Hmong Textile Arts Juanita Vang, 21 Milwaukee, WI Q: Do you have a desire to learn? A: When younger, I had the desire to learn how to sew paj ntaub. For some reason, I just never got to. Maybe it was because I felt it was something my older sisters would do or that it was their responsibility. Q: Is the tradition important to you? Why or Why not? What parts of paj ntaub do you think are the most important aspects? Visual, sociological, technical, historical, economical, etc.? A: Yes, but I haven't thought much about it for years now and I just got stuck living other aspects of my life that I often wonder if I'd just spent a little time in doing what was important to me, I'd be creating my own paj ntaub, not just waiting for relatives from Thailand or Laos to send them to me. Tradition as far as paj ntaub is very important to me because it is part of my culture and it makes me part of who I am as far as my roots. Though times may change, though I may grow and assimilate into a culture far from where I first came, there had to be a beginning and paj ntaub is part of that beginning. The symbols on paj ntaub came way before there was a alphabet letter writing system. This was a way in which we could be told our history, just as the hieroglyphics in Egypt, etc. The artistry and intricacy involved in the whole visual of paj natub are fascinating. The colors vibrant which I sometimes feel were there to help feed the cloth with life. Q: The Midwest has it's own unique culture. Has Hmong paj ntaub become a part of the culture of this region or the region you live (Wisconsin)? How? What do you think it contributes to the culture? A: More people know about the Hmong and paj ntaub now. There is no other art quite like it. People find it very interesting. It is a different way of preserving history. It adds to the culture of Wisconsin in terms of art. I go to a non-Hmong person's home and see such pride they have in hanging up paj ntaub and taking interest in learning what our culture is about. Q: Is it important for people to learn about this aspect of Hmong culture? Why or Why not? A: In America, there are people of many different ethnicities living in one country. It is important that we learn about each other. It would seem I was contradicting myself when I say it is important for people to learn about this aspect of Hmong culture because I haven't put much focus on it myself. Yes, it's important though. This gives us an identity in a way. It's sad that people like me forget what it's there for because we're so involved daily lives that we forget. It's a missing link to the beginning, to our history. We have little from our past. This is the closest we can get. BACK Last Updated 01/26/04