Hmong Book Report

“She had never said it was love. Neither had he. They were shy. They had been unsure. Now, there would be no time for love. It was in the moment of parting that she knew she loved him” (21).

Every moment from the time a woman learns she is pregnant, the doctors visits, tests, and planning never quit. For the safety of the baby American women also take many precautions as far as diet and activity, but not in the same way the Hmong do. Though, American mothers appear just as fearful as Hmong women about their child's safety. Do to our advanced technology, mothers are very away of all the possible worst case scenarios that could go down during and after birth. They half to deal with that fear and uncertainty, but unlike the Hmong they don't do it alone. Mothers are surrounded with doctors and loved ones helping every step of the way. "I takes a village", is a very common phrase in America when talking about raising children. In America it's an inclusive effort, while it's very much a solo act for Hmong women. I think the bond between mother and child is one of, if not the, closest connection there is between two humans. It is for this reason I think the Hmong women give birth by themselves; because the experience is such an intimate and personal, one that only mother and child get experience it together.

The theory I selected to apply to the above situation is the Birth Territory theory. This theory was created from empirical data collected by the authors who serve as both midwives and researchers. It has a critical post-structural feminist undertone and elaborates on the ideas of Michel Foucault. The Birth Territory theory predicts and elaborates on the relationships between jurisdiction (use of authority and influence), terrain (the birthing environment), and personal emotional and physiological experience by the mother. This nurse-midwifery theory was chosen because both of the major concepts directly correlate with the incident and are critical aspects of labor and delivery situations. MAYBE ELABORATE A diagram of the Birth Territory theory can be seen in Appendix A.

But this division is not inevitable; Pamela Cotant’s article concerning a Hmong Literacy Club in Wisconsin is proof. The literacy club sends home Hmong homework for students to complete with their parents (Cotant), allowing parents the ability to take an active role in their children’s educational lives. No longer useless or inferior, the simple act of a parent and child working on homework together can bridge divides gouged by the American school system. The literacy club also helps Hmong American children connect with their relatives by teaching them their shared language and culture (Cotant). It is obvious that a language barrier can obstruct connection and communication, and that common language and community are essential to success. Due

At birth, the Hmong view their newborns as a gift and extremely special. At birth, it is called “Mus Thawj thiab, “go become again” or more simple, “reincarnation,” is a traditional Hmong belief (Bankston 2000). When a child is born, they are automatically seen as a gift and reborn as a reincarnated soul. Though, if a child dies after three days of living there are “no funeral ceremonies…since the child did not have a soul yet” (Bankston 2000). The Hmong believe if the child lives past three days, their soul is present though if they die, the infant never had a soul to begin with. If the child lives past day three, then a shaman is brought in and he “evokes a soul to be be reincarnated in the baby’s body” (Bankston 2000). This is considered

The Hmong people are a people of diaspora and are an ethnic minority group who, have been a group of people who were basically unknown up until three decades ago. They are of unknown origin and are often misplaced from country to country and often have to assume many different hyphenated identities to fit in with the mainstream culture. As Hmong Americans they have gone from being unable to read and write to being educated; which has led to Hmong writers, congressmen and women, to scholars, and to many other respectable occupations. Though, before being able to become a writer or a scholar, a Hmong American student is often troubled and stressed about their ethnic identity and that can lead to struggles in their academics. This topic is important to me because being a Hmong American and a college student; these two aspects of life are playing a big role in my life right now. Through my paper there is one question that I am hoping to answer and the question is: How does having a hyphenated identity affect Hmong American students in their academics?

For hundred of years, women have wrestled with their womanhood, bodies, and what it means to be a woman in our society. Being a woman comes with a wonderful and empowering responsibility--giving birth. What sets us aside from other countries is that the process and expectations of giving birth has changed in our society; coming from midwifery, as it has always been since the early times, to hospitals where it is now expected to give birth at. Midwifery was a common practice in delivering babies in

The growth in presence of midwives in both Indigenous and non-indigenous communities is increasing, indicating the overall difference in experience between what would be defined as “natural” birth and what western medicine dictates as “normal” birth. Though, this does not include the use of “assisted” birth during emergency situations, which is sometimes the case even with midwife patients (Green, 2017). But, this experience gives the mother an ally especially through emergency situations, which is related through both Dorothy Green and Kim Anderson’s experiences; Anderson whose first pregnancy needed to be terminated was assisted by an Indigenous birthing center to ensure that she would be able to bury the remains of her child, which is needed for both closure and ceremony (2006). Similarly, Green had to fight to make Indigenous medicine and options known in the hospital, to ensure that her patients were returned the pieces of their birthing process they needed to move forward and perform ceremony (2017). The use of traditional teachings, especially in an event as sacred as birthing, helps to heal Indigenous communities and families, and a healthy community leads to healthy identities of mothers.

