Ideas Called
Shoua Yang
I wonder how you have been thinking about our Hmong people in terms of
problems. Now, what issues should be addressed? Speaking of social,
political, and leadership structures, what have been our people's
problems since we lost our kingdom many 1,000 yrs ago in China? What
type of political structure has formed within our society? How
decisions have been made in our nation?
Given the theme of interdepedency in this century, should Hmong
worldwide be connected through a system social, cultural, educational
exchanges? How will we accomplish this goal? What form of public
policy and/or "ideas" will link our Hmong worldwide together?
Your inputs are appreciated.
SY
pdy
news:cb5bf79d.02051...@posting.google.com
I see that most of us, especially those you who have acadamic skills, do
agree and see what can be done to improve and stabilize our social,
political and cultural issues but most are unable come together to build
such foundation. Many of us are still being too Hmong. That is most of
us are still possess our natural enemy within each of us. This is the
true obstacle to any solid progress we as a people can make. Until we
each have permanently divorce such enemy we are not going to be able to
do anything solid on natioanal level.
Within the last couple months, I have spent my available time to
political campaign. I have learn so much that most of our Hmong are so
afraid of the term "politic". Even when they hear me talk about the
basic political privildege as a citizen has they are still hesitant. It
is so hard to persuade our folks when you only talk about reality
because it is not lomzem. Yog tuaj tim phuvxev tuaj es muaj puas tsav
yam zaj nrog thiab mas lawv thiaj nyiam mloog xwb.
Txawm li ntawd los yeej tsi lig, yog nej cov hluas muaj peev xwm los
txoos ua ib pawg ua lub hauv paus lawd ces muaj ib hnub twg yeej yuav
txawj hloov thiab muaj cov txhawb xwb os.
Qav kaws tes taw ces tsuaj li no xwb, hehehehehe....
pdy
--
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Teev Lis
A group of Hmong have been evaluating and working on the idea of a
"Virtual Hmong Nation". Leepao and I will co-author an essay on the
subject and submit it for publication in the near future. The idea is
based on some simple premises:
(1) The Hmong Diasporas is global in nature.
(2) Globalization of economics and politics are knocking down national
barriers.
(3) Political and economic integration will render all peoples
minorities.
(4) National identity will become less important.
(5) Peoples can thus operate and interact in a global environment.
(6) The best prospect for any people is thus not the prerogatives based
on classic national barriers and identity. But it is based on the
capacity to harness the global resources in a global environment.
(7) As a global people, Hmong are already built into the global
environment. Hmong strategy must then be aimed at harnessing the
resources of the global environment to promote and sustain Hmong.
(8) The mechanism is a "Virtual Hmong Nation" or (I prefer) "Universal
Hmong nation" that will provide the infrastructure, leadership,
institutions and resources for Hmong to operate globally.
In an integrated global environment, Hmong need a drastic change in the
way Hmong see themselves and the rest the world. Hmong need to look at
Hmong on a universal basis. All different ideologies are set aside. They
are merely considered part of Hmong pluralism. The word Hmong
predominates everything. In this "Universal Hmong Nation", every Hmong
around the world is a good Hmong. He/she is included and welcome.
Teev
"Shoua Yang" <syan...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:cb5bf79d.02051...@posting.google.com
> My Fellow Hmong,
Teev Lis
Historically, Hmong Have envied and aspired for a Hmong Nation. It has
been a national consciouness for Hmong from generation to generation.
Today and even better in the future, the global environment has finally
opened up. Hmong now have the chance to finally create a long-dreamed
Hmong Nation. This is not a nation based on borders on four sides with a
political territory in between. Rather, it is a Universal Hmong Nation
based on the four cardinal corners of the world. We will make the world
a Hmong nation.
If we truly believe in ourselves as Hmong and this national
consciousness is made to pervade the mind of every and all Hmong, we can
bring this "Universal Hmong Nation" to life. No need for war or
bloodshed. It only requires the state of our mind and a universal
commitment.
Charlie
and slippery by nature. It becomes almost impossible to try to catch
a 'Ntses Leev' with your two hands except the crabs that can corner
one using nws ob tug ciaj tais and other predators who have the means.
Hmong will be Hmong regardless of what you do, unless - Hmong
receives an almight king straight from heaven with mystical wings and
power. Even so - I still have doubts.
Charlie
syan...@hotmail.com (Shoua Yang) wrote in message news:<cb5bf79d.02051...@posting.google.com>...
P.d. Yarng
ntses leev lawm thiab lov? Only those of us who grew over there had the
opportunity to catch these slippery fish eh!...
Best regard,
pdy
Tham
No, Hmong are not that powerful to always be Hmong. Hmong can be
disappeared or melt to become others.
