concerned that little attention has been given so far to the complexity of
Hmong history in China, particularly the denigration of Hmong as inferior to the Han - a history that will be reviewed in
detail by the first speaker on our panel. In our talk, we analyze the current situation of Hmong people in China,
contrasting the harsh reality of poverty, unemployment and limited education with the national narrative of ethnic
assimilation in which tourism plays a major role. In this situation, Hmong culture is being degraded, while Hmong
people (“born to sing and dance” according to tourist guidebooks) are performing identities which conform to Chinese
stereotypes. Furthermore, Hmong history is being lost because those who remember it have little chance to pass it on;
poverty in the countryside is pushing young people out to big cities, and they rarely come back. Drawing on our work
with Hmong American students – particularly their serious interest in knowing their history and taking pride in their
heritage – we finally emphasize how important it is for Hmong people to reclaim the right and the voice to tell their own
story of where they have come from; where they are now; and what they believe their future holds.
3. Title: In search of Phim Nyus Vais and other forest spirits in Laos.
Location: LTC: 216
Presenter: Pao Vue, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Abstract
The Hmong in Laos are crucial when it comes to natural resource management and biodiversity conservation. They
are the 3rd most populous ethnic group in Laos and tend to live near areas with important conservation values where
they engage in hunting and the collection of various kinds of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Although they are
heavily dependent on the natural resources, there also exist traditional spiritual beliefs that govern how they should
interact with the forest and those resources that could be viewed as traditional natural resource conservation
practices. However, the last few decades have seen these beliefs being impacted by various external factors. In this
study, I look at how government laws and regulations, the introduction of the market economy, and technological
advancements have affected these beliefs and how this change has in turn, affected how the Hmong interact with
the available resources. Data gathered through ethnographic research, including the active pursuit of forest spirits in
Laos suggest that while the Hmong are still aware of these traditional beliefs, the beliefs themselves have been greatly
weakened by the aforementioned external factors and in many cases, are no longer a concern to the majority of
Hmong hunters. Thus, while these traditional beliefs remain an integral component of Hmong spirituality, it may no
longer be depended upon to have the same influence as it once did. As such, conservationists must look for other
opportunities to work with the Hmong in Laos to encourage sustainable resource use.
4. Title: It takes a village to raise a child: How social networks impact Hmong students’ college
accessibility and choice.
Location: LTC 217
Presenter: Nue Lor, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Abstract:
This study examines how social capital impacts the academic attainment of 30 Hmong American students. Hmong
students commonly hold low amounts of social capital due to smaller social networks, which leads to low college
accessibility. The relationship between bridging and bonding social capital and Hmong students’ college experiences
is examined to discover that bonding social capital played a role in where students decided to enroll in college.
Bonding social capital was also prevalent within the Hmong community in the form of family obligation students felt
towards traditional responsibilities and roles that came before their role as a student. Bridging social capital was
prevalent in the college preparatory programs students were enrolled in during high school. 85% of students who
attended a four-year institution were involved in a college prep program and those weaker, bridging social networks
facilitated their college access. The theorized greater benefits of bridging social capital, contending that, while
bonding social capital is a means to “getting by,” bridging social capital is a means to “getting ahead” was challenged
in this research. Therefore, it may be more useful to focus on the nuances of social capital rather than the strict
dichotomy of bonding and bridging social capital.
5. Title: Politics of space: The spatial practice and social movement of the Hmong in Thailand.
Location: LTC 218
Presenter: Yutthapong Suebsakwong (Zeb Yaj), Chiang Mai University, Thailand
University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Abstract: According to past research about the Hmong, especially in Hmong populated parts of Southeast Asia,
most scholars focused on essentialized and ideal forms of Hmong cultural practice, especially during the classical
period before 1990s. At that time, researchers often represented the Hmong as a unique primitive ethnic group,
based on culture and essentialized history. Through using other theoretical tools, like spatial and discourse analysis,
the Hmong social phenomena now and in the past can be analyzed in multiple dimensions, which means that
people should not be explained based on ideal structures. Instead, they should be recognized for their diversity.
