Oral storytelling serves as a connection to the past, present, and future while preserving history, culture, and traditions.
In Hmong culture, stories are classified as neej neeg, stories of the living, or dab neeg, stories of the dead. Neej neeg are stories that encapsulate life experiences; some are filled with grief, some serve to empower, some document spiritual or supernatural experiences, and many contain life lessons. Dab neeg are fairy tales, folktales, myths, and legends that highlight traditional beliefs, practices, and history. Both genres come together to preserve history by capturing the Hmong experience, past or present, and passing it on to future generations.
A Portrait of Grief and Courage: Hmong Oral Histories and Folktales is a collection of both neej neeg and dab neeg. It goes beyond oral storytelling and documents the stories of the earliest Hmong refugees in Northeastern Wisconsin. To celebrate Hmong Heritage Month, as well as the importance of oral storytelling, the Teaching Press conducted an interview with Ma Lee Lor, A Portrait of Grief and Courage’s transcriber and translator. Continue reading