Once the Hmong language is gone and once a Hmong culture is gone, or
once the Hmong people no longer have a language and a culture, Hmong
are finished once and for all! Please trust me on this. This is true
to any people or nationality on earth, no exception to Hmong.
Hmong is no different from other ethnic groups. Once an ethnic group
no longer has a language and culture of its own, that ethnic group
cannot and will not survive sooner or later.
Do not be too sure that Hmong will always survive or exist no matter
what, because if you think so, I think you may be very wrong.
Hmovtshua,
Thisvis
> Hmong will be Hmong regardless of what you do, unless - Hmong
> Charlie
Pao
> Universal Hmong Nation (or Virtual Hmong Nation)
>
> A group of Hmong have been evaluating and working on the idea of a
> "Virtual Hmong Nation". Leepao and I will co-author an essay on the
> subject and submit it for publication in the near future. The idea is
> based on some simple premises:
>
> >
>
>
The concept of Vitual Nation is not new as I briefly mentioned in the
last HND Conference. Here is a extract of my talk:
"... Finally, in the 21st century, I believe that by focusing our
energy, working in unity and in synergy, we can produce a turbo charge
engine that can propel our community toward the “limitless
possibilities of this century” and blast them off toward the
next century.
We can become the new Hitech Hmong but remain as a HiTouch society
where relationship remains strong through the clan system and
inter-clan marriage. By maintaining our language, being a caring
group of people, having the high respect for one another and by having
a strong and healthy relationship, the Hmong will certainly survive
for another 5000 years, if not more.
The Hmong dream of having a country of our own may be closer that we
think. This dream, this vision could become a reality. It is time
that we begin to put in motion a program for our community, from four
corners of the globe, to come together, not in one tangible country,
but together in a virtual place, any time as one virtual nation of
Hmong. If we cannot be at one place at one time, we can still be
together on this Earth as a nation of virtual community, a HMONG
VIRTUAL NATION, ruled by a truly democratic elected Hmong from all
over the world whose vision is to enhance the lives of our people and
to elevate the status of our people in the areas of economics and
education, to become a global citizen and to be part of this new
emerging global community no matter where the Hmong may live on this
Earth. The issue of a virtual nation is not new and in the age of
cyberspace, it is no longer an impossible dream but it is a matter of
time that many virtual nations will emerge and join the United Nations
in the new world order."
( http://www.lexicon.net/drpao/hmong/identity.htm )
The underlying idea of these new nations is the word "VIRTUAL" - any
place, any time, any Hmong regardless of what citizenship they may
hold. So... it is good to hear that there are groups of Hmong
people... working on this concept of vitual nation. This is the way
to go. This may be the only future of the Hmong.
As I concluded in the HND conference paper, "The September 11 event
has changed the world. Many opportunities have been opened for the
Hmong. If you believe as I do that the Hmong were NOT brought to the
West by accident BUT by designed of a GREATER PURPOSE, then the Hmong
must be prepared and be ready to play our part in life to fulfill our
DESTINY.
If dreams can come true in the big USA, YOU – the Hmong
Americans and my fellow Hmong around the world – I challenge YOU
that YOU now have a dream to fulfill.
YOU are the RIGHT people!
YOU are in the TIGHT place
It is NOW the TIME to fulfill your DESTINY and take the Hmong to the
next chapter of our history.
Together, in unity as a HMONG VIRTUAL NATION, and with the help of our
ancestors and the Almighty God, let’s go and fulfill our DESTINY
from this moment onward!"
( http://www.lexicon.net/drpao/hmong/identity.htm )
Pao
Pao Say
Hmong language from the last HND Conference.
"The next question we need to ask is “what is being Hmong or what does
this Hmongness mean?”.
According to Dr Gary Yia Lee, “ being a Hmong can be attributed to such
characteristics as one’s birth and look, descent, given names, adherence
to certain religious belief, and one’s identification or intention with
Hmong and other people” and above all, it is having “the collective
consciousness” of belonging and being Hmong. [14]
I agree with Dr Ly Yia but I believe that we need to have some specific,
tangible and measurable indicator that we can use to measure whether we
are still Hmong or not.
To me, the firstly and most importantly prerequisite must the ability to
speak Hmong.
Why is language so important, you may ask?
Let me explain…
In the 1930’s, Dr Benjamin Whorf, an anthropologist studying the Hopi
Indians in the American Southwest, discovered that their language
defined their unique world view, being the mirror of their world, as
bound by traditions handed down over countless generations[15].
