ASA 141
Week 8
Through this week's reading, "Hmong History Through Textiles" by Ava McCall, I was able to learn more about Hmong culture and their unique way of passing and preserving their history and lifestyle through the creation of textiles. Prior to the article, I had little knowledge about the Hmong culture even though I am friends with a few Hmong individuals. It was great that the author was able to provide an extensive history on the history of Hmong and their escape from Laos due to forms of oppression, finding identity and gradually spreading their culture throughout the world. It was interesting to learn about their traditional textile art such as the paj ntaub. Unlike other patriarchal systems in Asia, Hmong women and men are able to unify and work together to produce and sell their textiles as commercial goods. Through sewing and weaving these delicately crafted textiles, these women were able to depict their culture and history through a unique form of art and preserve their identity at the same time.
I think using textiles to as a mean of preserving cultural history and identity is very unique. Sewing and weaving normally represent a large difference in gender role, however because of the importance of Hmong textile, men and women have to work together to share their work. Fashion is seen as a way of depicting culture and history, and Hmong textile is a perfect representation of preserving this idea of cultural identity.
One question I have coming out of the reading would be:
How has the Hmong textile industry evolved over the years?
April Ava L. McCall. “Speaking through Cloth: Teaching Hmong History and Culture through Textile
Arts.
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