How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Foua Yang once told me that everyone in her village did the same work, so no one was more important than anyone else. (10.5)
Sounds like quite a shift from the meritocracy/bureaucracy/rat-race-ocracy of America. No wonder the Hmong have such a hard time adjusting. The Hmong want to live a simple life free from interference, but that's simply not possible in the U.S. Which is pretty weird for a place renowned for its freedom, huh?
Quote #5
Because they always moved in groups rather than as individuals, their clan structure, their religion, and their cultural identity accompanied them, wherever they went. (10.9)
By now, the Hmong's migratory nature is hardwired into their cultural DNA. Does that mean they're happy with this nomadic existence? Not even. In their history of movement, the Hmong never choose to leave their homes—usually, they're forced out under threat of violence. Regardless, their culture manages to adapt to fit their circumstances, strengthening social bonds to ensure that the community remains intact.
Quote #6
Entire villages fled en masse after their houses were burned and their headmen beaten or killed during nighttime raids by the Pathet Lao or North Vietnamese. (10.28)
That's not a nightmare you want to wake up to. Although many Hmong fought—and died—on behalf of the American government during the so-called "Quiet War," their communities didn't receive the protection they needed or deserved. Instead, they were once again forced to leave their rightful home.