Tradition : Hmong New Year

Hmong people cerebration the New Year festival after harvesting and also cerebration the successful of paddy and vegetables product. During the festival, they will offer food to the sky spirits, forest spirits and the spirits who take care of them and their houses throughout the year. Every Hmong village cerebrate the New Year around the same time in December. The Hmong people call the New Year ceremony is “ NorPehhJow”  or Thirty eat because according to the Hmong calendar, thirty days make a month, and the last day of the last month in the year is a day before New Year. On the first day of the New Year, the head of the family will lead a religious ceremony to pray for prosperity in the family. The New Year celebration will last for three days where all of them do not go to work and will enjoy themselves in a traditional activity. The activity includes a game played with a ball made from clothes, a top spinning session and sing Hong’s song.

1.play a cloth’s ball.        During the New Year celebrations, the Hmong people play games to enjoy themselves, and the characteristic game of the New Year celebration is a ball game known to the Thai as “Chuang”, of which the ball is made of clothes. The players are divided into 2 groups, women and men. Before playing the game, the women take a ball to the man stand opposite them by throw the ball to each other and have conversation to the person that take or catch the ball.

The objective of this game.        For fun and enjoyment during the New Year and also for young men and women to look for a potential mate. Married women cannot play this game because they believe that it goes against their customs. However, it is different for married men as they can play the game. Another purpose for this game is to practice their reflexes and self-protection skill because they will have to catch the ball before it hits their faces. They will also sing the Hmong song throughout the game to enjoy themselves. The game’s rule.        Whoever loses the game, the winner can do anything to them. The game is passed down from generations to generations since the time when lived in China. During the period then, the Hmong people celebrate each New Year with the Moon dancing ceremony, during which they will give a ball made from clothes to their lover ( The Hmong in China celebrate new year around march- April, whereas the Hmong living in Thailand celebrate it around December- January). In some villages in Thailand, the Hmong people use black cloths for the ball which is different from that used by the Hmong in China because they use colorful clothes to make the ball.

2.play a top spin.        Play a top or in Hmong “DowTorLu”. It is the Hmong people’s favorite game during the New Year celebration. This game is only played by the males. The men and boys play the game separately. The objective of the game This game is for amusement and promote interaction and bonding between families. Devise a top The top made from wood. The woods that can make the top spin have epicycle around 3-5 centimeters and cut the wood for top spin long 5 inches, and are decorated. On the top of a top is blunt and the bottom of the top is pointed.

How to play        Tie the sting around the top, the right hand carries the top while the other hand carries the lumber. Fling the hand out and pull the lumber back, the top wall down on the ground and spin. The opponent will try to hit this top down with his top. If they can not hit the opponent’s top on the ground, his top will in turn be another person’s target to be hit. The way to play a top is to concentrate and aim accurately. Nowadays, the Hmong people do not play the top as much because of the change in their lifestyle. However we can still see the top game during the Hmong New Year or the hill tribe festivals.

3.Hmong song.        Hmong people have a variety of songs which they sing in different occasions. For the example, they have songs especially for the New Year. 3.1 A leaf song        Ancestor uses leaves to produce music because they live in close proximity with Mother Nature in the forest. The banana leaf is the best choice because it produces nice melodies and can be heard over long distances, even by villagers who are working in the fields. They use the melodies produced from blowing at a banana leaf to let all their friends know where they live, and the younger generations also use this method to contact each other or talk amorously.

3.2 JingNong song or Ncaag in Hmong language.        This song is for the younger generations to communicate with each other at night and a code for them to meet. When a man wants to communicate with a woman, he will play "ncaag" in front of the women bedroom (outside) so as not to disturb the woman’s parents.  In response, the woman will sing a "ncaag" back to the man when she hears his “ncaag" and it acts as a secret code between the couple

3.3 Song in New Year ceremony.        The New Year celebration is the best opportunity for the younger generations to meet each other. In the New Year the younger will play top spin, a clothes ball and sing songs to entertain themselves. The meaning of the songs is usually about love and some couples use this time to propose to the woman they love.

4.Hmong dancing.        In New Years celebration, Hmong people have many kinds of dances like winnowing basket dance, picking tea leaves dance, and Chinese opera dance. Hmong flute dance.        Usually this dance is performed during important ceremonies. This dance show cases the way of life of the Hmong and the Hmong instruments. Hmongs always carries a flute around with him. Men often use this instrument to show affection to the woman that he loves.    Chinese dance. Usually, Hmong rise the performed during the New Year celebration and important        ceremonies. This dance displays the gracefulness of the Hmong people

5.Winnowing basket dancing.        Usually, Hmong rise the performed during the New Year celebrations and the important ceremonies. This dance highlights the wares used by the Hmong people. In the past Hmong people use a winnow basket to winnow rice or an equipment to make the Hmong sweet, thus the dance with the winnowing basket.

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