1.

Baird, Ian G. The Hmong come to Southern Laos: Local Responses and the Creation of
Racialized Boundaries. Hmong Studies Journal, Annual, Vol.11 (2010) : 1-38. Print. 22
Feb. 2016.
In this article by Ian G. Baird, he talks about General Vang Pao, how he tries to make a
deal with the GoL (Government of Laos) to let them set aside a land for the Hmong people who
are living in the forest. But in this article it talks about the hardship and struggle the Hmong has
been through. Racial profiling, no land, and also war. This article talks about the past and present
situation the Hmong has reached, for them to get to where they are today, as immigrants to the
United States of America. I chose this scholarly journal, because it was interesting and also it
relates so much to my topic, unlike some scholarly article that I saw and read.

2.
Beghtol, Mary Jo. Hmong Refugees and the US Health System. Cultural Survival. 1988. Web.
20 Feb. 2016.
This article on the website, Cultural Survival, it first gives a summary if the background
of the Hmong and their involvement in the Vietnam War. It extensively discusses how Hmong
immigrants coped with being refugees and how difficult it is to assimilate Hmong into the U.S.
Healthcare System. It overviews Shamanism and how it goes about curing illnesses through
animal sacrifice and balance with the soul and physical body. It next discusses the difference in
lifestyle and how some remedies had been labeled as child abuse by western standards. One
example provided was coin rubbing. Coin rubbing in Asian culture is believed to release toxins
or excess energy during flus and colds. It has been labeled as child abuse because it requires

stroking a spoon or a coin on oil slicked flesh until bruised. The article concludes with the
differences in Hmong and western health care systems, illuminating the importance of awareness
of the cultural values and beliefs the Hmong harbor. By being aware, it becomes an important
factor in health care and services because it effectively cares for the patient.

3.
Bosher, Susan. "Language and Cultural Identity: A Study of Hmong Students At The
Postsecondary Level." TESOL Quarterly 31. (1997): 593-603. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.
In Susan Boshers article Language and Cultural Identity: A Study of Hmong Students at
the Postsecondary Level, she discussed about the acculturation process students experiences in
adapting to a new culture, new language as well as maintaining their native culture and language.
In the article, she states The manner in which the students adapted to life
in the U.S. supports a multidimensional, bidirectional model of acculturation, in which the
students seemed more oriented toward American culture along some dimensions of culture (e.g.,
behavior) and more oriented toward Hmong culture along others (e.g., values). Many students
believed that they need to know the Hmong language in order to maintain their culture, but for
the other several students, Hmong language use did not seem to be a factor in maintaining their
identification with Hmong culture and values. She also states that students who are successful
academically are those who are bicultural, in other word are able to adapt to the new culture
while maintaining their native culture.

4.

Brown, Patricia L. "A Doctor for Disease, a Shaman for the Soul." New York Times, New York
Times Company, 19 Sep. 2009. ProQuest. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
This article explores the new shaman policy in hospitals that is being adopted by medical
facilities across the nation. This policy specifically caters to the Hmong as it adheres to the
patient's cultural belief and values. This integration of mixed practices hopes to invoke trust
between Hmong immigrants and doctors. One specific hospital who had adopted the shaman
policy discussed is the Mercy Medical Center in Merced. The registered shamans at Mercy had
trained in western styled medicine for seven weeks meanwhile hospitals agree to allow
traditional healing ceremonies that require gongs, finger bells, and incense. It also reviews the
skepticism of some hospital residents regarding the soul-healing. Their skepticism was acutely
addressed after miracle healings.

5.
Cha, Ya Po. Introduction to Hmong Culture. Sacramento: McFarland & Company, 2010. Print.
In this book, by Ya Po Cha, has opened my eyes to seeing the Hmong culture, which is
my culture. Remembering that we had to read this book back in my high school day, I thought
this would be a good research book, to go off on. How this is going to tie in with my coalitions
topic, is the resources that are found in the book that would explain what we're going to talk
about.

6.
Gordon, Ian. Immigration and Assimilation: After Dislocation, a Hmong Refugee Finds a Fit.
The Christian Science Monitor [Boston, Mass] 07 July 2013. All. Print.

