In October, I know no one.
There are so many brightly colored leaves that the piles of the fallen ones touch my kneecaps in some places.
The sketchiest ice cream truck in the world sits in the parking lot. It is a van with pictures of ice cream and popsicles taped to the side. They've been printed from the internet. Not very many people stop to buy ice cream; I think it's because they are afraid their children will be snatched by the hands inside and taken away. While the beach is pretty full, it's pretty full of geese... and their excrement. I hiss and grumble at the people passing me on the path, like they think they're better than me.
The Hmong grandmas stroll along, their heads hidden under swaddled scarves under hats under bulky sweaters, and they wear a lot of wool. We don't make eye contact.
By June, I know everyone.
This guy taught my Karen language class, that woman is in the adult ESL course I teach on Thursday nights. Her son sits in a stroller; he's the cutest little boy I've ever seen. She told me about him at our most recent class. Next week, I'll help her fill out the application so that he can come to my school in the fall.
The sketchiest ice cream truck in the world sits in the parking lot. It is van with pictures of ice cream and popsicles taped to the side. They've been printed from the internet. As every parent stops to buy their child a treat, I realize the reason not very many people stopped to buy ice cream in October was because it was, well, October. That girl is in 6th grade, this boy is in the Hmong Immersion Kindergarden class and calls me Xwb Fwb!! Xwb Fwb!! (pronounced "see foo!! see foo!!," meaning "teacher! teacher!"), then stares at me!! open-mouthed!! because he can't believe I'm a real personwho can appearoutside of the schoolohmygosh mom, look!! The beach is full of families, lovers, a volley-ball team, and two lifeguards. This mother approaches me, telling me her daughter "sure hasn't forgotten about you! See you in the fall!" and that's a father I don't recognize alone, but I sure do see him in his daughters' faces as the three of them walk on by. I smile at the people passing me on the path, like we're all just happy to spend a little more time outside, in the sunshine.
The Hmong grandmas stroll along, their heads hidden under swaddled scarves under hats under bulky sweaters, and they wear a lot of wool. We always make eye contact.
Monday, July 30, 2012
The Next Time I Graduate From College, I'm Throwing a Hmong Grad Party
I come from middle-class, white America, where a typical graduation celebration consists of four things: food, family, friends, and money.
Thao created this gorgeous centerpiece for the head table in order to hold up the pieces of white yarn that would later be used for the Hmong ritual khis tes (pronounced "key they"). See a live example (not from Sammy's party) here. Fun fact: a coworker, her husband, and I were originally sitting at a table in the middle of the room. Before all the festivities started however, one of the elders asked us to join him at the head table. One perk of being Mikas (pronouced "mee-KA," means "white person") at a Hmong celebration is that you are sometimes considered to be very important! Although I was excited because it allowed for better picture-taking and (more importantly) we got to eat first, I'm still not sure how I feel about this deferential treatment.
Hard boiled eggs, baby bananas, clementines, and Rice Crackers (WANT WANT Shelly Senbei-style) were given first to the graduate, and then passed around to everyone during khis tes.
During khis tes, all the clan elders, family members, and whoever feels moved to do so may take two pieces of yarn and tie them around the wrist of the celebrated person while giving them advice or wishing them luck. Khis tes literally means "tie hands."
These two chickens were once alive, until a cousin cooked them in order to check out the toes...
The toes on the chicken tell you whether you will have success or failure in the next year of your life. The middle toe is you. The toes on either side of you are "them," as one uncle told me, or as the father of the graduate put it, "the universe." The toe on the bottom is "the helper." This toe either pushes you up, or leaves you be. After cooking the chicken, if you are found to be above the other two toes, you will be successful in anything you attempt during the next year. If, on the other hand (toe?), you are below the other two, you will encounter failure instead of success.
Tommy's chicken was thought to have successful toes.
This amazing fruit display was created by Thao's sisters the morning of the celebration. They used watermelon, beets, radishes, peppers, and carrots and it took the two of them only about three hours to make! With all the relatives Thao's family has, they have had a lot of practice!
So much work was put into this celebration... a lot of decor and food prep were needed to pull this event off.
I am honored to have been able to be a part of it.
Thanks to cousin Dalton, Monch Lee and Chai T for the Hmong culture and language references.
If I were to create a list of what four things a typical Hmong graduation celebration consists of, I would say the exact same four things: food, family, friends, and money. Then multiply them by, oh, let's say, 200. Thousand. And fifty.
The Hmong graduate celebration I attended was for Tommy, my coworker Thao's son, who graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. in Political Science and his cousin, who graduated from Central High School in St. Paul.
Between the two of them, somewhere between 250-300 people attended their graduation celebration, which consisted of:
A hand-cooked dinner for 300 made by Thao and her relatives: pork and hard boiled eggs, rotisserie pork, laab (a dish with the consistency of tuna salad, but made with shredded chicken, cilantro, mint, a sour Chinese herb and other Asian spices), and of course, egg rolls
Speeches by each father of the graduates
Speeches by the graduates
A khis teb ceremony
A cake from Sam's Club (Thao really does love those Sam's Club cakes)
A sit-down, black-tie dinner
It was quite the event! Although Tommy's family practices animism, Tommy's cousin and his family are Christian. Throughout the celebration there was a mixture of spiritual and Christian rituals; the pastor of their church was asked to lead a prayer blessing the food and the attendants before the meal began. One interesting comment from a cousin: "Man! Sometimes I wish I was Christian... then I wouldn't have to deal with these dead chickens all day long!"
Between the two of them, somewhere between 250-300 people attended their graduation celebration, which consisted of:
A hand-cooked dinner for 300 made by Thao and her relatives: pork and hard boiled eggs, rotisserie pork, laab (a dish with the consistency of tuna salad, but made with shredded chicken, cilantro, mint, a sour Chinese herb and other Asian spices), and of course, egg rolls
Speeches by each father of the graduates
Speeches by the graduates
A khis teb ceremony
A cake from Sam's Club (Thao really does love those Sam's Club cakes)
A sit-down, black-tie dinner
It was quite the event! Although Tommy's family practices animism, Tommy's cousin and his family are Christian. Throughout the celebration there was a mixture of spiritual and Christian rituals; the pastor of their church was asked to lead a prayer blessing the food and the attendants before the meal began. One interesting comment from a cousin: "Man! Sometimes I wish I was Christian... then I wouldn't have to deal with these dead chickens all day long!"
Thao created this gorgeous centerpiece for the head table in order to hold up the pieces of white yarn that would later be used for the Hmong ritual khis tes (pronounced "key they"). See a live example (not from Sammy's party) here. Fun fact: a coworker, her husband, and I were originally sitting at a table in the middle of the room. Before all the festivities started however, one of the elders asked us to join him at the head table. One perk of being Mikas (pronouced "mee-KA," means "white person") at a Hmong celebration is that you are sometimes considered to be very important! Although I was excited because it allowed for better picture-taking and (more importantly) we got to eat first, I'm still not sure how I feel about this deferential treatment.
Hard boiled eggs, baby bananas, clementines, and Rice Crackers (WANT WANT Shelly Senbei-style) were given first to the graduate, and then passed around to everyone during khis tes.
During khis tes, all the clan elders, family members, and whoever feels moved to do so may take two pieces of yarn and tie them around the wrist of the celebrated person while giving them advice or wishing them luck. Khis tes literally means "tie hands."
These two chickens were once alive, until a cousin cooked them in order to check out the toes...
The toes on the chicken tell you whether you will have success or failure in the next year of your life. The middle toe is you. The toes on either side of you are "them," as one uncle told me, or as the father of the graduate put it, "the universe." The toe on the bottom is "the helper." This toe either pushes you up, or leaves you be. After cooking the chicken, if you are found to be above the other two toes, you will be successful in anything you attempt during the next year. If, on the other hand (toe?), you are below the other two, you will encounter failure instead of success.
Tommy's chicken was thought to have successful toes.
This amazing fruit display was created by Thao's sisters the morning of the celebration. They used watermelon, beets, radishes, peppers, and carrots and it took the two of them only about three hours to make! With all the relatives Thao's family has, they have had a lot of practice!
So much work was put into this celebration... a lot of decor and food prep were needed to pull this event off.
I am honored to have been able to be a part of it.
Thanks to cousin Dalton, Monch Lee and Chai T for the Hmong culture and language references.
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