II. EDUCATORS - page 2

III. STUDENTS - page 4

IV. HMONG EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS - page 6-8

I. ETHNOMUSICOLOGISTS’ COMMENTS after screening for Society for Ethnomusicology, Southern California Chapter, 2/97:

Bravo! Bravo! A wonderful presentation deep in multi-layered analysis and perspectives. A joy. Congrats!

Prof. Scott Marcus, University of California, Santa Barbara

Congratulations on a beautifully constructed and informative video. You deserve every plaudit.

Prof. Robert Stevenson, UCLA

What a terrific film - I can’t wait to use it in my classes!

This is an amazing piece of work!

Prof. Deborah Wong, University of California, Riverside

Delightful content - positive, clearly presented, enriching. Powerfully depicts the transition of a virtually complete culture into its own setting in the United States.

I appreciate the sensitivity toward the people and its view of music as a significant component within the total fabric of lifestyle and belief system.

I see a serious effort to balance factors of gender, age, location, cultural change, musical genre, organology, education . . . Shows very broadminded and open perception.

Thanks a lot - exceedingly well done.

I agree the teenager segment needs cutting for the sake of balance but it’s hard to decide what to cut - he was very insightful.

Prof. Herbert Geisler, Concordia University

This is the 2nd time to see your video and I totally enjoyed it! It was very informative. I would like to obtain a jew’s harp and banana leaf to possibly use in my work at the University Elementary School (I’m the music specialist). Thank you so much!

It was good to see your video again because I’m taking the field methods course and I’m in the process of completing a similar project (on a smaller scale, of course) re: steel bands and pan players in L.A. The video was put together well - paced well.

“Gee” Rabe, Graduate Student, UCLA

Wonderful video! Having the teenager end the film echoing the opening stated desire to continue the traditions was very effective and moving.

Ellen Weller, Graduate Student, UCSD

An eye-opener, esp. for those of us who never heard of the Hmong. The instrumental display, description and demonstrations ar excellent. Could be very useful in an organology seminar. The perspective of adjustment to living in America could be expanded and further emphasised. Excellent study of transplanted culture.

2) The most striking and obvious point is this film will expose the Hmong to scholars but should also be useful to the Hmong themselves. Great job, Amy.

Kimasi Brown, Graduate Student, UCLA

We need more videos like this one! (anon)

It is a work of art and a work of scholarship all in one. (anon)

Great job. It seems to represent the Hmong in the U.S. and cultural dynamics with new Hmong generations, as well. (anon)

This is a wonderful inspiration for ethnomusicologists. I think it’s important for colleagues and especially grad students to see a mode of research that is relevant to the community “studied.”

(anon)

II. EDUCATORS’ COMMENTS written after partial screening at Arizona State University, Southeast Asian Studies Program, Educators’ Conference, 4/20/96

The video obviously represents the fruits of serious scholarship - but it speaks very much to the heart of this lay viewer. During the Vietnam War, Western news media summed up the Hmong people’s culture in two words: “primitive” and “tribal.” This video does more than share the music of the Hmong people - it gives them a voice and a face. Still photographs are used in a very fluid way to supplement video footage which is intimate rather than archival. It sheds new light on the richness of the culture that the war disrupted and the Hmong refugees who have become our neighbors.

Editing: Creation of movement through panning on the still photos, combined with emphasis on closeups of subjects’ faces, make still shots effective adjunct to video footage and make the transitions seamless.

Video photography: Very lively - good focus on closeups - faces, feet, etc.

Time: In final editing, be sure to tailor video to standard TV broadcast program length. This has the makings of a general interest documentary.

I believe your story if much more than historical interest. In today’s America, where so many voices seem to call for us to “pull up the drawbridge” and limit immigration (further) every messag ethat reminds us of the humanity and richness of “the other” is valuable - and your video carries this message in a beautiful way. (G. Torrribio)

Strongest aspects: Demonstates how music is an integral aspect of the Hmong people’s lives. It was fascinating to see how important a means of communication music is.

I feel teaching our American children different cultures will help them understand and accept the people and make wonderful friends, and they add to our society. Whole content kept my interest. Continue this video and take to Elementary Schools - Junior High - High Schools. (anon)

I enjoyed your tape. It has good content, a great video to share with my English and ESL students. - A. Kellar

Amy - It was wonderful! I especially liked the use of the story cloths, focusing on scenes related to your text. You mentioned a similarity between the “geng” and instruments shown on bronze drums. Is there a chance of inserting a picture of a drum image?

