In a way, having been a little “old fashion”, the Hmong in Missoula have been able to preserve their old ways. By old ways, I mean that many of the families in Missoula still farm, hunt, and gather for food.

Back in the old days, in Laos, you’ll find that the life style there consist of daily farming for food. Hmong people in Missoula are well known for their contributions to the Missoula Farmer’s Market but little do people know, the reason why they farm is not for the farmer’s market exclusively. The market, being only a small part as to why Hmong in Missoula farm, is a plus but much of the farming is to provide food for their families. Many families farm because that is the way their parents and elders have done it for so long that that’s the only way they know how to. In addition, several elders still prefer the farm crops to store bought items.

Anyone can tell you that Montana and any other state that the Rocky Mountains run over is a great place for hunter and enthusiasts to relocate to. You’ll find that when asking some of the families why they haven’t ventured out of Missoula that they will answer it is because they enjoy the great hunts in the surrounding areas. Many of the younger Hmong generations have learned to hunt for a sport and will try to bring home the biggest racks home each year but you’ll notice that the hunting is still done for the meat as so did back in the old days.

In Laos, you’ll find a small village send a group of men out to get a big game animal and that provided meat for the village for several days (since they didn’t have refrigerators). In Missoula, a deer or an elk can provide meat for a small family for half a year to a year at most. Literally “everything” is kept from head to toe of the animal including gut. Some traditional delicacy dishes are even made from the juice of the content inside of the elk or deer’s intestines.

With being a little old fashion, there comes a give and take. One might not find many Hmong youth in Missoula who do not speak their native tongue but one will find that many still struggle with having to live “two different lives” at home and in their community. In many Hmong populated major cities, there are programs and organizations addressing this issue as young teens complain about how their parents don’t understand how difficult it is to try and be the cookie cutter Hmong teen and a regular teenager in America. In Missoula, a small youth group has been formed to try and help teens deal with similar issues as well as teach them about their roots.

Here in Missoula, the Montana Hmong Culture and Arts nonprofit organization was created in hopes to preserve and teach the younger genernations of the arts that are slowly becoming more unpopular. Serveral families encourage their children and young men to join and learn about wedding rights, funeral ceremony steps, even how to play the qeej (an instrument played at all celebrations).

Above all, the life style of Hmong people in Missoula is still very similar to that of the old days in Laos. Although there are few set backs, the great thing is that the culture and ways of a dying people without a country are still surviving the mainstream.

Read more about some locals and their stories in our life styles tab. – By Youa Vang