Xiong Lee Ethnic Group of Thailand PD323

Identity of Hmong in Thailand

Ethnic groups in Thailand is on the process of losing their ethnic identity because the Thai government implemented assimilation policies. One specific ethnic group that is effected by Thailand assimilation policies is the the Hmong. Thus, when the Thai government establishes assimilation policies, the Hmong have to choose which identity, Hmong or Thai, to embody or form a new identity, Hmong-Thai. For many Hmong who moved to the lowland of Thailand, they are becoming more apart of the Thai society through engaging in Thai national holidays, activities, and everyday life (Tapp, 2005). As a result, many Hmong lose their identity such as language, religion as they become apart of the Thai society. However, even if the Hmong is apart of the Thai society, they may still identity themselves, ethnically, as Hmong and not Thai. To keep their identity, they still practice shamanism, speak Hmong, find their Hmong cultural root (Tapp, 2005). Yet, i believe that the identity the Hmong in Thailand choose is neither being a Hmong nor a Thai but the Hmong identity in the present is slowly changing to form the a new identity. I believe a new form of identity, "Hmong-Thai," is emerging as the Hmong in Thailand embrace their culture and at the same time, embrace the Thai culture. This new identity emerges because the Hmong do not want to lose their cultural identity but at the same time by embracing the Thai culture, they want to be accepted and recognized as Thai and received the same rights as a Thai (Johnson, 2003). Thus, the concept of Hmong identity is more complex than choosing between being a Thai or a Hmong. Many factors such as keeping their native language, learning shamanism, etcand learning Thai language, practicing Thai holidays, etc, contribute to the Hmong in Thailand identifying themselves as "Hmong-Thai." Thus, the Hmong and Thai culture contribute to the Hmong in Thailand embodying the Hmong-Thai identity.

What Is Culture and Identity

Identity is composed of cultures (Lee, 2000). Thus, culture need to be defined to understand what identity is. Therefore, what is culture? Culture can be defined as traditions and social reproductions of a person everyday life (Lee, 2008). This means a person culture is made up of values, norms, and symbolic representations of a person daily life (Baker, 2000). Additionally, culture can be defined as a person tied to a specific events, places or time (Lee, 2008). These values, norms, symbolic representations, events, places and time of culture is fluid and since different generation experiences different value of culture in their lifetime, the definition of

culture can changed from one generation to the next generation (Lee, 2008). Thus, the definition of culture can change its meanings and is constantly redefining what it represent. Culture is, then, a dynamic part of society where it is changing, redefining and shaping a person life or a community (Lee, 2008). So, how is identity related to the definition of culture? Identity is embodying the changes of values, norms, symbolic representations, events, places and time of culture (Lee, 2008). But, at the same time, a person has to be socially conscious of four main factors which are crucial to understand and know what is identity: First, a person has to understand the original function of the different identities for the culture of the community, second, a person has to be able to identify which community these identities of culture belong to, third, a person needs to have a history with the community to understand why the community embody the identity, and lastly, for a person to be socially conscious of identity, the person has to know how identity effects relationship between people (Lee, 2008). In other words, identity is to accept the changes of all aspects of culture but at the same time, understand and know the significant of the identity for the culture and to oneself (Lee, 2008). However, I acknowledge that these definitions of culture and identity are not constant. People identities vary but for this paper, I use this definition of culture and identities to define Hmong and Thai culture and how the Hmong in Thailand decided to embody both identities to create a new identity, Hmong-Thai.

Hmong Culture and Identity

The Hmong culture is not homogenous even though the Hmong share a similar historical background. Since the Hmong live in Southeast Asia countries such as Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Burma and also including China, the Hmong cultural customs are influence by the culture that is most prevalent in these countries (Tapp, 2005). This, as a result, causes the Hmong to have different traditional practices, words, social norms, symbolic representations, etc(Tapp, 2005). Thus, when I discussion about the Hmong culture in this section, I am mainly discussing about the Hmong custom in Thailand. Therefore, what is the Hmong culture in Thailand? The Hmong culture in Thailand can be represented by two main categories: first, the Hmong culture can be categorized as tangible elements which are musical and religious instruments (Lee, 2008). Second, the Hmong culture can be categorized as intangible elements which are language, social organization, social value, history, myths, norm, and ritual chants (Lee, 2008). In other words, tangible elements are physical forms which are fixed that represent the Hmong culture while intangible elements are abstract forms which are fluid that represent the Hmong culture (Nguyen, 2010). As a result, the Thai culture, which is the dominate culture in Thailand, impacts the tangible and intangible elements of the Hmong culture differently. Tangible elements which are fixed and are the physical forms of the Hmong

