Hmong American Institute for Learning offers creative outlet

Julie Carlson

The Hmong American Institute for Learning (HAIL) is one of two Hmong art organizations in the country. It is an organization for the literary and visual arts of the Hmong culture. The organization helps writers and artists of all ages and backgrounds to express their story and support to the Hmong culture.

HAIL has a literary journal called "Paj Ntaub Voice" that covers different genres and contemporary issues that the Hmong community faces. Garvey said, "HAIL offers writing workshops, residencies and events. Through the Hmong Writers Group, HAIL provides opportunities for writers to practice and improve their writing by learning from seasoned Hmong writers in a supportive and creative environment.

"HAIL’s residencies offer established artists stipends to work in the schools as teaching artists. Events include Paj Ntaub Voice, which is the literary journal where emerging writers and artists are invited to create new work for debut, public readings, exhibitions, the Hmong Storytelling Project, which records Hmong oral arts for literary research, and collaborative initiatives with local community groups and organizations."

Dyane Garvey is the executive director for the Hmong American Institute for Learning (HAIL). Garvey believes that it is important to share stories with the Hmong community and the general public because of the lack of Hmong literature available. She said if the Hmong don’t write their own stories then someone else will do it for them.

Garvey states that it is a known fact that the people who write are the people who make history. The Hmong must write their stories, have different perspectives and challenge the current literature on the Hmong people, which can be inaccurate, biased or possess little depth. She goes on to say that the current literature is still written by many non-Hmong scholars and others, only the Hmong can tell their stories best. Garvey hopes that the Hmong American Institute for learning can help educate the Hmong community about the importance of writing and publishing their experience.

Garvey’s goals are to engage the community in an idea of preserving and creating Hmong culture through the arts. Art is and always has been a necessary part of the Hmong life. Many Hmong practice at least one form of art and the older generations had to, and if they didn’t their families would die. That is how important art is to the Hmong culture.

"If a woman couldn’t sew, her family wouldn’t have anything to wear. Poverty was the condition of life so you can’t hire someone else to make clothes for your family. You wouldn’t be a desirable wife either because you don’t have the basic skills to care for and raise a family. If a man couldn’t do blacksmithing or carpentry, he wouldn’t have a house to live in. Art was a way of life and if you didn’t practice it, you would literally die. People also trade services so having artist skills enabled you to barter your skills for other skills you may not have," said Garvey.

If students are interested in the Hmong culture, one of the best ways to research and learn is to come to the Hmong American Institute for Learning. They are located in the Center for Hmong Studies along with the Hmong National Archives. Many scholars, newspaper reporters and other interesting people come to the Hmong American Resource Center’s office for research.

Additionally, a book Garvey recommends is "Mai Neng Moua" published by Borealis Press for contemporary Hmong experiences edit Bamboo Among the Oaks.

The Hmong Resource Center also has public readings and visual art exhibits for anyone interested in studying how Hmong art and culture has changed. They are also piloting an art residency program that enables schools to bring a Hmong artist to teach in the classroom.

Garvey said, "What I want people to walk away with is the knowledge that the people who write get to make history. Each and every one of us can and should tell our own stories. When we don’t someone else will tell it for us and it may not be accurate, it may be biased, and it may be less in-depth. We live in a time when the Internet and the media can easily tell our stories within minutes.

"The people writing for these venues don’t always have the time, the knowledge or the skill to write about our lives. While the Internet has changed the quality of information we get, it has also enabled your average person to write about a story or experience in their community, empowering the voice that would’ve been kept out of the story. I encourage people to write and tell their stories. The Hmong know this to be true and a detriment to their culture but it’s a lesson anyone else could learn from as well."

To find more information visit the Hmong Resource Center’s website at: http://www.hmonghail.org.