©2006. Kao Lee Thao.

Each generation, the art of needlework is passed down from mother to daughter.

When a child is born, the mother will make a “hlaab nyas,” or baby carrier. When the child is of age to attend school, the mother will teach her how to sew. When the child turns into a young woman, she will wear a traditional Hmong dress her mother sewed, to the New Year celebration. When she gets married, she will wear another traditional dress at her wedding. She is then given a set of a traditional burial outfit, for when she passes. When she has her own children, she will then pass on the tradition. This beautiful cycle is known as the Threads of Life.

Each generation, Hmong children born in this country, are becoming more and more Americanized. Some of them don’t even know how to speak their native language. Some are pursuing education, which leaves no time for needlework or embroidery. Thanks to technology, the art of needlework has been replaced by screen-printing. 
 

But what do we want to pass down to our children and grandchildren and generations to come? If we don’t continue to teach our children this beautiful art, the essence of the Hmong culture will be forever lost.

Because the intricate skill of needlework has become a dying art, every effort to preserve its beauty and culture, should be passed down from one generation to the next.