Hmong Means Free: Life in Laos and America

by Sucheng Chan and Chan

Book Overview

This collection of evocative personal testimonies by three generations of Hmong refugees is the first to describe their lives in Laos as slash-and-burn farmers, as refugees after a Communist government came to power in 1975, and as immigrants in the United States. Reflecting on the homes left behind, their narratives chronicle the difficulties of forging a new identity. From Jou Yee Xiong's Life Story: "I stopped teaching my sons many of the Hmong...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566391636
• ISBN13: 9781566391634
• Release Date: April 1994
• Publisher: Temple University Press
• Length: 267 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Hmong Means Free

Whether or not the meaning of "Hmong" LITERALLY means "free" or not, I'm SURE, is not what the author is trying to say.

Helping young Hmong Americans find and identity...

I work in the healthcare field and have seen quite a few young (teenage +) Hmong Americans struggling with their sense of value. In particular, a young girl who had been "Americanized" AKA taken from her family when she was young because of supposed abuse - a common practice not that long ago. She was depressed, living with a loving but very white family in which she felt inferior. Asian gang activities in our area made her feel embarrassed. This book put a spark back in her eyes. I found it wonderful and would highly recommend it.

Tragic Mountain

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you so much for all author or editor to do a research on Hmong.We have strugle and fight for freedom for many many years start from China to Laos, and now USA. I have a chance to came to America as Hmong. I feel so lucky to be in USA and have a chance to get higher education.In my personal opinion, since I was born in Laos my parent told mthat we are Hmong and we are human, we a people. But the majority Lao and government call us Meo and neve willing to fix it and call us the way we want. To me the Meo never accept in the Hmong people but we must respect the majority rule, and because we are the monority. Today, we Hmong are proud to our leader Gen. Vang Pao allie with the US and bring the Hmong to America. Do you know what happen? Now, we got want we want, we can we that we are Hmong. I agree with Chen define "Hmong Mean Free" Hmong mean people and mean Human being and also in US we are Free. No one call us Meo, or Miao no more. I amso proud and hope it last and forever that Hmong mean people, Human, and Free.Thank you again for all author for your hard work on our Hmong People.Sincerely,Peter Thao, MSCommunication Technolgy UW-STOUTWisconsin

Hmong History

The stories in this book were true story for the Hmong. If you didn't know who are Hmong and where they came from. You better read this book. It is every a good book. After you read this book, you also get information from Hmong culture. The book talked about Hmong history from China, joined with CIA when the Vietnam War, how hard their lives and also how hard they had moved from country to country. The book also included story by each person. After I read the stories in this book, I felt very interesting and enjoying with. Hmong Means Free, because Hmong was a group that didn't like to live by law control. For me, I understand that Hmong had joined the law when general Vang Pao become a Hmong leader. He was the first one that forced the Hmong to join with the law and had education with other foreign people.