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World Folklore Series #1
Folk Stories of the Hmong: Peoples of Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam
Hmong culture has had an oral tradition for millennia, but the language itself did not even exist in written form until the 1950s. Compiled by famed author and storyteller Norma Livo and coauthor, Dia Cha, this is the first collection of authentic Hmong tales to be published commercially in the English language. Beginning with a description of Hmong history, culture, and folklore, the book includes 16 pages of full-color photographs of Hmong dress and needlework and 27 captivating tales divided into three beginnings; how/why stories; and stories of love, magic, and fun. Appropriate for high school and adult readers, with selected stories appropriate for younger children, this collection is an important addition to multicultural units.
135 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 7, 2013
Folk Stories of the Hmong is a more challenging collection than it appears at first blush, and readers may be discouraged in the early going. However, as one becomes accustomed to the tales and their style, it gets easier to appreciate both the aesthetics of the tales and their relationship to world folklore. The front matter that the authors provide on Hmong tradition and history is also a fine, concise introduction to these stories that makes for fine background.
The Hmong tales presented here have some aspects in common with European folk tales. For instance, the wall between the world of magic and mundane is very thin, as would be familiar to anyone versed in the Grimm collections. The wall between the worlds of the dead and living is also rather permeable, which is less common in western folklore (excepting ghost stories – and these Hmong tales do not carry a ghostly air at all), as is the barrier between human and animal. Specifically, these stories make great use of the relationship between humans and tigers that is ubiquitous in Hmong cultures, and death is not seen as a final separation between people – the idea that lovers will be reunited in death is very concrete here. Structurally, these tales seem to lack many of the oral conventions that characterize folktales from elsewhere, such as the "tripling" of elements that make it easier for raconteurs to remember stories. Most likely these are supplanted by other conventions that I did not pick up on at first read, or that may have been lost in translation.
A somewhat disturbing trope in these stories is the disposability of wives. Though this is not unknown in western folktales (the prince does leave his first wife for Sleeping Beauty, after all), the folkloric convention of "hero gets married and lives happily ever after" simply does not apply in Hmong folktales as presented here; often, marriage is a mid-story plot turn that prefigures the husband looking for other options. These tales are not necessarily more misogynistic than what you will see in the collections of Afanasyev, Yeats, or the Grimms – women do seem to have more agency in Hmong love stories, for example – but it is an intriguing difference. This volume, though slim, is a fine addition to anyone's library of folktales or books on Hmong culture.
The Hmong tales presented here have some aspects in common with European folk tales. For instance, the wall between the world of magic and mundane is very thin, as would be familiar to anyone versed in the Grimm collections. The wall between the worlds of the dead and living is also rather permeable, which is less common in western folklore (excepting ghost stories – and these Hmong tales do not carry a ghostly air at all), as is the barrier between human and animal. Specifically, these stories make great use of the relationship between humans and tigers that is ubiquitous in Hmong cultures, and death is not seen as a final separation between people – the idea that lovers will be reunited in death is very concrete here. Structurally, these tales seem to lack many of the oral conventions that characterize folktales from elsewhere, such as the "tripling" of elements that make it easier for raconteurs to remember stories. Most likely these are supplanted by other conventions that I did not pick up on at first read, or that may have been lost in translation.
A somewhat disturbing trope in these stories is the disposability of wives. Though this is not unknown in western folktales (the prince does leave his first wife for Sleeping Beauty, after all), the folkloric convention of "hero gets married and lives happily ever after" simply does not apply in Hmong folktales as presented here; often, marriage is a mid-story plot turn that prefigures the husband looking for other options. These tales are not necessarily more misogynistic than what you will see in the collections of Afanasyev, Yeats, or the Grimms – women do seem to have more agency in Hmong love stories, for example – but it is an intriguing difference. This volume, though slim, is a fine addition to anyone's library of folktales or books on Hmong culture.
December 14, 2011
I felt that some of the stories were really short, only a paragraph or two long. I don't know if that's the way they're told traditionally and the author didn't feel comfortable dressing them up or what. It was a really quick read and I love love love the color plates... actually as soon as I finished this book I started doing my needlepoint again. Anne Fadiman does a superb job explaining Hmong culture and traditions in her book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures... the folk tales are sometimes charming, sometimes mildly offensive, and never having read a book full of just folk stories before, they seemed kind of repetitive--but that's not the book's fault. Anyway, I liked this book just fine but in the future I'll probably take my folk stories in small doses, peppered into larger works as the book by Fadiman I mentioned earlier does.
April 25, 2019
This book begins with a short introduction to the Hmong people and their culture. (This is appreciated...) From there it goes into folkloric tales that heavily feature agriculture, marriage customs and religious beliefs as they affect mainly farming families.
Most of the stories, I felt, were fairly forgettable. All were somewhat short. A few offered explanations for observable phenomena (ex: why owls can turn their heads around). Some offered satisfying endings and others just....ended.
I say satisfying because like many, I like it when bad guys get theirs and good guys suffer but come out on top. That didn't always happen by any means.
Some tales had pretty entertaining elements buried within their overall uninteresting matrix.
These days we are not supposed to pass judgement on cultures we didn't grow up in; who are we to do so? Their ways are theirs; not wrong, just different. Their stories fall within this framework, so what I've said and how I've rated this book are solely my opinions as to what I see as good stories.
Most of the stories, I felt, were fairly forgettable. All were somewhat short. A few offered explanations for observable phenomena (ex: why owls can turn their heads around). Some offered satisfying endings and others just....ended.
I say satisfying because like many, I like it when bad guys get theirs and good guys suffer but come out on top. That didn't always happen by any means.
Some tales had pretty entertaining elements buried within their overall uninteresting matrix.
These days we are not supposed to pass judgement on cultures we didn't grow up in; who are we to do so? Their ways are theirs; not wrong, just different. Their stories fall within this framework, so what I've said and how I've rated this book are solely my opinions as to what I see as good stories.
November 22, 2023
Do you know? Are you aware? Can you even comprehend how much I love folklore in all its aspects?
Firstly, the first 100 or so pages putting everything into cultural context? Amazing, I'd love to see more of that in folk tale collections. The jewellery! The fiber arts! Ah!
And, of course, the stories were very fun to read, too. I didn't really know anything about the Hmong except that they existed before picking this book up and I love that no matter where you go, no matter how unique and special a group of people is, folklore can show how incredibly human we all are and teach us so much about the world around us and others' experiences in it.
Firstly, the first 100 or so pages putting everything into cultural context? Amazing, I'd love to see more of that in folk tale collections. The jewellery! The fiber arts! Ah!
And, of course, the stories were very fun to read, too. I didn't really know anything about the Hmong except that they existed before picking this book up and I love that no matter where you go, no matter how unique and special a group of people is, folklore can show how incredibly human we all are and teach us so much about the world around us and others' experiences in it.
August 28, 2018
wow. great stories. especially the one about Hmong Cinderella. pretty brutal one.. but highly interesting. Definitely recommend.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews