This Story Cloth captures pivotal moments in Hmong history. Starting at the upper left-hand corner and moving right, it begins with Hmong in China, with the Chinese illustrated in colorful clothing and Hmong in black clothing. As an ethnic minority, Hmong people have historically faced a great deal of persecution from the Chinese, particularly during the Qing Dynasty. In the late 19th to early 20th Century, Qing policies forced Hmong people to flee China for Southeast Asia, primarily Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar to escape persecution.
This Story Cloth shows Hmong exodus from China, crossing over the Green and Red Rivers of Southern China and into Southeast Asia.
The next scene shows Hmong settlement in the mountains of Laos and the Japanese invasion of Southeast Asia during WWII. Japanese soldiers can be identified by their WWII-era backpacks and green caps. Central to this scene are Hmong prisoners tied to posts and Hmong resistance and surrender during the invasion.
Blonde figurines in this section represent French colonists. Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam were under French colonial rule from around the 1850s to 1954. The French left Indochina after their defeat in 1954 at a town called Dien Bien Phu. However, under a 1954 Geneva Accord, Vietnam was granted only partial independence as it was divided into two countries, North and South Vietnam. Complete national unification was delayed until 1975.
The next scene depicts the rise of the Pathet Lao and the Secret War, with American planes flying overhead and dropping bombs on the ground. Next to this scene is Long Cheng, the secret CIA command base. It is easily identifiable by the large airstrip and the Phou Pan Range (mountains/ridges). Skyline Ridge, part of the Phou Pan Range, provided the strategic defensive high ground protecting Long Cheng.
If you follow the direction of the Hmong figures, the story moves to Hmong people leaving Long Cheng, escaping on foot and by bus. As shown, people were left with only the things they could carry.
The Mekong River often plays a large role in Story Cloths that retell history. The Mekong River in this Story Cloth depicts the separation between danger in Laos and safety in Thailand. On the river, Hmong people can be seen on bamboo rafts and inner tubes. Pathet Lao soldiers are depicted, along with empty bamboo rafts, representing the loss of lives in the crossing.
Vientiane’s location near the Mekong River made it a significant part of Hmong history. Directly across the river in Thailand was Ban Vinai, the largest Hmong refugee camp. Here, the camp is depicted with colorful rectangular buildings, while USAID workers are shown sitting at processing tables across from Hmong refugees. Hmong refugees can also be seen boarding buses, leaving the camp for temporary staging centers like Phanat Nikhom, where they awaited resettlement.
In the final scene, Hmong refugees arrive in America to start their lives anew.
Loan courtesy of Dr. Vincent Her.
Text by Dr. Vincent Her and Yia Vue