In this newspaper article, written by Ian Gordon, interviews this Hmong American man.
This Hmong man he was interviewing was talking about how when he first came to the USA in
the 90s, he was teased by how he ate, dressed and talked. But, then he goes back into the past
about the guerrilla warfare in Viet Cong, on how his father helped with the war, and helped
escort the American and protected them. There were 2 sides in this article, but it all led to one
thing Which was being and Asian American, or as one of the interviewee had said, Hmong
American. (Gordan 1)

7.
Iannarelli, Carmen M. "Stressing Success: Examining Hmong Student Success In Career And
Technical Education." Hmong Studies Journal 15.1 (2014): 1-22. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
According to Iannarelli, she focuses on different ethnical groups in education but specify
Hmong because of their high school graduation rates including the Laotians and Vietnamese. She
mentioned how researchers state that the roles of AAPI students are the example of what model
minority really means in education (Iannarelli, 3).But since many ethnic groups first language
was not English, it is a lot tougher to survive in school. However as the educational system
develops, the Hmong kids are more likely to become active learners for educational attainment
markers in K-12 system as well as for their post-secondary educational activity (Iannarelli 3).
There was a research conducted to measure the educational attainment of Hmong students in
career and technical college education programs (Iannarelli 4). By this, Iannarelli is showing the
difficulties that the Hmong people face before coming to America and coming as immigrants and
living in poverty. Her article basically explains the background of where Hmong people came

from and how to survive by adapting into America and their educational systems. Some Hmong
students cannot finish their education because they are used to their old ways of living because
before then, their parents cannot afford them education. Or another case can be that they come to
America and got influenced such as doing gangs or as mentioned in the article stereotyped gang
bangers (Iannrelli 17). However, some Hmong students see America as an opportunity for them
to get their education and they have parents that encourage them to stay in school although it is
very difficult.

8.
Fadiman, Anne. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Fresno: Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
1997. Print
In this book talks about two different culture colliding together. I remember reading this
book last semester in Dr. Fabionars class. It taught me a lot and also the struggle of Hmong
immigrant who had to assimilate with the American culture to survive. There were culture shocks
and also traditional values in the book. I chose this book, because it gives me background on life
as an immigrant and also because of the culture shock, immigrants have to face. Somethings
may see weird to you, but may see totally normal to you. How this is going to help with my
research and coalition, because it talks about the clash of two culture and the struggle, and why
they came to the United States.

9.
Hays, Jeffrey. Hmong Minority: Society, Culture, Farming-Hmong Agriculture (2013). Web.
24 Feb 2016.

In this short passage, it said that the Hmong farming system is based on white rice,
supplemented with corn, several kinds of tubers, and a variety of vegetables and squash. For the
majority rice is always the primary food but historical evidence show that corn was also play as a
major food crop in the Hmong community. Hmong have traditionally raised rice for food, maize
for animal feed. Part of the Hmong lives besides farming is raise animals such as pigs, chickens
and buffalo in the surrounding field with a little care or supervision. This have been part of the
Hmong culture. Back in Laos and Thailand, Hmong people would grow dry rice on mountain
slopes that they already slashed and burned. Some Hmong event grow wet rice in irrigate
terraces. The way Hmong people plant their corn is in swirls rather than rows. As it mention
here, they said that Hmong have to pay tax for the land they used for harvest in Chinese. This is
because they are not citizenship yet, nor have the right living in their country. Last but not least,
farming had always been one of the most important part in the Hmong lives.

10.
Hutchison, Ray, and Miles McNall. Early Marriage in a Hmong Cohort. Journal of Marriage
and Family 56.3 (1994): 579590. Web. 16 Feb. 2016.
The article that I read mostly only indicated the reasons why early marriage happened but
then it also talks about the difference between marriage and education. From studying the article
Hmong people believe that being married at an early age is to help her make a life. The article
was more confusing because it went from talking about Hmong marriage and then African
American and other racial groups (Hutchison 580). The time being in high school around the
freshman year, is when most Hmong students get married. They tend to choose marriage over
education (Hutchison 580). Although the article was long, from what I read, most of the marriage

happened during the age of 15 to 16. Hmong families tend to choose the partner from the social
status and/or the way the others live. The Hmong community is not that huge, but then gossips
go around fast. Some causes of the early marriage is due to being pregnant, arrange marriage or
elope, where the bride is being forced to marry the groom. (Hutchison 581) Hmong families was
not only focused on early marriage but they were also focus on High Fertility. According to the
United States the ideal statement stated that the Hmong females werent to get married till the
age of 18. The difference of the age between the female and males was a 4 year apart in age.

11.
Kou, Yang. "Commentary: Mis-Education in K-12 Teaching About Hmong Culture, Identity,
History and Religion." Hmong Studies Journal 13. (2012): 1-21. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
According to Yangs commentary, he uses the first person point of view to include his
experience as a Hmong learner. The history of Hmong peoples education was not like any other
because Hmong parents are not educated or cannot afford to supply them with the materials they
needed. Yang stated that Hmong kids learn from listening to their elders and by observing.
Eventually, the challenges of the Hmong education was put out by an anthology and people
began to step in and become aware of Hmong childrens education. In Yangs commentary, he
informed that there are not enough books or documentary about Hmong people and that is why
much people are not educated to know who Hmong people are. That is the purpose of his
commentary, is to inform others about the Hmong history and specifically their awareness of
knowing who someone really is, knowing their identity that is why his title includes MisEducation (Yang 1).

12.
Lee, Gary Yai and Mark E. Pfeifer. "The Shaping of Traditions: Agriculture and Hmong Society.
Hmong Studies Journal 6 (2005): 1-33. Hmong Studies Journal. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.
According to the Hmong Studies Journal, it provided plenty of information about the
Hmong agriculture such as how it began in the villages of highlands of China, Thailand, Laos,
Vietnam, and Burma (Lee 1-2). Lee mainly focuses on the beliefs of the Hmong and how their
agriculture life made them who they are. It argues that the economic systems the Hmong were
involved in affect many ways of theirs and other ethnics payments and beliefs (Lee 1). A part of
their daily life is agriculture; it is their way of supporting themselves. They crop to trade for salt
and other good needs because they did not like the way Chinese make their business by selling
and using copper coins. The most important thing that Lee constantly focuses on is rice because
it was such a big issue to them. As mentioned in the article, those who are fortunate are more
likely to crop without problems such as poor fields/land. But those who are unfortunate with
poor lands ability were to grow the basic. Not only that gardening was the only part of their
agriculture, but also raising animals helped them prevent those animals that are able to harm
them. During this period of time that the Hmong developed their way of agriculture, it is
evident that the Hmong have been long-standing farmers, and have developed many firmly held
beliefs and practices related to the desire for domestic animals and the cultivation of crops, be it
through shifting agriculture or irrigated terracing (Lee 14). Since then, the Hmong has shown

development and pride in their hard work of agriculture in the Southeast Asia. Agriculture is a
part of Hmong tradition, as Lee mention about the celebration of Hmong New Year (Lee 17), it is
the time where Hmong people set their tools of the agriculture life and have fun as they welcome
the New Year and it is usually celebrated at the end all crops are bloomed and harvested.
Gardening and raising animals which are a part of agriculture also involved the celebration
because its a part of the Hmong beliefs, as they call for spiritual cooperation (Lee 18) to
welcome the year with no hardships and with the promise that an offering will be given later if
the crops grow well or are free from natural calamities, and if the yield is satisfactory (Lee 18).

13.
Lor, Pao. "Key Life Experiences Contributing To Hmong Students' Matriculation." Multicultural
Education 16.1 (2008): 39-47. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
In Pao Lors article Key Life Experiences Contributing to Hmong Students
Matriculation, he discussed about factors that had been a major boost to the Hmong students to
keep going and graduating. Many students claimed that family support and financial aid had
helped them to get through challenges they faced and to get to graduation. In the article it states
Even in these challenging times, according to the study, participants having a supportive family
played a significant role in staying the course. These students families played a big role in
supporting them to get through college. Nonetheless, they are happy that their support came from
their parents, if it wasnt for them, they probably wouldnt graduate.

14.

