Abstract

In a letter addressed to Father Yves Bertrais and his Hmong cultural center staff, Shoua Yang (Suav Yaj) asked for a book on Hmong wedding rituals and an audiocassette of Hmong poetry songs. ¹ He went on to explain that he wanted the audiocassette of poetry songs because “mother and father have now left for Laos and this has saddened me so I would like to listen to it [the audiocassette].” ² In addition to asking for books and the audiocassette, at the end of the letter, he also requested one more thing from the cultural center:

And please help send this message to mother and father and all the younger brothers who have successfully interviewed and gone back to Laos … that we, your son and daughter-in-law, who are living at the Napho refugee camp are doing well (noj qab nyob zoo). ³