The Hmong — a distinct ethnic group with ancient roots in China—began coming to Minnesota in 1975 as refugees from the destructive wars that had ravaged their homelands in Laos. Today, there are more than 66,000 Hmong in Minnesota, and the Twin Cities metro is home to the largest concentration of Hmong in America.
For decades, the Hmong have made a profound impact on their adopted home of Minnesota. Over the years, MNHS has collaborated with the community to document this remarkable story by collecting oral histories, images, and artifacts, and by publishing books and articles on the Hmong experience.
In commemoration of fifty years of the HMong community in Minnesota, a selection of paaj/paj ntaub from MNHS’s collections are on display at the Minnesota History Center. The selection highlights the exquisite artistic skills and ingenuity of HMong women. For generations, women provided clothing, household items, and income while preserving and passing on cultural symbols and stories to younger generations. Historically, HMong is an oral language. Hear text from this exhibit spoken in both Green and White HMong below. Additionally, English transcription of the exhibit text have been made available.
Please note that the HMong audio recording accompanying the transcriptions are not an exact word-for-word rendering of the printed version. In HMong oral traditions, meaning is carried not only through words but also through tone, rhythm, and expression. Therefore, tonal shifts and phrasing may differ slightly from the written text to honor the natural intonations and flow of the spoken language.
Lub vassab teeb lus txhij hu ua MNopedia thiab phau ntawv Minnesota History yog ob yam uas khaws sau kom muaj ntaub ntawv txog Hmoob lub neej nyob Minnesota.