Ngo, Bic. "Contesting Culture: The Perspectives of Hmong American Female Students on
Early Marriage." Anthropology & Education Quarterly 33.2 (2002): 163-188. Social
Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
While reading this article I notice how each topic was very detailed, the abstract topic
explained about the situation of the Hmong families and how marriage was an important
tradition in the culture. Then it lead onto the topic of the age of when the Hmong females started
to get married, which in Laos it was about the age of 13 and 16 but in Thailand the age would be
15 and 16. (Abstract) Leading onto the topic of the Background, where the article started to
mention about the Gender Role in the Hmong communities, how the males are more dominant
than the females. For this situation, it shows that women are married into the families to become
housewives. Comparing the situation from then to now, the generation has changed drastically,
early marriage rarely happens being in the United States. Relating back to the gender roles,
Hmong families believe that the males are the one to hold their suffix, (meaning like heritage and
backgrounds). The article then starts to compare the differences between the girls that came from
Thailand and the girls that are in the U.S. The girls that are from the Thailand, they tend to be
more traditional, where the roles they take are housewives, where the girls from the U.S are
educated about many other things and they tend to want to find a career and work as well, they
are considered independent. After the background they did a testing/research with the students. It
was focused on who dropped out and who transfer and who was in the early marriage rage.
Overall, the article about early marriage is a way of an escape of moving away from a strict
home. After the early marriage, some of the females figure that it isnt a place to escape.
Majority of the people who marries at an early age tend to have a higher chance of being divorce.

15.
Nguyen, Thi Huong, Pauline Oosterhoff, and Joanna White. "Aspirations and Realities of Love,
Marriage and Education among Hmong Women." Culture, Health & Sexuality 13. (2011):
S201-S215. Academic Search Premier. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
In this article by Nguyen, she provided background information about Hmong before
talking about the challenges they face. She specifically mention where Hmong people are from
such as moving from Southern China to other Southeast Asian countries Thousands have
moved from refugee camps into Western countries since the late-1970s and have adapted to
different contexts while maintaining their cultural identity (Nguyen 1). From this, it is
suggesting that Hmong people are learning new ways trying to live in America, however later on
the article, Nguyen explains that some Hmong people are not taking advantage of their education
because of their culture mentality such as getting married at a young age and leaving school
behind. Or also getting pregnant at a young age, another case can be is that they live in poverty.
Back in the days in the Hmong culture mentality, the women is supposed to be home and do
chores and supposedly the man is the one working, going to school to be able to providing for
the family. Nguyen states, Girls enroll in school visually communicated their aspirations of
person autonomy and unavailability for traditional marriages through dressing in modern
clothes Yet young Hmong women students are clearly disadvantaged by a lack of confidence

and lack of support, including a competitive atmosphere, poor facilities and positive role models
which may affect their access to higher education (Nguyen 12).

16.
Nuland, Sherwin B. "Doctors and Deities." The New Republic Oct 13 1997: 31-9. ProQuest.
Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
In this article, Sherwin Nuland calls attention to the difference of illness and disease.
Disease is described as the problem from the doctors point of view whereas illness is the
problem seen from the patients point of view. It also explores what it was like for immigrants in
the past when it was difficult to be prideful of ones ethnicity because of the overwhelmingly
prominent American culture. The uniformity and universalism of American values were not
questioned therefore multiculturalism was non-existent. Because of this, doctors of the past often
scoffed at old-world customs and pass traditional healing inferior to western medicine. It was not
until the wave of immigrant class started increasing in the U.S. where doctors had to conform to
fit their needs. No longer did having a sense of identity and being proud of ones origins meant
that one was inferior. Doctors then had to take into account of the patients ethnic background
and worldview. In short, medical practice was being humanized and no longer was it just
spewing facts like found in a textbook.

17.

Plotnikoff, A. Gregory, et al. Hmong Shamanism: Animist Spiritual Healing in Minnesota.

Minnesota Medicine 2002 June; 85(6): 29-34. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.
This article reviews the specifics of what shamanism is and how it coexists with western
medicine. It explores factor such as how a shaman is chosen, their role in the community, the
professional practice, and how shamans can be a complementary to western medical
professionals. There is also a discussion on the mixture between Hmong people who use
traditional treatment (shamanism) and western medicine as well as a survey on Hmong patients
regarding their usage of both practices. The survey contains questions like if the patient has
health care, if they only used traditional or western treatment, and their ages. And lastly there is a
discussion on the transitions of animism to Christianity.

