The Hmong have a tumultuous history of fleeing and fighting persecution. One of the largest migratory movements occurred just a few decades ago, when the CIA recruited Hmong to fight the Communist ‘Pathet Laos’ in Laos. When the Pathet Laos took power, Hmong fled en masse to refugee camps in Thailand, and later many were relocated to the United States.

The Hmong have a very rich culture that includes many folktales, festivals and beliefs concerning the spirit world that guides their daily life. Hmong language and cultural traditions have been passed down orally for generations, although one Hmong story tells of a written language that existed long ago. The Hmong also have an extremely complicated and distinctive dress that is now usually worn only for New Years celebrations and other festivals.

Through centuries of living in other nations, from China to Laos, Thailand and the United States, the Hmong people have preserved these cultural traditions and fiercely resisted pressure to assimilate to the dominant culture. However, years of living in China have had at least some material effects; many words in the Hmong language are the same in Mandarin, and the simple Hmong food shares similarities with Chinese cuisine.