A colorful new year affair
Hmong Southwest Minnesota hosts celebration
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MARSHALL --M On Saturday, older members of the Hmong Southwest Minnesota were "passing the torch" to the younger generation during the New Year celebration inside the Red Baron Arena.
“This year’s theme is about passing the torch, meaning that you know, like we are the old generation, we want to make sure the younger generation understand our culture, and you know, Hmong clothing purple, green, and white and red are kind of the color that we use, especially purple. So that’s why you see a lot of purple on my waist here,” event organizer Chengzhong Vue said. “This year’s theme is about passing the torch, meaning that you know, like we are the old generation. We want to make sure the younger generation understand our culture. The new year is about celebrating the end of the year. Back in Laos will be you know like after the harvest is done. We take a long break. And then we honor our ancestors, and then we also, you know, wash away the old year and then work up the new year."
Like everybody else in attendance, Vue was wearing colorful clothing. He explained Hmong clothing designs during these kinds of celebrations represent the different parts of Laos.
"Some of these are unique, but a lot of these are already culture. So these are more American alterations. So normally would be all these designs. So what I’m wearing right now is more of a white Hmong clothing. But we have green. We have purple. We have black," Vue said. "So by looking at the clothes, we can tell what region they are coming from. And by a lot of the clothes here, there are still some very small detail that are a part of that. But it’s been changed and altered over the years. You know, we’ve been here for 50 years, so a lot of the clothes you see are from moving here. But normally man will be like either a black a black shirt or a white shirt. And then a lot of coins."
Vue said the coins on the shirt or dress are also cultural symbols.
"Usually culturally, it’s (clothing) made by the mom or the grandma for the kids. But these days we have people who actually produce them and sell them. So, like the one I’m wearing right now, it’s made by a special designer from Laos. So, and then we order it, and they send they send to us," he said. "We want to make sure the younger generation understand our culture, and you know, Hmong clothing purple, green, and white and red are kind of the color that we use, especially purple. So that’s why you see a lot of purple on my waist here."
The celebration started at 9 a.m. in the morning, with a fashion show following the opening of the event. The celebrations lasted late in the evening with recording artist ZPX, and legendary Hmong singer Lis Toj providing entertainment. Attendees traveled from the Twin Cities and other parts of the state.
Vue admitted it's getting more difficult to get their kids to participate in such cultural events.
"As you can see, not everyone wear Hmong clothes,” Vue said. “When we first came to this country, when we grow up here, everybody wear Hmong clothes. I’ve been wearing Hmong clothes growing up in this country. But then now a lot of the younger kids they don’t even speak the language. So because of that, you know, they don’t wear as much. But we trying to pass down the culture. A lot of the parents like make or buy the clothing for the kids. So that’s that’s kind of like passing the torch, right?"
However, Vue says the girls are more into the fashion aspect more than boys.
"They feel pretty. But the boys, not as much. And you, as you can see, men are very simple," he said.
Vue was pleased with the turnout.
"We don’t have a large population now in southwest. We have a little bit over 1,000 people, so we got a good number that are coming from Twin City as well," he said.