Celebrating the Hmong (Mong) New Year near Chiang Mai, Thailand

We were fortunate last week to be able to celebrate the Hmong New Year, which occurred on January 15, 2013.  As I have mentioned, we met some Hmong villagers in Chiang Mai’s famous Sunday Market, who offered to let us come with them to the village for the celebration.

During the Hmong New Year, each village joins in a giant parade.

We had to leave Chiang Mai by 5 AM to go to the village because preparations for the celebration began early. Unlike our Jewish new year celebrations, their new year does not begin at sundown. Nor does it begin at midnight like the secular new year does.  Instead, it begins at sunrise, and so do the festivities! By 7 AM, villagers from Hill Tribes for miles around were arriving in their finery for the parade and party.

First, the Hmong family all got together early in the morning – everyone was up before 6 AM, even the small children – for an early breakfast. (For more on how to keep kosher at mealtimes when visiting a tribal village, CLICK HERE.) Then, everyone got dressed in their fancy outfits (more on these in a subsequent post!).  After that, it was time to start celebrating the Hmong New Year!

The celebrations of the Hmong New Year started off with a gigantic parade.  Unfortunately, Rabbi Ben and I missed most of this, as Adventuring Akiva was sleeping and we didn’t wake him in time (what a party pooper).  Once we’d woken him up and dressed him in his Hmong outfit, the family we were visiting dressed us up in Hmong outfits, too! Then we headed out.

Women, both young and old, take part in a sewing and embroidery competition during the Hmong New Year celebration.

Walking through the village, we saw thousands of people from all the neighboring Hmong villages, buying food, toys, umbrellas, and clothing from the various stalls. At a main gathering area, there were hundreds more of the Hmong people.  Some were sitting in the shade, eating. Some were performing on stage – singing, dancing, etc.  Others were engaged in competitions, such as sewing competitions.  Some were playing courtship games.

Everyone was dressed in their finest and it seemed that everyone wanted a photo of or with Adventuring Akiva!  We thought we would go to the Hmong New Year celebration and take photos of all the Hmong people, but instead, the Hmong people took lots of photos of us.  What a role reversal!

All in all, it was a fantastic day.  It was a thrilling cultural experience and we learned a lot about the Hmong people and the Hmong culture.  Interestingly enough, I also feel I learned an important lesson as a Jew, which I will, please G-d, post about tomorrow.

Happy Hmong New Year!