culture do not change easily while, on the other hand, intangible elements which are abstract and fluid can be easily effected by the dominate culture in Thailand (Lee, 2008). Thus, what and why would the Hmong keeping their culture as well as accommodating the Thai culture and what and why would the Hmong do not accommodate the Thai culture? Tangible Element of the Hmong Cultural Indentity Tangible element, as I mention above, is physical forms that represent the Hmong identity and are unlikely to be changed from the dominate culture of Thailand. Thus, a tangible element of the Hmong culture and identity is the traditional Hmong cloth which are still wore and used yearly for cultural or religious practices. Therefore, Hmong cloth are wore today during annual Hmong New Year where there thousands of Hmong in Thailand gather and dress in traditional Hmong cloth to find loved one, spend time with family, and celebrate a hard year of working in the farm (Nguyen, 2010). Hmong cloth are also wore by the bride, groom, bridesmaid, and best man during Hmong weddings in Northern Thailand and are main weddings gifts to the bride and groom (Tapp, 2005). Additionally, when a bride enters into her husband family, she is expected to give her new mother-in-law a piece of Hmong cloth as a offer of luck, wealth, and health for her and her husband (Tapp, 2005). Lastly, when a Hmong person pass away, Hmong cloth are put on the dead one to help indicate that the dead person is Hmong in the sprit world since there are many other humans and non-human spirt in the spirt world (Tapp, 2005). The Hmong use shamanist and musical instruments on cultural and religious events. Two tangible elements of the Hmong culture and identity is shamanist and musical instruments. Two example of shamanism instruments are the gong and ox horns. These two shamanist instrument are still used to call back the sprit of a sick person or cure the sick person (Vang and Flores, 1999). They are used to help the Shaman transcend into the sprit world and help find the sick person spirt. Additional, the Qeej which is a religious instrument is used to help the spirt of the dead person find his or her way back to the family ancestors (Vang and Flores, 1999). While the Qeej is mostly used during funeral and religious events, it can also be used to play traditional music about Hmong folktales (Lee, 2008). Another musical instrument that the Hmong in Thailand use is called a Ncas which it is used to play tradition and modern Hmong music about love, heartbreak and family. So, how does these physical items allow many Hmong to resist changing their Hmong identity? These aspects of the Hmong identity, Hmong cloth, gong, ox horns, Qeej, Ncas, are physical forms of the Hmong culture and are use often. Since these Hmong cultural identities are used often, they are neither hard to change nor to forget (Vang and Flores, 1999). Thus, as a result, the Hmong in Thailand are more likely to keep these aspects of their culture live and

pass on to the next generation. Additionally, the use and practice of Hmong cloth, religious, and musical instrument indicates that the Hmong in Thailand identify and embody the Hmong identity easily through associating with using Hmong cloth, religious and musical instruments (Nguyen, 2010). This can further be referred that the Hmong in Thailand are likely to identity themselves as Hmong if they used and practiced the culture and vice versa if an aspect of the Hmong identity is not used (Nguyen, 2010). Therefore, for tangible element of the Hmong culture, it is not easy to loss the Hmong identity. However, for the intangible element of the Hmong culture, it is much easier to change the Hmong identity to Thai and resulting in many Hmong to form a new identity, "Hmong-Thai."

Intangible Element of the Hmong Cultural Identity Intangible, as I mention above, element is abstract forms that represent the Hmong culture and is fluid. Thus, intangible element of culture can change or accommodate the dominate Thai culture. National identity or in other words, a Thai citizen, is one of the intangible aspect that many Hmong sometime choose not culturally identify themselves as Hmong (Tapp, 2005). As a Thai citizen, there are many rights and privileges that do not restraint and limit a person to work or travel, thus many Hmong choose to identify as Thai (Tapp, 2005). Additionally, there are bad stigmatizations such as being dirty person, dangerous person, or a communist if a person cultural identify as being Hmong (Tapp, 2005). These negative stigmatization can discourage Thai employees to hire Hmong and cause the general Thai people to have strong negative feeling about the Hmong (Tapp, 2005). Intangible elements such as rights as a Thai citizen and negative stigma as a Hmong cause Hmong in Thailand to identity nationally and sometime culturally as Thai and not Hmong. Hmong language indicate a shift or emerges of the Thai identity. Therefore, the Hmong in Northern Thailand are slowly starting to use Thai words such as to go, week, and colors to substitute Hmong words that can be used to describe places (Tapp, 2005). Additionally, Thai words that are not part of the Hmong language are added to the language such as the word pii for showing respect for older male. A major cause of this is as Thai government implements policies that limit and control the Hmong language, the Hmong are slowly starting to speak less and losing Hmong words and at the same time, they are using Thai words (Tapp, 2005). Another factor that contributes to Hmong starting to use Thai words is many Hmong in the mountain of Northern Thailand are moving to big cities in Thailand like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Lamphun to find work. Thus, for them to find work, they have to use Thai language on a daily day base instant of specking Hmong. In addition to the Hmong in Thailand speaking more Thai language, they also adopt the social norms and value to their daily life (Tapp, 2005).

