Interview with Mai Vang

 

You: What did you do during your free time?

Mai: When I was at Thailand I did not get to play around, instead I would be sitting and I would be sewing clothes so that I could be able to get money to buy food.

You: What kinds of medicine were used for medical problems?

Mai: When we were in Thailand we did not have any money, so we just went and took medical herbs that were planted around the house and use it.

You: What are some supernatural interests?

Mai: I still believe in shamanism because I still believe in the ancestors of the father and mother. I still do the ceremonies that the ancestors have done and other things.

You: What do you do to earn money?

Mai: At Thailand they locked us up and did not allow us to farm, and work. So in order for us to have money to get food in the camp we had to sew cloth to exchange for food, and it was very hard to do it. Back in Laos we lived a normal life and we sold fruits, vegetables and other resources and what we got was what we had.

You: How was a leader selected for a clan?

Mai: When we chose a leader in our clan we chose the one who was leading the people the right way, truthful, speak equally, don't be mean, say the truth, and when a problem comes he had to help solve for it and that is how we chose a clan leader.

You: How did the Hmong people build their house and how often did they move?

Mai: When Hmong people made their homes they went and cut trees, long tall grass to make their homes. They make their homes on their own and don't use any help form anyone. They don't design how it should look like; they just make it on how they want it to look like. When they move out of the house, though no one buys it they just leave it how it is.

You: How is property divided among people?

Mai: Hmongs live in groups and they live where they have made their home. The land does not belong to them but to those that is also around them.

You: What was the expectation of a bride?

Mai: We want a daughter-in-law that knows how to cook, wash clothes, sew clothes, and to honor the parents, cousins, and elders and knows the laws.

You: How do the Hmong feel about kidnap marriages?

Mai: When a man comes and takes the daughter away from a family, the parents think that if he takes her then he will love her, and if the daughter also likes him and likes him only a bit then the daughter decides if she wants to marry him then the parents then allows the two children get marry. But if the daughter does not love him at all then they will have to listen to the laws and rules.

You: Did any families force their daughters to marry those who they owe?

Mai: When it comes to when the family forces the daughter to marry a family for the bride money to be paid there is no such law. There is only one law that they should follow is to allow the two get marry and become a couple.

You: What is the relationship between the elders and the youth?

Mai: The difference between an elder and a child is that an elder is when they are 25 years of age and older they are consider an elder. They must know the rules, talk seriously, and know the duty of a elder. When it comes t a child they must know 32 rules and when it comes to a elder the y must know 64 rules. When it comes to a woman or a man growing form a child to an elder they must know these rules. A child is consider of ages 1-18 is still consider a child because they do not know the rules as well.