Hmong Artists in Thailand

Contrary to what I stated in a former blog.

"Life is not that Simple"
Farming to feed the family is just enough and a tough life with not much to spend. The family I live with actually makes the most money off of sewing Paj Ntaub (story cloth). They also make money off selling medicine but somedays they cannot afford to eat meat, just vegetables. Some families make just enough to eat scarcely.

"Education is Power"
Education is what can improve the conditions of the Hmong people in Thailand. But education is not just achieved through hard work, many Hmong students cannot afford to finish college, some students can't even afford to finish high school. Yes, they have to pay to attend high school level education. Most students have to drop out because there is no way that a family that earns income from farming and paj ntaub. If Hmong students are able to graduate and find a job working with Thai Companies or with the government, they can lift thier family out of poverty. Unfortunately not many students finish. Students are first educated in the village school and then they can move on to college or University if they can afford it. There is a Japanese program to sponsor hill tribe people to finish at a Unicversity level but it is not enough. One person sponsors one student. We need Hmong and American sponsors.

"Language is an Issue"
It is very complicated to communicate my true expression to people when I don't have a broad grasp of vocabulary in the Hmong language. The Hmong artists kind of get what I try to say but when you cannot speak Hmong well some people may look down on you or you can get ridiculed... owch. It is the perspective of being around Hmong people that live around only Hmong thier whole lives compared to Hmong Americans that come and cannot speak Hmong properly and mix with English. You have to be Siab Txia... (Cold Heart which means Patient or Unfazable.) I just roll with the punches but there are many people that are willing to listen and open thier minds to a lack of Hmong language. I understand the frustration of new Americans to communicate when they do not know enough English and get ridiculed for it. Even though my Hmong language is not great I actaully have something that is highly valued to people that understand. Knowing how to speak and write English well can land a person a good paying job in Thailand. Someone that can speak English as well as Thai can work with the government. Essentially a Hmong student can lift thier family out of poverty if they learn English and can find a job utilizing it.

"There are no Hmong Americans that are teaching English in the villages at the moment." Thai teachers that teach English do not teach it to be spoken understandably to westerners. I believe there is a call out now for Hmong American college graduates to come teach English to Hmong kids living in Thailand villages. Get at me for more info.

Hmong Artists!

I met with a local Hmong band in the village called "Dej Cawm Siab" the name means when dying of thirst, this is the first fresh sip of water. These teenagers did an acoustic set which I recorded. They are a full set band. They save money and borrow equipment to rpactice and do shows. Some band share thier equipment. They have so much heart and ambition but they do not have enough support or finances to really move foward.

There is one outstanding visual artist in the village named Pao Vang. He paints portraits, animals and nature and is also able to sell it to tourists and Thai people that can afford it. He had to pay a Thai artist to live with and mentor him and now he is running his own art business from his village home.

I met with Hmong filmmakers, actors and martial artists during the Hmong New Year in the village. Thes artists have some connections to Hmong Americans so they are able to sell thier movies in America. It is usually action, martial arts, drama type movies. The martial artists are "Hmoob Lawj Xeeb" practitioners which has been an ancient form of Martial Arts for Hmong people.

A young Hmong woman plays guitar and sings every night named Bo Nhia Thao to soothe herself meldicaly. She refuses to play in front of crowds for now but is extemely talented. I did a collaboration with her.

I was also able to record many traditional poems (Kwv Txiaj) from my Aunt Joua. I am currently learning one of her poems. She is one of the most passionate poets I've ever seen perform and breaks into tears when performing most of her poems about a lot of struggle in her lifetime.

I found some Paj Ntaub artists next door to where I was staying. They said their style is ancient and coveted of the snail shell and elephant's foot print. They said many Hmong in the past have survived off of sewing Paj Ntaub financially, spiritually and historically.

I had some of the Thai youth listen to Hmong American songs to get thier reaction. Some of the songs included: Ly VangSoua Thao and Liz Xiong's Tou and Mai songs, Shattered EchoZ - Peb Haiv, Tsis K's Mama song and Duce Khan's Mloog Zoo Zoo.

They felt that some of the Hmong was not pronounced properly and even though it is in the Hmong language, thier melodies are American influenced (Soul, RNB, Etc) and it is difficult for them to get used to at first listen. But most of them did like what they heard but said they have to get used to listening to that kind of presentation of Hmong songs. Oh yeah Tsis K is the exception.

" Artist Sponsorships"
Many of the artists from the villages look for Hmong American sponsors so they can continue thier art form and help themsleves financially through art. Hmong American sponsors could make or break thier artistic careers from paying for thier studio time to selling thier products for them in America. Most artists get sponsored if they have Hmong American relatives that are willing to put money and energy into them. Liab Laus is a prime example of a Hmong Rock band that got sponsorship from California and is now the most successful and revered Hmong artsists in Thailand. They are like the Rolling Stones, Nirvana, U2 of Thailand. People love them here!

"tojsiab.com"
This website was created by Thai Vang and other Hmong college students, young adults that want to connect and uplift thier communities. They pass out t-shirts and fundraise to help Hmong orphans with thier education and other needs. Please check them out and support them. I will breakdown more about them in my next blog. You can also check out Pao Vang's art work on this website. This website also promotes the preservation of Hmong culture and rights for Hmong people. These are the strongest and the New Generation of Hmong Activists in Thailand.
http://tojsiab.com/

Breakdown Shakedown!
Hmong New Year is 10 days... which is a bit much but if you think about how they don't have any events throughout the year until Hmong New Year, it is understandable. Sometimes they stretch it to be more days.

Hmong People in the village seem to be immune to fire. They must be used to it. They lite up wood to cook and warm up water to shower with. They can touch fire and play with it without feeling pain.

There is currently no artists network is Thailand.

Wearing the "Playboy Logo and words" are the latest fashion trend. It is on shirts, shorts, pants,belt buckles, purses, wallets and jackets. I don't know if Hugh sponsored clothing for Thailand but many people wear the brand from youth to elders, from gang members to Hmong Christians. Most people don't know that it's an adult magazine and industry here in the US.

We visited this mountanous region and climbed it early in the morning when the clouds and low to see the sunset. This is a Thai national moument called:Pucheefa. There is a picture of it above. There is also a picture of Hmong people playing the qeej instrument while on the mountain.

Because of so much dust in the air, people wear those surgical hospitol Mouth Covers. Some people put cloth over thier faces so I decided to tie a bandana over my face like the western movies. The police will not pull you over for wearing it. Fantastic! There is a picture of me and grandma wearing those bandanas over our faces up top.

I got my Aunt Joua to sew Paj Ntaub over two of my hats. There is a picture of it above also.

To get everywhere most people drive off road type motorcycles. The Hmong people call them "tshuab" which means blow. I tried riding it for the first time. Kids in Thailand learn to ride it by age 12.

Food: In America, we consume a lot of meat per meal compared to Hmong folks in Thailand. Like e can get a thigh and leg meal at KFC in the U.S. for a songle person but in Thailand a thigh and leg of a chicken can feed a family of 6 by adding mostly green vegetables, rice and of course hot pepper. My Aunt Joua says less meat will make you less sick.

America is considered "Vam Meej" (Prosperous, Paradise) for Hmong people and Hmong artsists.

Hmong Thai artists have more time to create thier art work but have less money, less support and little opportunity to move thier art work forward.


Next Blog:

Xyoo Tsiab (Hmong New Year) in Thailand

The International Hmong New Year in Chiang Kham...

Held at:
Pas Khib Nyiab - Garbage Land
"It's like a Hmong State Fair."

It's an incredible experience for me. Hmong people from all over Thailand came.