Spirit Catches you and You Fall Down

THE SPIRIT CATCHES YOU AND YOU FALL DOWN Student’s Name: Professor’s Name: Course Title: Date: 1 What do you think of traditional Hmong birth practices? Compare them to the techniques used when Lia was born. The traditional Hmong birth practices represent a traditional and conservative society where modernism and civilization were not available. For example, if Lia was to be born in the traditional Hmong era, her mother - Foua Yang - would have squatted on the floor and pulled the baby (Lia) out of her womb with her own hands. The mother would have done this without letting the baby touch the dirt floor. Further, Lia’s mother would have labored in silence without alerting her neighbors. The above practices present two scenarios that indicate a traditional and uncivilized society. In stark contrast to the Hmong practices, Lia is born in an American hospital setting where everything is modernized. Another contrast is the way Lia’s placenta (or "jacket") is handled. In the traditional Hmong birth practices, the placenta was buried either under the bed (for a girl) or beside the central wooden pillar of a house (in case the baby was a boy). All this was done in respect of the Hmong beliefs and customs. However, in Lia’s scenario, the placenta is incinerated. Additionally, Lia is born on a metal table with sterile drapes and no anesthetic just like other American babies. If she had been born in the traditional Hmong villages, Lia would have been born while her mother squatted. This indicates that traditionalism has no place in modernity. 2 Over many centuries, the Hmong fought against a number of different people who claimed sovereignty over their lands; they were also forced to emigrate from China. How do you think these upheavals have affected their culture? What role has history played in the formation of Hmong culture? Over a few hundred generations ago, the Hmong culture has evolved as the Hmong society passed through tumultuous times. Originally, the Hmong people occupied fertile lands in China where they were mainly agrarians. However, frequent conflicts with the Chinese dynasties - who wanted them to be assimilated to their culture - made them flee the region to neighboring Vietnam, Laos and also Thailand. Throughout their migratory process and settlement, the Hmong community remained independent and connected, and always resisted communities who threatened to divide their unity or to undermine them. Despite their commitments to keep the unity of their society, the Hmong were finally unable to control clan divisions when they moved to modern America. They could no longer carry out their ancestral practices; they had to adjust to the American way of life that involved utilizing modern equipment and practices. The American authorities were also not friendly to them since they did not liaise or consult them on what they consider unique and helpful in their culture. As a result, the Hmong culture continued down its destruction and dilution path unco...