However, this mostly effect the Hmong who work in big cities in Thailand (Tapp, 2005). The Hmong language, thus, is a indicator that there is a shift in identity from Hmong to Thai. The Hmong cultural identity such as national identity and language are easily change in Thailand. These identities are fluid and have no real use or practice in Thailand where the dominate culture and use of language is Thai. Since these identities are fluid and have no use in Thailand, they are more susceptible to outside factors that contribute to the switch of identity. Thus for the national identity, there are two main factors that contribute to the Hmong in Thailand choosing a Thai identity: one, having the same right as a real Thai citizen and two, the cultural identity of Hmong is label as a bad stigma. Additionally, the cultural identity of the Hmong, the Hmong language, is impacted because of the Thai government policies to limit the speak of ethic language. Yet, even if the Hmong in Thailand are starting to identity themselves as Thai, they are, somehow, still able to hold on to their Hmong identity and forming a new identity, "Hmong-Thai." Emerging and Embodying Hmong-Thai Identity The "Hmong-Thai" identity is emerging because of the tangible and intangible aspect of the Hmong culture. As i mention in these two section, the Hmong does not experience a shift in the Hmong cultural identity in the tangible aspect because there are physical items that are used and practice in the Hmong society. While for the intangible, the Hmong experience a shift in their cultural identity because these identity are easily manipulated by a more dominate culture and the intangible cultural identities are mostly not use in the dominate society. As a result, of both the tangible and intangible cultural identity, the Hmong in Thailand can choose which aspect of the Hmong culture too keep and at the same time, add Thai culture or influence to establish the "Hmong-Thai" identity. For instant, since Hmong still wear Hmong cloth, use the gong and ox horns for rituals and play the Qeej and Ncas, they will most like want to keep this physical item and identity that as their Hmong identity (Nguyen, 2010). On the other hand, since the intangible aspects of the Hmong culture such as national identity and language are more susceptible to change from the dominate Thai culture and identity, many Hmong may choose to identify as Thai. Therefore, since the Hmong in Thailand still wear Hmong cloths, practice religious and musical instruments at while as speaking the Thai language and identify nationally as Thai, the Hmong are embodying both cultural identity, Hmong and Thai, simultaneously to form the Hmong-Thai identity. Conflict with the Hmong-Thai Identity While have embodying both identity is good, there are conflict between the older generation, the parents, and the young generation, the children, over being Hmong or Thai (Nguyen, 2010). This conflict arise from

the older generation fear of losing the Hmong culture and identity is another main conflict between the older generations and the younger generation. Since the younger generations are more expose to the Thai culture and identify more with it, the older generations feel like the younger generation does not accept their Hmong identity and as a result, the Hmong identity and culture is slowly disappearing each new generation (Nguyen, 2010). Yet for the younger generation, they believe that even if they are more exposed to the Thai culture, they are still able to identify themselves as Hmong because of the tangible elements (Nguyen, 2010). While this fear of losing the Hmong identity is going on, two factors also contribute to the conflict such as language barrier and the different mindset between the younger and older generation (Nguyen, 2010). These two aspects of identity can cause the younger and older generations to miscommunicate and misunderstand each other which from the older generation perspective, indicates that their children is losing the Hmong identity (Vang and Flores, 1999). The misunderstanding occurs because younger generation may use Thai words that the older generation do not know and at the same time older generations may use traditional Hmong word that younger generations do not know (Vang and Flores, 1999). Additionally, since younger generations move to cities to find jobs, practice less shamanism rituals, and are exposed to more Thai culture and identity, they may not understand traditional shamanism ritual (Vang and Flores, 1999). This then can cause older generations to fear more about losing the Hmong culture and identity. Thus, because younger Hmong generations do not show knowledge in their own cultural identity, older Hmong generations fear that the Hmong identity and culture will disappear even if the new identity, "Hmong-Thai" is being embraced by the younger generation.

Conclusion
The Hmong in Thailand neither choose the Hmong nor the Thai identity but form a new identity, "Hmong-Thai." This new identity is form because depending of the situation, the Hmong in Thailand can choose to identify which identity fit the situation the best. When the Hmong New Year occurs, the Hmong in Thailand will choose to identity as Hmong because they are wearing Hmong cloth which Hmong cloth are a physical form of the Hmong culture that the Hmong can easily identify as Hmong. On the other hand, since language is ambiguous, not physical and not mostly used, they choose to identity as Thai because the Hmong may speak more Thai than Hmong. Yet, these shifting of identity is happening simultaneously and continuously that the Hmong can not choose to identify as Hmong or Thai. Thus, they choose to identify as "Hmong-Thai" which indicate that the Hmong in Thailand are using and practicing both cultural identities. Identity is different for everyone not constant. Thus I want to acknowledge that even if the Hmong in Thailand are identifying as 'HmongThai' by using both Hmong and Thai identity, this "Hmong-Thai" identity may

not apply to everyone. The Hmong identity can be influenced by how much a Hmong feeling like he or she is more affiliated with the Hmong or Thai culture. Thus, If the Hmong is more affiliated with the Hmong culture identity, then the Hmong will choose to identity as Hmong and not Thai and vice versa. This can means that identity is not defined and depending on that person exposer and experience with one cultural identity more than the other, the person will choose to identify with the exposer cultural identity more.

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