Hmong Essay

Hmong Generational Differences:

This research paper focuses on the identification of the generational differences within the Hmong culture, elucidating generations in America that are considered the major division that identify within the Hmong community appropriately. There are a few distinguishing common, yet complex challenges of living within their culture between the older and younger generations. Based on the studies of psychosocial perspectives today’s modern Hmong group and their distinctive views of socialism, activities and everyday life that affects his or her lifestyle. This essay will cover three important topics: Culture clash between generation of Hmong in America; How traditional culture is still significant in young generations’

modern life, and the challenges they have to face with the older generation in their community.
It wasn’t until around the early 1800s when the first wave of Hmong people entered northern Laos.

(Xiong 11) Most of the older generation Hmong parents that moved to America from Laos or Thailand would agree that the lifestyle in the United States was “too crazy” (Xiong 35). Older generations aren’t familiar with America’s lifestyle because of the lack of monarchy there. They say that the children in the United States have a difficult time raising because they don’t listen due to the barrier that often leads to confusion, and frustration because most of their grandparents speak English and they have a difficult time understanding them. It's the language barrier that also creates a generational gap between older and younger generations of Hmong society. “In Laos and Thailand,” said a grandparent from a series of Zang Xiong’s essays, “if they don’t listen, I would hit them with a stick and they would listen. I usually didn’t do that because the children in those days listen and respect elders. Here in the U.S., I cannot hit them like I used

to…”
Modern adolescents would often say that their parents because of the cultural clash with America and Hmong misunderstand them. They maintain their traditional lifestyle that their ancestors carry by attending Hmong new years, weddings, speaking the native language and eating Hmong food. Often when an educated child challenges the old beliefs in spirits and ancestors as the cause of events, a parent can believe his or her world is in dangerous. Most parents aren’t accustomed to their children’s’ lifestyle. The adolescent to younger adults feel more American compared to their parents because they were born in America and been exposed to the American ways. While their parents are still holding on to Hmong cultural beliefs and values, they feel as though it doesn’t apply to them. They are accustomed to American values, such as being bold, to be a little more individualistic, to take risks, and to value higher education compared to their parents. The younger population is wearing less Hmong clothes, and some feel pressured and get complaints from their parents due to reading a lot, and women not staying to the gender roles as a housewife. Also being in American schools competes with the traditional religions, such as Shamanism. Usually an American Christian perspective brings both obvious and subtle changes to the Hmong. That's where there is a generational difference of Hmong culture in America. Modern Adolescents start to learn from schools that expose them to pop culture and assimilate themselves into mainstream life. Even though they feel that Shamanism is still critical in their life, they don’t think they fully believe in it compared to their parents. (Mote 215)
Based on my interviews with some of my Hmong friends, they say that their parents would encourage them to be more involved with their communities. Such as being more close to friends and being engaged to Shamanism. It's the middle generation Hmong husbands and wives that are in transition from more traditional western ways as the younger generations. Many people affirmed that Hmong people do not change their relatives no matter where they are, but they still love each other. Meaning, while there is certainly not an agreed upon, formal change among the Hmong in the US, as to who is considered part of the clan, there is a widely recognized correspondence between the perceived closeness of individuals within the community and their feelings and practices of interdependence. There’s often conflict with relatives because of the different lifestyles. Parents often feel that it is critical to maintain the traditional Hmong way and be involved in their communities. (Daily Life Concerns 5)
As Hmong individuals begin to acculturate and move further away from their own cultural practives, family conflicts may arise as parents attempt to instill cultural customs to them.

What had once been a simple life of living among fields of rice and livestock has been replaced with a life dominated by technology and American culture. The Hmong youth have to adapt to both cultures while they cannot escape the traditions in their home environment and having their own identity. Most biculturalism of Hmong youth is expected among the Hmong community and have to deal with the culture clashes. This leads to extreme distress and unhappiness because of maintaining both cultures. Many have to cross cultural code-switch when moving from one cultural environment to the next, purposefully modifying one’s behavior in an interaction in a foreign setting in order to accommodate different cultural norms for appropriate behavior. (Kong Vang

10)
The Hmong entered the United Stated roughly after the Vietnam war, and the Hmong were refugees and immigrants, and were confronted with the decision to whether acculturate to the new world or not. As the population grew after decades, Hmong elders have a difficult time adapting to the dominant American culture which may have influenced the younger generation’s acculturation and adaptation process. Many aspects of an individual are affected such as their psychological well-being and the intensity of the stress they have to endure. Mostly being generational status of elder generations born in Laos while the young generation was born in America.