Meet Rita, the Literacy Program Specialist and newest member of the Fox Valley Literacy team! She is a first-generation Hmong American daughter and the second youngest of 5 siblings born and raised right here in the Fox Cities. Rita is committed to empowering Hmong individuals to help them connect with their native language and cultural roots and has experience teaching the Hmong language to young children.

Traditions allow us to stay connected to our homeland and heart language while also enabling us to be our fullest selves. For Rita, celebrating her favorite Hmong traditions keeps her close to the Hmong culture. “The Hmong New Year, for example, is a cultural celebration that has different unique ceremonies to attract harvest for the next year and give tributes to our ancestors,” she explains. It is observed annually between November and December. Celebrants have a special ceremony inside their house where they fold paper money and burn it to send wealth to their ancestors, “With this, we ensure our ancestors are wealthy and fed in the spiritual world.” They also gather as a community to celebrate this significant holiday! Although the Hmong New Year is celebrated differently in the United States, Rita says it’s a great time to see the entire community come together and embrace their roots. “We dress in Hmong clothes, eat together, and compete in singing and dancing.”

Apart from this important and enjoyable tradition, Rita says that Hmong weddings are her favorite. “It’s a very meaningful celebration, with old and poetic language used throughout the ceremony.” Hmong weddings can last up to three days. Each family has two members who represent each household and communicate what each family expects and desires from the other. “It starts at the groom’s house. Then, the wedding party comes to the bride’s house, and they do the wedding ceremony. Each location has a ritual they have to go through,” Rita shared. They wear Hmong clothes during the celebration and eat and drink together. 

During these festivities, the food is also a highlight. Egg rolls, white sticky rice, and boiled chicken called “nqaij qaib vom” are some of the dishes that Hmong people prepare on special occasions. “Food is a great example of how, although Asian countries have similar dishes, each country and community has its own way of making them significantly their own,” she says. It was truly meaningful to learn about the Hmong culture, the various celebrations, and traditional dishes. Thank you, Rita, for sharing some of your special traditions with us!