Hmong Funerals
Immediate Family's Duties
- Prior to funeral ritual, family is expected to cease all activities - Children are expected to remain in the home to help with household chores & responsibilities - Dress down (Txhob hnav khaub ncaws kom zoo) - Primary responsibilities: welcome/thank guests & pray during Zaj txiv xaiv
Vim li cas yuav tau ua txoj kablikevcai rau tus tuag?
- To help the deceased be reunited with their ancestors - We believe that anyone who doesn't receive the proper funeral rites will be lost, destined to wander the afterlife alone for all of eternity
Ceremonies at the grave site
1) Sing 1 or 2 songs 2) Read a Bible verse (nyeem Vajtswv Txojlus) "Man/woman's body were made from soil (dust), in the end, it will go back to soil (dust), but the spirit comes from God and it will go back to God." 3) Pray for the family's comfort and the dead's spirit to be in the hand of God 4) Load the body down to be buried
Funeral Process Agenda
1) Txais tos sawvdaws (welcoming) 2) Tshaj tawm (announcement) 3) Hu nkauj & thov Vajtswv (Sing songs & Prayer) 4) Hu nkauj tshwjxeeb (Sing special songs) 5) Watch slide show about the person's life history 6) Xibfwb qhuab qhia (pastor preach a sermon about living a honorable life or about going to heaven) 7) Thov Vajtswv rau tsev xyom cuab for blessing and comfort 8) Tsev xyom cuab hais lus ua tsaug - Each day agenda follows the same process.
Reincarnation
1. A soul release ritual (tso plig) has to be done. 2. The body has to disintegrate and be dissolved back into the earth. 3. There has to be a porous medium between the body and the outside world through which the soul can travel back and forth, and eventually to get into the next host body. -Yang Po Cha Yog koj ua neeg zoo (lives ethically), soul will reincarnate into something more desirable Miserable life = soul is cursed and will reincarnate into animals
What Items Do You Need?
1. nees ntoo 2. hlua cab nees 3. khau maj khau ntuag 4. khau noog thiab (thom khwm) hnab looj ko taw 5. hneev nrog ib xib xub 6. xyoob txua txhib ntawg (txiav tseg rau taw kev mam txhua) 7. ib yard ntaub liab khi tes thaib muab rau txiv qeej 8. 4 yard dub pua txaug ntawv vam sab 9. 2 yard ntaub dawb txaug ntawv vam sab 10. chij & raj kub twg
Day 1
Before day 1: Consult with kwj tij when the person passed away, designate roles Muab ris tsho kho zam rau tus neeg xiam. Ua tag ces muab pw pem hauv plag, ib txhia muab pw nram tus ncej tas (Central pillar) Day 1: Family members will greet guests, accept gifts, pass out drinks and watch over the body
Roles & Responsibilities
Cuab tsav: Tuav kev dab qhua (In charge of funeral) Kav xwm (2-3): Saib xyuas kev noj kev haus (In charge of food), problem controller Tshwj kab (2-4): Ua zaub ua nqaij (Meat preparers) Niam ua mov (2-4): Cub mov thiab ua mov rau sawv daws noj Txiv txiag: Mus phua ntoo los ua hleb Xyom cuab: Tsev neeg; ua kwv tij neej tsa tsaug Txiv qeej (3-4): Tshuab qeej xa tus xiam mus cuag puj cuag yawg Txiv xaiv: Used as a medium to communicate from the dead to his/her family Tus ntaus nruas: plays the drum along with qeej
Day 2
Day of offerings (Qhua txws): Tua nyuj Day of grieving/mourning (Nyiav) Tshuab qeej noj tshais, su, hmo cob lawd noj mov Then tshuab qeej ua tshais ua hmo (tshuab ua si, laug caij laug nyoog)
Beliefs about Death
People have a body and one spirit (ntsujplig) When a Christian passed away, God's angels will come and take their spirit to heaven The pastor do not need to guide them to heaven, only God's angels No longer believe in reincarnation
Tsso Plig yog dab tsi?
Release of soul It is believed that gravesite soul is to remain with the body for 13 days before it can join the ancestors During the first 3 days, a ritual is observed to offer food Day 1: Man takes food to gravesite Day 2: May takes food half of the way Day 3: Food is placed near the home On the 13th day, ritual (Xi) is performed Yog tsis ua sai, ces tus xiam mus thawj thiab tsis tau
day 3
Thank guests of honors and general public (Xom mej xyom) Qeej sawv kev/qeej tawm nras played Final time to say goodbye Woman lit a torch, txiv qeej lawv qab, tus xiam lawv txiv qeej Coj tus xiam coj mus zais/faus
Day 1
Tshuab zaj qeej tu siav; Mus raws li zaj taw kev Tshuab zaj qeej nce nees: Coj nws mus pauj dab pauj qhua, mus nrog dab (nyob nruab yeeb) Then qhia nws mus cuag puj cuag yawg
Day 1
Tus neeg taw kev (Spiritual guidance) tuaj taw kev rau tus xiam mus nrhiav tsho tsuj tsho npuag (retrieve placenta) Where is the man's placenta located? Woman? Used bamboo to communicate with the dead The dead will need to give his/her thanks to the places lived in Muab khau noog rau nws rau Txiav ntoo/xyoob los hiab ua nees caij
General Etiquette
Wear proper attire (Usually formal, black clothes) - Shows respect Be sincere in your offerings of comfort and support Help around (rau mov noj, etc) You can stay as long as you want, family will appreciate it
What will you see at the Funeral home?
When entering, you will see heart-shaped and circular-shaped memorials made from the paper money Family members nyiav (mourn) for the dead to show respect for the deceased People chatting, playing games, eating, sleeping Table for donations (Nyiaj tshav ntuj-Sunshine money)
Day 2
Zaj txiv xaiv tshwm sim thaum yav tsaus ntuj Tib neeg xyom Zaj txiv xaiv: Qhuab qhia kev ncaj ncees (Teach righteousness, ethics) Foom koob hmoov rau me nyuam kom tau nom tswv ua (Bless children with leadership positions) Qhia qhov chaw zoo faus tus neeg tuag (Place to bury the dead)
How long does a Hmong funeral last?
traditionally it lasted for 7 days, but 3-4 days nowadays
Vim li cas ho tag txoj sia?
- Muaj mob muaj nkeeg (Sickness) - Ntaub noj ntawv haus tag (Puv 120 xyoo) - Xwm txheej tsis zoo tshwm sim (Accidents occur)