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| CONTENTS Exploring: Current Experiences Challenging: Women Issues Reading: Research Articles Learning: History Guessing: Proverbs & Riddles Studying: Literature & Poetry Visiting: Photo Gallery Admiring: Art Gallery Listening to: Hmong Radios Enjoying: Tales for Children Taking: Courses of Cult & Language Proposing: Story, Poetry & Artwork |
| Research Articles: Kaying: Goddess, Shamanistic Spirit and Bestower of Children. A Figure of Love and of Compassion by Dr. Kao-Ly Yang It took me 10 years to finish to gather the data, and one full month during summer 2006 to write this article about Kaying -- Niam Nkauj Kab Yeeb or Niam Poj Dab Pog-- Spirit of Fertility and Bestower of Children in the Hmong culture. The beginning of this research project took place one morning in 1996, in Laos where I was observing a Soul Calling (Hu plig), traditional ritual for new-borns. I have to say that I have observed it several times in France but it was in the traditional setting that made me aware of its full meaning. The sequence in that ritual that occured outside the house questionned me regarding the identity of the Spirit Kaying that parents were thanking for bringing the child. Over the years, the puzzle had been put in my mind. And it was a job interview at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that finally enlightened my understanding of the identity of Kaying: She has a Buddhist origin. She is the Goddess of Mercy in the Chinese Buddhism. In this academic paper of 42 pages with pictures, I compared the two spiritual entities, the Hmong Kaying and the Chinese Guanyin basing on their similarities. I also analyzed the processes of borrowing of Kaying from the Chinese culture, and proposed a reinterpretation of the nature of the Hmong system of beliefs. It was a fascinating research subject that took me to re-understand the origins and the features of the Hmong system of beliefs which is made of borrowed religious elements from other major religions that had been incorporated into the Hmong culture. Some of the elements like Kaying had overlapped pre-exisiting spiritual entities. I was excited to find a connection between Shamanism and Buddhism through this case study where Kaying reveals to be also a shamanistic spirit. To conclude the article, I have defined the notions of religious related to social practices and the notions of miracle, of love and of compassion. Definitively, this article will help you to understand the complexity of the way Hmong people reinvente their culture and live their faith. To read the whole article, click here This article has been published by the Hmong Studies Journal, Vol.7, Dec 2006 |
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| TOPICS OF 2006 January Tsab rau Tsab Mim Xyooj Lettre ouverte à Chamee Xiong, la plus célèbre chanteuse hmong The Open Letter to Chamee Xiong, the Most Famous Female Hmong Singer February Kuv tus Phauj Nyob Asmeslivkas Teb thiab "cov nkauj laug" Ma Tante d'Amérique et les "vieilles filles" My Aunt from America Handling the "Old girls" Ib tug ntxhais kev hlub rau nws leej niam Les soins d'une fille à sa mère A Daughter's Care for her Mother March Qav Xav Loj li Twm La Grenouille qui désire devenir aussi grosse qu'un boeuf The Frog who aspired to become as big as the Ox Cov lus, cov duab thiab cov siab tuaj koom lub rooj sab laj poj niam hmoob Paroles, photos et sentiments à propos de la conférence sur les femmes hmong Words, pictures and feelings at the Hmong Women Conférence, Minnesota 2005 May Taaj kev zais siab tsis pab nws tus kheej rov ua neej Les mensonges de Taah à propos de son divorce ne l'aident pas à trouver son intégrité Taah's Lies about her Divorce Kept her far from her Integrity Guest Writer: Lindy Lee-Her Hmoob Nkes: Thaum txij neej rov nyiam txiv neej,poj niam rov nyiam poj niam Gay et lesbians Hmong en Amérique Hmong Gay and Lesbians Phauj Xis raug muag ua niam peb Ma tante Sy a été vendue comme troisième épouse Aunt See had been sold as a third wife June Guest Writer: Lig Vaaj Xub Thoj Lub Neej Ua Yeeb Yam Kiab Un morceau de l'histoire du développement du cinéma hmong: Su Thao A Piece of the Making of Hmong Films: Su Thao Tsheej Kim, Tus neeg hu xov Tooj tsis tseg L'homme-Chencki The Chencki-man, the night caller July Tus txiv neej uas hais lus rau cov tsawb L'homme qui parlait aux bananiers The Man Who Talked to the Banana Trees, August Raug dab thawj thiab los sis siab phem xwb? Possédé par un démon de chagrin ou simple méchanceté? Possessed by a Lost Spirit of Grief or Simple Wickedness? September Guest Writer: Npoos Xyooj (Bong Xiong), Young Master of Hmong Wedding Kab Tshoob Kev Kos: Piav Txog Tshoob Coj Le mariage traditionnel: le cas du mariage par fuite Traditional Wedding: the case of marriage by elopement November Guest Writer: Kou Xiong Kub Xyooj Tsev Neeg Kev Nrhiav ib Lub Teb Chaw uas Muaj Kev Yeej Pheej La recherche d'une terre de choix par la famille de Kou Xiong Kou Xiong's Family Search For a Land of Choices December Niam Nkauj Kab Yeeb La rencontre avec la déesse miséricorde Guanying. The Meeting with Guayin, the Goddess of Mercy. |