18.
Snell, G., & Telegram, &. G. S. Hmong Marriage Three Years Away. Telegram & Gazette.
1995, Jan. 10: 1-2. Print.
Most of the early marriage is caused by kidnap. In the Hmong traditional ways, when a
guy likes a girl, he forces her into marriage by kidnapping her. According to the article, a girl
was kidnapped at the age of 15 and when she turned 18, she married her kidnapper. According to
the police, they said she was under age and it isnt right in the United States although its ok in
the Hmong communities. The article shows the confusion of the early marriage between the U.S
law and the Hmong custom. During the Hmong New Year, she went missing, they considered it
as a way of her running off with her boyfriend. The police then closed the case. One of the police
did not understand the situation, because it wasn't clear if she was being snatch without her will,
meaning that it was unclear if she was planning on being married anytime.

19.
Speier, Jess Anna. Hmong Farmers: In the Market and on the Move 2003. Print. 21 Feb. 2016.
In the Hmong communities, agricultural are both social and economic motivations for
their steadily emerging presence. For new immigrants, farming is engraved in their culture.
(Speier 1). Before the Hmong immigrated to the United States, where agriculture and farming is
not the only option of livelihood, the way of survival in Laos was only farming. Slash and burn
was their main farming practice. This process was to create nutrient rich ash to fertilize the soil
on which hand-planted vegetables, and rice were produced. For many Hmong, farming is viewed
as an opportunity for their grandparents to remain productive and contributing knowledge and
wisdom onto their children to build in the love of the agrarian lifestyle that they have. In this
case, relatives can be play an important role in a family farming operation. For example, some
farmers may rent their land for production from a relative. On the other hand, farming is another
way to contribute to the family through income and supplementing to their familys food. In fact,
farming play an important part in the Hmong culture due to it is a source of community pride and
self-esteem. Not only is that it also another way to make living out of it. Majority Hmong people
are not only producing for their family and their community but also looking for new ingredients.

20.
Supple, Andrew J., Shuntay Z. McCoy, and Wang Yudan. "Parental Influences on Hmong
University Students' Success." Hmong Studies Journal 11.(2010): 1-37. Web. 19 Feb.
2016.

In Andrew J. Supple, Shuntay Z. McCoy, Yudan Wangs article Parental Influences on

Hmong University Students' Success, they discussed about the research they did on Hmong
American youth in term of behaviors, problems in school, and difficult relationships with
parents. In the article they states Hmong American youth who feel a strong sense of connection
to being Hmong , who achieve as a means to pay their parents back, and whose parents
encouraged them to succeed view success as tied to the success of the larger Hmong community
and as a means to show that Hmong American youth are thriving. They discussed further in
their research that, for Hmong parent, the way they portray their love to their kids is not like hug
and kisses like how an American parent would do. But nevertheless, their kids would understand
that they do receive their love through the hard work they do to support their kids to get an
education.

21.
Swirkowski, William J, Diversity in Higher Education: The Hmong Experience (1997): Web.
19 Feb. 2016.
In William J. Swirkowski article Diversity in the Higher Education: The Hmong
Experience, he discussed about the struggles Hmong students go through without proper
counseling. Also their struggles to adapt to the educational system in higher education. In the
article he stated What I found over the course of the three months during the interviews with the
male Hmong students revealed that, all three students expressed a desire to contribute to the
Welfare of the Hmong culture and cited this as a contributing factor toward pursuing higher
education. (Swirkowski 1) Even though each students have struggles they faced, they all have
similar goals and that is to become better than their parent in term of financially stable.

22.
Thao, Paoze. "Crisis in Mong Education: Urgent Needs for Professional Development."
Statewide Equity and Multicultural Education Conference. Stevens Point, WI. 9 Nov.
1994. Web. Keynote Address.
In the article Crisis in Mong Education: Urgent Needs for Professional Development,
by Paoze Thao, he discussed about who was the Hmong people, reason they came to the US,
academic enrollment and struggles, and also requests to help better this group. According to
Paoze Thao, the Hmong are closely knit ethnic people from Laos. Also they came to the US
because of the resistance from Vietnam pushed them to flee and look for a better and safe future
for not only themselves but for future generation. He also states that during the time between
1990s till then, many Hmong immigrant had barriers such as street gang problem, prejudice, and
personal, and family problem. They are caught between two cultures which made it hard on
them. The acculturation was overwhelming for some people to the point that several died
unexpectedly in their sleep even though they were healthy.

23.
Thao, Vang. Personal Interview. 24 Feb 2016.
For this personal interview by Chane, she has asked her grandmother about the history of
the Hmong. How did they get here? Why they immigrated here? How this ties into the topic of
identity of an Asian American? As Chanes grandmother had said, Peb coj nej tuaj, tsis yog vim
peb khiav tsov nrog xwb, tiamsis, khiav kom koj tau lub neej zoo. (We brought you here, is not

because of warfare, but for you better future.) The interview with Vang Thao, ties in with the
topic of history and immigration.

24.
Vang, Pa Der, and Pa Her. "Teenage Marriage among Hmong American Women." Journal of
Human Behavior in the Social Environment 24.2 (2014): 138-155. Humanities
International Complete. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
According to the image, and the abstract, it mention how throughout the Hmong
American life, we try to maintain our practices about the marriage, but also, it seems like the old
ways of getting married is starting to change because in the US now, generations are starting to
learn the western culture. They tend to get engaged first. Women includes a thinking of the
gender role in marriage and they question on how marriage identifies yourself or how it
identifies themselves as an individual. Other than that, the image and the abstract dont say
much.

25.
Xiong, Soua, and Sarah K.Y. Lam. "Factors Affecting the Success of Hmong College Students
In America." British Journal of Guidance & Counseling 41.2 (2013): 132-144. Web. 16
Feb. 2016.
In Soua Xiong and Sarah K.Y. Lams article Factors affecting the success of Hmong
college students in America, they both explored factors that affected the success of Hmong
college students and barriers they faced. It is stated in the article that many barriers include
family obligations that compete with time and energy needed to complete a post-secondary

education, discouragement of female students from pursuing higher education, interpreting for
their parents, driving their parents to appointments, may create conflicts that affect a Hmong
students persistence in college due to a heightened level of distress. In the other hand, cultural
values and practices reportedly contributed to Hmong students success in higher education are
parents emotional and financial support, encouragement and spiritual support, role modeling and
inspiration from older siblings who are currently attending or have completed post-secondary
education and spousal support. Furthermore, classmates and friends who provided emotional
support, engagement in extracurricular activities, support from instructors, professors and
counselors, educational conferences and workshops that provided opportunities for students are
also factors affecting the success of students. A research was done on five Hmong students
attending graduate school. Each were interviewed and were asked various questions such like
what academic support did they seek or received as an undergraduates, financial barriers they
experienced, and cultural barriers they faced. This gave us an insight into what each of them
experienced, and struggled to balance their life and school. Also having financial problem and
having to work part time to support themselves.

26.
Yaj, Cha. Personal Interview. 19 Feb. 2016.
While meeting with our Expert, I also interviewed him on Early Marriage. According to
Cha, he was truly against early marriage because he says that they are young and they still have a
whole life ahead of them, he also state that, because of early marriage, there is a higher chance of
divorce because when they come of the age, they realized that they have been missing out and
they start to want that freedom. Early Marriage is caused due to arrange marriage, or pregnancy.

Just not focusing on early marriage he also talks about the gender dominance, how when i girl is
married, her first wedding is the most important, because it is a three day process. Bringing her
to the groom's side and then a chicken event before entering the house, then waiting till the
wedding day. But once the lady is divorce, and is going to get remarried, it's only a one day, but
for the male, it can happen over and over. He also stated that early marriage causes the partners
to be in an abusive relationship, because they were married at a young age and still don't know
how to communicate. Overall throughout the interview he was strong against early marriage,
because he wants the girls and the boys to continue their education so that they can support
themselves later in life.

27.
Yaj Pov, Cha. Personal Interview. 19 Feb. 2016.
In the interview with Mr. Cha, a Hmong teacher at Luther Burbank High School, I
learned that farming have been the life for the Hmong people such as farming, raising animals,
hunting and gathering. Back in the days, all they know to do to survive is to farm enough to feed
their family and daily necessities. Overall, this is the pride of being Hmong. He also gave an
example that if any Hmong were employed by somebody, the chance is they were told to do
thing that is considered a very lowly thing Ua luag qhev ua luag zog (Mr.Cha). Meaning you
are working for them so you will get something to eat for the day. Although, Hmong people
didnt have a country where they actually called theirs but living in this independent life of

survival or living of the land of your own was the real identity for the Hmong people. They are
happy to live in these kind of lives of their own where they can do whatever they want, and this
is the freedom that Hmong people always fought for. Even now, living in the United States,
many of the Hmong people still farm, not because they want to but because they do to make
money. They farm to get money unlike back then where farming is the only option for them to do
for a living. Farming is something that we, Hmong people always done.

