By Nicholas Salzwedel
GREEN BAY – This year, there are about 3,500 more Hmong people in Green Bay and around 4,300 more in Brown County than what was estimated in 2020, making the area the fifth largest Hmong community in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin also has the third largest Hmong population in the United States after Minnesota and California.
This year is the 50th anniversary of the Hmong resettlement in America after the Vietnam War. Kerry Yang, President and Co-founder of HMONG Hands, a nonprofit that “Lend[s] a helping hand to the Hmong and Wisconsin community,” says that “Those who experienced the atrocities of war barely speak on it, leaving much history to be lost.”
“Many of the soldiers, the elders who came here as refugees, are now passing away… Many of the second-born generation do not speak Hmong and are losing their heritage,” Yang said.
One of the biggest challenges the Hmong community faces now is a loss of culture in the face of assimilation into American society.
Yang said that the Hmong New Year celebration, held last weekend at the UW-Green Bay’s Kress Events Center, some of that can be made up for, saying “younger Hmong people are able to partake in an event that their parents and grandparents have taken part in for generations before them. It allows them community and a space to authentically be themselves.”
The event featured a variety of exciting activities, including a juried dancing competition, sports tournaments, veteran honors and performances from Hmong artists.
Cultural celebrations and traditions make events like Hmong New Year that much more important for Hmong communities.
Yang explains that “The New Year is one of the few community traditions that all Hmong people can participate in regardless of clan or religion… the New Year is a time for all to come together,” going on to talk about how the return of the event on the 50th anniversary of the resettlement “heralds a revival in our community, paving the way for younger generations to experience what their parents have for many years.”
The Hmong New Year celebration differs from other New Year celebrations people might be familiar with.
While celebrating the end of the harvest season, it also sets aside time to relax and let loose. Yang described how, “In our parents’ time, young children were required to work long hours… The New Year celebration allowed them a reprieve as they were able to meet people… A time to find a partner or meet with friends.”
However, as time has passed, the celebration has changed to become a community event and can even be seen as a “barometer for how a community is doing.”
Source: Hmong New Year celebrates culture and community 50 years after resettlement