Anne Fadiman was overwhelmed by everything she knew and observed in Lia’s case. She saw how much she was suffering, and also saw how much her family was suffering. Most of the agony came from the vast cultural incompetence from the health providers’ side, miscommunication, and misunderstanding between them and the Hmong. She saw the real struggle between the Hmong culture and the American system. The frustration caused by all of this was obvious in her interaction with Foua.

Chinese women will take many precautions to protect their unborn and newborn babies from evil spirits. They will never attend a funeral and they will hang certain embellishments to ward of the spirits. A paper cut out of scissors is hung over the bed curtains of a pregnant woman and when a baby is born a special pendant is placed near the baby’s crib in hopes that any evil spirits would be more attracted to the pendant then the baby. Another example of keeping the spirits away is the parents of the child would make “arrows from wood of a peach tree and place near the cradle.” It is considered unlucky to name your child before they are born as well as to celebrate before the baby is born with a baby shower. This is normal for many cultures including some Native American cultures here is America. Though now it is more taboo and people are naming their babies as soon as they know the gender and having showers months before the baby is born to make sure that they are prepared when the baby arrives. When a baby is being born in China it is customary that the mother and mother-in-law of the mother to be, to be present during the delivery but not the father. It is considered terrible luck to be scared of labor as it is considered the woman’s job. After the baby is born the mother is in a “sitting period” for a month. This insures that the mother is completely healed and only has to focus on

This topic is important when examining statistics related to birth; Indigenous women are twice as likely to experience either a stillbirth or miscarriage (Sky, 2010). The idea that the health system and that the current method of birthing babies is the safest is a mindset that is both common and confusing when putting these statistics into perspective. It is also imperative to learn about the “medical mode of childbirth” as around 95% of Canadian women were associated with using this “western” model five years ago (Shaw, Pp. 522, 2013). What I found made me believe that Indigenous methods of birthing allow for a better birthing experience and provides a platform for revitalization of Indigenous methods of being to occur. This theory is based

Bringing life into the world can be complicated, risky, and life threating. Some cultures go to the doctor throughout their pregnancy to make sure the baby is healthy. The prenatal pill is taken to make sure the mother is getting the proper minerals, and vitamins. During the doctor’s visit they can also see how far along the mother is during her pregnancy. Ultrasounds picture are available to get gimps on how the baby look and to determine the gender. On page 162 says that “Fear of childbirth is thought to be dangerous…however God interrupting a woman apprehensive as indicating that the child is not wanted, may kill the child and take it back to the spirit world In such case the mother may also be taken.” Bringing life into the world can be one of the most beautiful things to experience but it also has its complications. Birth can become risky causing an emergency cesarean section to save the child life or even both. Even though !Kung women leave the village they generally take someone or

During labor and delivery, for many Chinese women, family support is preferred over pain medications (Sullivan, 2012). For the delivery of the first child, the father of the baby is not present, instead the woman’s mother is there

Fay Calkins novel entitled “My Samoan Chief” thoroughly entails the experiences of a young woman living in her Samoan husband’s native town. Fay, of Puritan settler, was sent to find a solution to life that would be innovative and delightful. She soon fell in love with a Samoan exchange student, Vai Ala'ilima, who later she married and decided to return home with. Upon her arrival in the islands of Samoa, she realized how frustrating living in a household of seven mannish boys could be. The experience completely astonished her as she could not fathom how the couple could continuously support such a large immediate family, yet still take part in community festivities. Stuck in her traditional routes, she decided to incorporate American ideas and institutions such as a bank, pay rate for work, and even a planned work schedule. However, the native Samoans were far too simplistic to comprehend and implement these western ideas into their daily lives. Although, tempted Fay stays there and has four children in the islands allowing her family to fully embrace the refreshing delight

Some cultural practices have also played a role in limiting the accessibility of maternity care. In some communities, birthing at home with a traditional birth attendant is the accepted form of delivery. They employ a wide variety of herbs that even induce labor. This is even worse in nomadic communities where they are always in the move. Cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation