ASA 141
Week 8
To be honest, I didn't know much about Hmong culture or history. I had never even heard of it until I moved to California back in 2014. I went to school with a Hmong girl, and most of what I knew came from her Instagram posts and Snapchat stories. In "Speaking through Cloth", Ava L. McCall is very insightful about the Hmong history and culture, specifically when it comes to textile art. She informs the reader about paj ntaub dab neej. These "flower cloths" are often called "story cloths" because they usually tell a story. Throughout history, this was a form of textile art that became a source of income for Hmong refugees around the globe. It was also a way for these refugees to stay rooted through their culture, especially around their traditional holidays.
Personally, I think Hmong culture is so colorful and beautiful. Their story cloths are such a unique and creative way to preserve their history. It reminds me a little of cave paintings or hieroglyphs-- all art forms that were used to tell a story. However, I do think that story cloths take a lot more time and work which I admire. I've seen Hmong clothing through my friend's social media, and I always thought it was beautiful. It mostly reminded me a lot of traditional Nepali clothes, thus reminding me of my own culture. However, I did not realize the patterns depicted on their clothes held so much meaning and so much history-- I honestly thought it was just another fashion choice. I am glad I read this article, because it not only taught me more about Hmong history but it got me wondering. Are there other popular cultural patterns that have meaning/history? Do the cranes and bamboos on kimonos have significant meaning to the Japanese?
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