I am part of the generation of Hmong/HMong/HMoob children born in the refugee camps of Thailand after the American Secret War in Laos. The American public did not know about this undeclared war. From 1960 to 1975, the United States went against the 1954 Geneva Conventions, which formally ended the First Indochina War, and recruited Hmong and other minority groups for military duties and intelligence operations. This was part of the Vietnam War and the American government’s effort to stop the spread of Communism. At the end of the war, over 150,000 Hmong fled the country—about half the 300,000 estimated population in Laos.

You may wonder why Hmong people who came to the United States as refugees came from Laos and not from a country of their own. The reason is because Hmong people have experienced persecution for centuries and were forced to move from their ancestral homelands in China long ago. Thus, Hmong people do not have a geographic homeland. Today, they live as a minority group in countries around the world, including China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, the United States, Canada, Australia, France, and French Guiana, among other countries. Due to the colonial histories of East and Southeast Asia, Hmong people are not recognized as an Indigenous people. However, many Hmong elders and Hmong Americans claim Indigenous experiences even if they are not recognized by state governments.

This module explores who Hmong people are through storytelling. Hmong stories carry ancestral knowledge to younger generations and are filled with histories and experiences not easily found in written records. Hmong stories include folktales, origin stories, and life stories of people and events. These stories are passed down orally and through “paj ntaub” (Hmong embroidery) or other ritual practices. These methods hold ancestral practices, music and sounds, literature, and other art forms. Hmong storytelling anchors Hmong listeners to our ancestors, communities, and places. It helps us form words and sounds, connecting us to a past from both before and after Hmong were forced to migrate with few possessions. Simply put, Hmong stories tell us who we are.