The Science of Monsters

Kelly:“Can you tell us about the Hmong immigration journey?”

Mai Vang: “The Hmong are an ethnic minority who are from Southeast Asia including the countries of Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. There are also Hmong who live in southern China. Today, the Hmong people are in almost every country including the United States. The Hmong became involved in the United States’ war in Vietnam which started in 1955. By the 1960s the American CIA were training Hmong who lived in Laos how to be soldiers. Although the war was between the US and Vietnam, armament was being smuggled through Laos near the homes and villages of the Hmong. Since the US could not officially train out of Laos, they hired the local people, the majority of whom were Hmong, to disrupt the Vietnamese operations in Laos. By 1969, more than one-hundred-and-ten-thousand Hmong had become displaced by the fighting.

When the United States pulled out of the war in 1975, the Hmong were left stranded. By then, North Vietnam had won and become a communist country and Laos was falling in the same way. This meant that the American allies became targets for more oppression and “reeducation,” and were eventually killed. To avoid these fates, thousands of Hmong became refugees and sought asylum in Thailand refugee camps across the border. This act included hiding in the forest for months, leaving behind elders who could not make the trek, leaving families who could not leave their villages, and giving opium to babies to keep them from crying for fear of being found by the communist soldiers. Many citizens were killed during this time because there were no more troops and soldiers left to defend them. Almost all crossed the Mekong River which is as wide, deep, and turbulent as the Mississippi. Many families drowned together trying to cross over to Thailand. There were also many communist spies who would betray the refugees and turn them over to the communist soldiers; there are villages of people who were trapped at the shores of Laos and murdered. From there, the US and other ally countries allowed the refugees to immigrate to their respective countries. Only about thirty-thousand Hmong were able to seek and receive asylum in the United States.”

Meg:“That is so tragic! In the information we’ve read it’s said that the Hmong people may have been feeling guilt for leaving their homeland. Can you tell us about the cultural or spiritual beliefs related to family or ancestors?”

Mai Vang: “I’ll speak on this generally because not all Hmong practice only the Hmong spiritual belief. There are diverse religions in the community including Hmong Christians and Catholics and those who have a variation of ancestor and animist worship. I have heard anecdotes from Western doctors and Hmong individuals alike that the Hmong may have felt guilty and therefore it could have affected their health. And that could be true, but I am not sure that guilt can be directly associated with Hmong spiritual beliefs as there are many reasons for those who survived (Hmong and non-Hmong) to feel guilty after war or a traumatic incident. Though, it could have contributed to a lot of the stress related to Hmong beliefs.

For the Hmong, the war experience includes leaving behind loved ones, losing children and loved ones to the war, leaving behind their homes and gardens which they worked on their entire lives, leaving their farm animals behind, and witnessing tragedy and death along their journey. That said, there is a strong belief in, and traditions related to, ancestor worship.”

Kelly:“Do you know of anyone in your community who passed away from the congenital heart problem that Wes Craven cites as the inspiration for A Nightmare on Elm Street?”

Mai Vang: “I don’t personally know those who passed away in their sleep; however, our community is small so I know friends and family who know someone personally who did. There was a wave of Hmong men who died in their sleep even though they seemed to be perfectly healthy before. And anecdotally it seemed that it was tied to their grief. This sleep death has been tracked by the Department of Health. This type of sudden death wasn’t isolated only for the Hmong community; it apparently is a phenomenon in Southeast Asian men in the United States and in Southeast Asia.”

Meg:“Have you, personally, ever experienced sleep paralysis? If so, can you describe your experience?”