Therefore, my argument is that the conditions which make actual social change do not only result from idealized
culture and history, but from the representations of Hmong people by others and by themselves. Since the
representations are related to the subject or the people who interpret or give meaning, it makes the forms of
culture and history, which I call spatial practice, different in reality. In this presentation, I will elaborate some
representations or spatial practices pertaining to contested space in Thailand in several contexts, conditions and
meanings, through both the eyes of the Hmong themselves and other actors.
Final Plenary Session | 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Final Plenary Session
Title: Claiming Place: On the Agency of Hmong Women
Location: Buetow Music Auditorium
Presenters:
Chia Youyee Vang, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Faith Nibbs, Forced Migration Upward Mobility Project
Ma Vang, University of California-Merced
Geraldine Craig, Kansas State University
Kong Pha, University of Minnesota
Louisa Schein, Rutgers University
Bruce Thao, Bush Foundation Fellow and Consultant
Abstract
This panel is made up of authors from the newly released book from the University of Minnesota Press, Claiming
Place: On the Agency of Hmong Women. The overall book discusses the myriad agentic roles Hmong women have
played in society that illustrates how centering women in studies of history, family, society, media, art, and sexuality
expands the body of knowledge about a Hmong lived experience while contributing to broader conversations on
gender, diaspora, and agency.
Closing and Evaluation | 5:30 pm
Please remember to turn in your evaluation after the final plenary session/conference.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME!
Honoring the past, interpreting the present, and enriching the future.
The mission of Concordia University, St. Paul, a university of
The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, is to prepare
students for thoughtful and informed living, for dedicated
service to God and humanity, for enlightened care of God’s
creation, all within the context of the Christian Gospel.
Classroom and Campus Map
SPECIAL EXHBITS
TCHEU XIONG Spirit Works
Curated by Geraldine Craig
February 29 – April, 2016 * H. Williams Teaching Gallery
Hmong artist Tcheu Siong is based in Luang Prabang, Laos. She cuts the shapes of spirit figures she sees in dreams out of fabric, then
appliques and embroideries them into textile art works. Inspired by shamanism and traditional Hmong textiles, her practice
communicates a contemporary individual statement.
Location: The galleries of Concordia University-St. Paul are located in the Concordia Art Center, 1301 Marshall Avenue, at the NW
corner of Marshall Avenue and Syndicate Street North.
WE ARE HMONG MINNESOTA
Curated by Lee Pao Xiong
February 1 – December 31, 2016 * The Center for Hmong Studies
If you missed the We Are Hmong Minnesota exhibit at the Minnesota History Center, it's still not too late. You can still view some of it
at the Center for Hmong Studies. After the exhibit closed in January 2016, the Minnesota Historical Society donated the various panels
to the Center for Hmong Studies at Concordia University. Combined with the Center's enormous collection of textiles, photographs,
and other artifacts, the exhibit is now up once again for public viewing.
Location: The Center for Hmong Studies is located at 1245 Carroll Avenue. We are in the former President’s house, next to the
campus Chapel.
List of Restaurants
To help with your evening dinner plans we have compiled a list of local restaurants near Concordia University. Each neighborhood
offers their own unique collection of restaurants with an array of flavors, atmosphere and price.
Also note the restaurants marked with an *. As a conference attendee you will receive a discount of 10% off your total bill.