28.
Yang, Ger. Investigating the Agricultural Techniques Used by the Hmong in Chiang Mai
Province, Thailand. 2009. Web. 16 Feb. 2016.
In this article, Ger Yang gave a report on her research about the Hmong in Chiang Mai
Province, Thailand. Before Yang go into more details on her research, she provided some
background information of the Hmong people of how they had mastered the traditional slash and
burn technique and how it came to an end. Over the past decades, the Hmong have migrated
from northern China to Vietnam and then to Laos. Due to the Vietnam War, thousands of the
Hmong people feared their lives and fled to Thailand. Later on, they migrated from China to
Thailand, and they have adapted to the agricultural techniques such as the slash and burn. They
mastered the slash and burn agriculture technique to ensure that they have enough food to feed
their family (Yang Ger). However, with this slash and burn technique, it pollutes the
environment so the Thai government wanted to get rid of the technique. Due to this, His Majesty
King Bhumibol of Thailand created the Royal Project to help the Hmong people improve on their
agriculture developments and also to gain their self-sustainable. Throughout their lives, the
Hmong people have been living in the mountains where they used the land for farming and have

their own freedom to run their own affairs. In 1975, many Hmong people fled across the Mekong
River to get to the refugees camps in Thailand. While Hmong are living in the high mountain of
Thailand, His Majesty King Bhumibol tried to help them improve their living in the mountain by
provided the Royal project to help the Hmong. The program aims to provide an initial financial
boot to hill tribe villages as well as advices and guidelines to handicart work (Yang Ger). Due to
this awesome program, many Hmong villages in Thailand had been transformed into a well developed agriculture system. Moreover, Yang got to interview some Hmong people to share
their agriculture experiences and got to observed how the Hmong living in the village. As a
result, Yang was very pleased to see how these Hmong people in those villages no longer relied
on agriculture. Not only that they also been introduced to the usage of greenhouse without the
use of pesticide so it wont pollutes the environment. Since the Royal Project was launched, the
Hmong villages have been transformed into a better agriculture system and have become selfsustainable.

29.
Yang, Toua. Hmoob Kev Ua Liaj Ua Teb Nyob Los Tsuas. Online video clip. YouTube.
YouTube, Youtube. 12 Jan. 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
In this documentary video, it demonstrates the living of the Hmong people in Laos. By
observing the video, the life of agriculture is not easy. It is very difficult due to living on others
land and having to share crops. For those who are poor, they will most likely go work in fields
for the people. When working in the fields, majority of time there are roles for men and women.
Men are supposedly to take care of things women are not capable of such has the heavy work.

During the times of working, the Hmong people show their pride and dignity by being dedicated
to work and support their families. As shown in the video, sometimes their land can be very dry
and complicated to work with. Majority of time, Hmong parents will take their kids along to
work because Hmong kids are being taught how to garden in fields. Many Hmong kids do not go
to school because their parents cannot afford to get them an education. Their way of surviving
and living life is to get involved with agriculture and support themselves. No matter how cold or
hot it is, the Hmong folks will wake up early to feed their animals and go to the fields. They can
tell each four different season by the months or days although they are not educated. Because of
the ways they can sense the different season, they put hard work and do not procrastinate in order
to have their garden, field, and land harvested.

30.
Yang, Yer. Hmong Perceptions of Health and Healing: Shamanism, Mental Health, and Medical
Interventions. MA Thesis. Sacramento State University, 2013. Print.
The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the Hmong community by improving and
increasing accessibilities to health services. It explores the background problem of why Hmong
communities do not seek for mental health services due to readjustment factors, war trauma, and
cultural barriers as well as stigma of mental illnesses and ignorance of these services. It further

discusses the effect of Shamanism on mental health. As the religion looks at the balance of the
soul as a whole, the psychological and physical symptoms of mental illnesses are not associated
with it. This causes further discouragement of seeking for help in Hmong communities. This
thesis also includes statistics and surveys of language and cultural capacities, health
experiences, and understanding of mental health. 30 voluntary people had participated in this
study.