Hmong New Years Celebrations
Hmong New Years
The Hmong New Year is a cultural celebration that occurs in the months of November and December, in areas where large Hmong population exist. Most known celebration event takes place in Southeast Asia and the United States. The purpose of this celebration is to welcome the new year and rejoice the hard work of the past year. The Hmong people use this event as an opportunity to educate their young and others who have interest in the tradition. When people go to any Hmong New Years event held around the world they can expect to see a variety of colorful Hmong tradition dresses, expect to enjoy different Hmong traditional foods, and expect to be entertain with traditional Hmong dances, music, pageant, and more. Also, there are activities and games that anyone can participate in, such as the traditional ball toss game. Aside from enjoying oneself, there are many great things for sale as well. There are traditional clothing, medicine, movies, music CDs, candy, and much more that people can purchase. There are many great things to keep people busy and entertain at every Hmong New Year event, regardless of your age or race.
Expect To See There ( Yummy Foods )
EggRolls
Papaya
Sausage
Fruits
Variety Of Fruits
The New Year here in the US is very different from what we had in Laos, because in Laos people could celebrate however they wanted to, and everybody had the freedom to do it. Here you can't do New Year the same way. Especially at the Seattle Center, you can't just take food, for instance, because you need a food-handler's permit. And food is one of the most important things for New Year, so it's not as much fun from that point of view. The feasts that the villages were able to give their visitors during New Year time, that doesn't happen anymore. It's too hard because you have to buy everything. People would be going broke if they tried to do it. Some people make the yearly sacrifices for the traditional religion, and it must be very expensive to do it. Back home you had your own rice, your own vegetables, and meat, everyone could go around to everybody's house, but here besides having no money, you have no space, so we only share between members of the same families
Entertainment
Ball Toss Game
(The Past) - The ball is a symbol of the relationship between a young man and a young woman. The ball toss helps them get to know each other, so they can get married and live together forever.
(Future) - Nowadays young woman and men don't really care much about the ball toss anymore, but they still do toss the ball as firends and nonthing more to it. All they do now is just toss the ball and chat with their firends and family, but never in a relationship rise.
(Future) - Nowadays young woman and men don't really care much about the ball toss anymore, but they still do toss the ball as firends and nonthing more to it. All they do now is just toss the ball and chat with their firends and family, but never in a relationship rise.
Clothing
Beautiful Culture Clothes
Costumes have changed a lot, gotten much fancier. Now they have a lot of beautiful beads and very bright decorations. It's very simple to find beads here in this country, so people use them a lot. The style of the clothes hasn't changed much, though - they are just brighter and more decorative. But the hats have completely changed. Sometimes now they wear a Chinese-style hat, or whatever is the fanciest thing they can do. And the bird hat (ko mom noog, a take-off on the idea of a rooster-comb), that was originally for little children, but now all the teenage girls like to wear those hats. So mothers will make New Year clothes for their kids or for people to buy.
Beauty Pageant Contest
This event is now the main focus of the New Year organization because traditionally everyone wants to have a good role model for the Hmong people. And this meant selecting an individual who had talent, intelligence, good appearance and a positive attitude toward the Hmong people, their culture and life. Over the years, this event has now grown from four to five pageants to ten to twelve pageants.
Hmong Dancers
Hmong dancing is, in many ways, of creative dance, in that many of the movements have a meaning that is designed to match the song. Dances are usually in group, with at least two dancers and often choreographed moves. The feet, hips, and hands are very active in Hmong dance, especially the wrists, because they are designed to tell the story of the song.
Reasons Why You Should Go?
Every Hmong New Year event has all sorts of things to offer to the community. If you have never attend one before, NOW is your time. You do not have to be Hmong to attend this event. It welcomes people of all race and size because with just ONE visit at this event, you will experience something that can't be
explain by words. This event is an opportunity to celebrate; therefore, people should be aware of this chance and enjoy it. There are endless reasons as to why an individual should attend this annual celebration.
Reasons Why You Should Go?
-Meet new people of all races from the community and outside of the state!
-Learn something new or different about the Hmong culture!
-Explore your cultural awareness with the tradition Hmong food, clothing, and entertainment!
- Get into the spirit of celebrating the new year early!
- Buy clothing, food, movies, and medicine
Well Hope You Enjoy, And see you all at the Hmong New Year!