Featured Restaurant
Name
1. Punch Pizza
Address & Phone
704 Cleveland Ave S • St. Paul MN 55105 • 651.292.0444
Food Type
Neapolitan Style Pizza
Address & Phone
695 Grand Ave • St. Paul MN 55105 • 651.292.0444
695 Grand Ave• St. Paul MN 55105 • 651.222.7345
850 Grand Ave • St. Paul MN 55105 • 651.224.5687
917 Grand Ave • St. Paul MN 55105 • 651.917.2345
1681 Grand Ave • St. Paul MN 55105 • 651.690.1393
Food Type
Japanese
American Southern
American
French with American flavor
Thai
Address & Phone
371 Selby Ave • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.291.1236
374 Selby Ave • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.224.5715
400 Selby Ave • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.225.9414
610 Selby Ave • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.291.1414
Food Type
Russian
American Fine Dining
American
Thai
Grand Ave Restaurants
Name
2. Saji Ya
3. Dixie’s on Grand
4. Café Latte
5. Salute Bar Americain
6. Pad Thai Restaurant
Selby Ave Restaurants
Name
1. Moscow on the Hill
2. W.A. Frost
3. Fabulous Fern’s Bar
4. Mango Thai
University Ave Restaurants
Name
1. King Thai
2. Bangkok Thai Deli
3. Mai Village
4. Little Szechuan
5. Hoa Bien
Address & Phone
225 University Ave W • St. Paul MN 55103 • 651.237.4790
333 University Ave W • St. Paul MN • 651.237.4790
394 University Ave W • St. Paul MN 55103 • 651.290.2585
422 University Ave W • St. Paul MN 55103 • 651.222.1333
1105 University Ave W• St. Paul MN 55103 • 651.647.1011
Food Type
Asian All You Can Eat
Thai
Asian
Chinese
Vietnamese
Downtown Saint Paul Restaurants
Name
1. The Saint Paul Grill
2. Pazaluna
3. Meritage
4. Sawatdee
5. Fuji Ya
6. Mickey’s Dinner
Address & Phone
350 Market Street • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.292.9292
360 Saint Peter Street • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.223.7000
410 Saint Peter Street • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.222.5670
486 Robert Street • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.528.7106
465 Wabasha Street N • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.310.0111
1950 7th Street • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.698.8387
Food Type
American Fine Dining
Italian Fine Dining
French Fine Dining
Thai
Japanese
All American Classic
Address & Phone
175 7th Street W • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.556.1420
211 7th Street W • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.222.3476
253 7th Street W • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.228.9500
258 7th Street W • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.292.9916
967 7th Street W • St. Paul MN 55102 • 651.222.5859
Food Type
American
Italian
American Fine Dining
American
Thai
7th Street Restaurants
Name
1. The Liffy
2. Cossetta: Pizzeria
3. Downtowner Grill
4. Tom Reid’s
5. Supatra Thai
Recognition and Thank You
This conference could not be
possible without the
commitment of our volunteers.
Thank you!
Many thanks also to our
Conference Abstract Review
Committee
Volunteers
Dr. Ian Baird – University of Wisconsin,
Madison
Dr. Paul Hillmer – Concordia University
St. Paul
Dr. Chia Youyee Vang – University of
Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Dr. Yang Sao Xiong – University of
Wisconsin, Madison
Dr. Zha Blong Xiong
Cha Mee Vue
Ka Moua
Anthony Her
Lumena Lee
Jasmine Xiong
Gaomogmee Yang
Cheadle Vue
Pahoua Vang
Julie Yang
Steve Lee
Finola Xiong
Pakou Yang
Jaamong Yang
Loc Luong
Kalee Xiong
Jenny Xiong
London Vang
Matthew Xiong
Noah Vang
Gao Chang
Sophie Xiong
Nuqou Vang
Our Vendors
Center for Hmong Studies
Concordia University, St. Paul
China, Vietnam Herbal & Wellness, Inc.
Hmong ABC
Hmong Globe
Hmong Museum
Pha Publishing, LLC
Rev. Danny Xiong
St. Cloud State University
*
Lee Pao Xiong, Director
Center for Hmong Studies
Concordia University
1282 Concordia Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55104
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 651-641-8870
Hmongcenter.csp.edu
[Web Address]
Our Supporters
Concordia University, St.
Paul’s
- Office of Admission
- College of Arts and Letters
-Department of History and
Political Science
-Conference and Events
Media Support
Hmong Times Newspaper
Hmong Today Newspaper
Suab Hmoob Broadcasting
And to YOU the presenters and
conference participants.