For the Hmong, when we really think about it, our language is the most
accurate representation of our world, our history and of whom we are as
we experienced it – no different from the Hopi Indians. When I asked my
mother when was I born, she replied, “when the corns were at knee
height…”
Furthermore, with our current understanding of the human language
system, we know that language is, in a way, a constant shadow of
everything that is happening in our minds. It acts as a go-between - a
sort of public representation of what is going on in our minds. Much of
the cultural, spiritual, and intellectual life of a people, how we think
and behave is experienced through language. This ranges from rituals,
myths, ceremonies, poetry, oration, to everyday greetings, leave-taking,
conversational styles, humor, ways of speaking to children, and terms
for habits, behaviors, and emotions. For example, when I say, “Tij laug
thiab Niam Tij… neb tuaj txog lawm los… Los tsev.. los tsev…” my
language does not only convey intention and information but I am
communicating personal relationships, position, role, rank, culture,
respect and so forth.
On deeper analysis, we find that our language has been evolving, as we
lived through our history of domination and persecution mentioned
earlier, and over these years, perhaps our people need to be able to
communicate effectively with one another but at the same time, to
conceal the true meaning from others. Today, our language is one of the
most complex systems of communication – so specific that some meanings
are to be understood only by the Hmong. Dr. Cathy Falk [16], my good
friend
at the Melbourne University in Australia, in her extensive study Hmong
music, song and the “framing, embedding and disguise communication code
of the Hmong language” concludes that the meaning of the Hmong language,
verbally or non-verbally, is often embedded in codes through our paj
ntaub, luv rov, paj lug, in speech surrogacy through music and song,
even in signaling system with woods, branches and rocks.
We even have a special language to communicate with the spirit through
kev daws dab, ua khawv-koob, ua neeb- ua yaig. In jab-mob kev-tuag, we
use the qeej to carry a secret spiritual language to guide our loved one
to reach the world beyond. We use the “xib-ntawg” – a piece of bamboo
split into half to bridge between the visible world of light and life
(yaj ceeb) an the invisible world of darkness and spirits of yeeb ceeb
and to communicate between the living and the spirit.
So language, being the index of that person’s mind, is an inherently
social process – it is the whole fabric of being Hmong, linked with
culture and the way we are internally and externally. For these
reasons, among others, it is extremely important to our people that the
Hmong language survives. So, I must say that without the Hmong language,
there would be difficult to develop a Hmong mind or the Hmongness.
Furthermore, it would be extremely difficult to maintenance the
existence of a group people known as Hmong - “ib haiv neeg hu ua haiv
Hmoob” as postulated by Txiv Plig Nyiaj Pov. [17]
http://www.lexicon.net/drpao/hmong/identity.htm
Pao
"Tham" <thi...@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:6e60246f.02051...@posting.google.com
Tzexa Lee
Thivis, Charlie, and Dr. Paos,
Hmong, at the present time, speak three major diaclects and as many as
20 various sub-dialects. Many are mutually unintelligible. Hmong
language and culture change dues to time and space and external
opression forces. Hmong has been exterminated by the Han Chinese for
over a thousand years, but the Hmong still manage to survive inspite
of many Hmong were conversed to speak Chinese and practice Chinese
culture. Hmong may in facts listed as an endanger people by National
Geogrpahy, but the Hmong may not be total extincted. What will happen
is the Hmong language and culture will continue to change.
If we look at English, there were many written styles before the
1600s. English writing then was standardized. As result, it slow
dowm its change. The English language now may differ from place to
place, but they differ from one another in terms of sound or
pronunciation. They are no more than different dialect like Hmong Daw
and Hmong Njua. If we join hand and standardize a Hmong writing
system, we certainly will be able to at least slow down the change or
even keep it from extinction.
I am a one man gang in Hmong language area. I have studied the Hmong
writings in the last twenty years. I finally completed a preliminaty
standard Hmong writing; sorry, the RPA is not suitable for
standardizing so the Pahawh is the chosen one. I need man and money
powers to nurture this writing. I urge every Hmong and anyone who
interests in preserving the Hmong language join hand with me and work
on creating a Hmong language foundation organization.
Tzexa
Teev Lis
key issue is what Hmong dialect is most appropriate for the job. Of
course, we (a group of interested Hmong) believe that both Hmoob Ntsuab
and Hmoob Dawb will be used interchangeably. Yet, such a program needs
to provide the maximum coverage for all Hmong in Asia. Thus, there is a
need to determine what Hmong dialect is most used and understood among
Hmong in China. To live up to the ideal of a Hmong program, the final
dialect used may not even be Hmoob Ntsuab or Hmoob Dawb as spoken by
Hmong in America. When the time comes, if it ever comes, Hmong may have
to accept the greater good of the entire Hmong nation as the sole
determining factor, i.e. we go by majority rule.
Teev
"Tzexa Lee" <tzex...@msn.com> wrote in message
news:d60d891f.02052...@posting.google.com
> Thivis, Charlie, and Dr. Paos,
>
> Hmong, at the present time, speak three major diaclects and as many as
> 20 various sub-dialects. Many are mutually unintelligible. Hmong
> language and culture change dues to time and space and external
> opression forces.