The Hmong New Year Teaching Kit is an exciting educational tool that teaches people of all ages about the most important holiday on the Hmong calendar. But that’s not all! The kit also includes hands-on, authentic materials that explore almost every aspect of Hmong culture. It teaches the learner about what is important to the Hmong people.

Students will learn about the history of the Lao Hmong beginning with their Chinese roots and their migration to the mountains of Laos. The story continues as their daily lives were disrupted when they agreed to help the Americans fight in the Secret War. After the war, the Hmong lived with the daily terror of being hunted down by communist troops. Many Hmong died as they tried to flee their homeland to the relative safety of the refugee camps in Thailand. After spending many years in the camps, they embarked on the last leg of their journey as they relocated to the United States to start a new life.

The biggest advantage of the kit is the hands-on nature of it. Each item is accompanied by information cards that tell its use, history, and cultural significance. Students can realize and reduce their prejudices and stereotypes of the Hmong people through reading, games, artwork, discussion, and introspection. They can begin to understand that even though people are different in many ways, there are similarities and parallels that reveal the many things we share.

Kim DePrenger
Tapestries Diversity Education

Thank you to the following individuals who so generously gave of their time to help me complete this project.  I am especially grateful to Joe Bee Xiong who spent countless hours with me proofreading and explaining details of his culture to me.
  

Lor Vang	Nou Thor	See Vang
Ken Her	Pang Lee	Kang Bao Her
Houa Moua	Cindy Mee Yang	Sao Yang
Paw Moua	Khou Thao	Houa Yang
Nancy Xiong	Touly Xiong	Tong Ger Xiong
Kang Bao Her	Teng Xiong	Nancy Xiong
Pa Nou Yang	Leong Tai
Lamee Xiong	Lor Vang