I appreciate so much your efforts to record and preserve the cultural traditions of so many groups so that later generations can reconnect with their past. Thanks so much for coming to ASU this week. - Jackie Butler-Diaz (Southeast Asianist, Lao specialist)

I liked the way the costumes and rituals were emphasised. I liked the description of the instruments and the stories of the music. (anon)

The Hmong video was very fascinating. Especially the Qeng instrument and the quiet instrument. (anon)

Very interesting and informative. (anon)

Congratulations for your painstaking research. It IS a very interesting piece of work. It must take you a lot of time and patience and also emotion for this marvellous group of people. - Huy and Minh Duc Hoai Trinh

Excellent narrative and several poignant scenes. Wonderful material. (anon)

The content is excellent, covering a variety of customs. Very good. - “LLB”

Amy, it’s a wonderful video, very helpful to someone who is unfamiliar with Hmong people and culture. The video is also a beautiful tribute to the Hmong and their courage in living so far from their homeland. (anon)

Video - enjoyed - so far so good - Especially liked closeup of instruments and how they worked. (anon)

I thought the map showing where the Hmong originated was especially helpful. I do not believe very many people are aware of how and why the Hmong came to America. This video also conveys the loneliness and separation people felt in having to leave their homeland.

Love your reading voice. (anon)

From Elena Bosquez, age 5:

I liked the video. I liked the part where they showed the instruments.

Comments on video on Hmong:

Excellent! Superlative content. Kudos. (anon)

III. STUDENTS’ COMMENTS after UCLA screening 5/29/97 for undergaduate class “Introduction to the Music of Asia”

Good documentary. Oscar material. Very fascinating. I like that dance. Reminds of some Taiwanese ghost chasing dances.

The video is very interesting and educational. The narration is very informative.

I love the images. It was a brilliant idea of using music to create an opening in the ESL class. I like the “thought song” and translations.

Fascinating work. I knew nothing about these people before today. You have some wonderful material to share. Thanks!

I like that mechanism (and contrast) of a pop sound (cicadas) because it helps me place the Hmong as contemporaries, people in my sphere.

- I like that the film takes us through the process of its own conception and making

- Good, clear demonstrations of instruments

- I’ve told you this before but I really like the part with the young man near the end - He’s speaking to us in his own voice, we hear his thoughts, opinions

- Laura Osborne (graduate student in ethnomusicology)

It’s interesting to see a culture in which I have limited access to. There isn’t much written, documented, or said about Hmongs. I think this video will be educational to those who view it. I feel this video does need a little work in way of editing and feedback reduction.

Colorful documentary on Hmong life.

I really enjoyed watching the video. Coming from a Thai background and upbringing, I was interested in the aspects of Hmong music and people. (I liked the Doogie Howser clip!) Also, the ending was great - it made me think of the generation differences and the struggle to keep cultural traditions alive.

From the video, I could see the general phenomenon that immigration groups show happen to Hmong people, too. Since their environment requires vigorous work and effort to adopt themselves, very little portion of their heritage can be exposed. I felt sorry in general, and I felt more encouraging atmosphere must be a big gain for both Hmong people and Americans, too.

I liked to see the people’s drawings - it helps to see how much their music means to them. The people’s history was interesting because you got to see the “background” behind the music. I liked the contrast between the consecutive performances for the...New Year Festival - very significant (the costume). I liked to see the New Years’ festival that took place in Indochina? compared to the festivals that take place here.

I could relate to what the young gentleman was talking about @ the end about integrating the two cultures, Vietnamese and American in my case to my daily life. As I got older, I began to appreciate my culture and ethnicity more. There is a Hmong student on my floor in the dorms. After watching this video, I am planning to sit down and ask him a few questions about Hmong culture that he still keeps with him. A very interesting video.

The interview with the grandson made a very important point that goes for all traditions from various cultures. It’s true that we can modernize traditions to make them popular, so as to make others aware of them, but let’s not abandon the way that these traditions were originally performed. Ther English translations are good in that they keep the watcher interested.

The tape is talk about Laos’ music culture and how they affect the new generation in American Laos generation. It gives me a lot of informations.

Video comments: I really enjoyed the video. I think it has extensively exposed the Hmong music and culture.

Excellent! I feel like an expert on Hmong culture now.

I knew a little bit about Hmong people but this video furthered my knowledge of their culture, music, history, and its people. It’s interesting to learn how music plays a major role in Hmong’s way of life. It’s strange to me how courtship between a male and female is display through the ball game toss and singing (which sounds similar to chanting to me).

It;’s very interesting. I think I know more about the Hmong culture than a Hmong teenager now. I used to have Hmong friends in high school and they don’t even know where they’re from. I enjoy it throughout so I don’t really have any comment on any part of the program.

Very informative on the Hmong culture.

A quick yet thorough documentation of Hmong music and culture. It was interesting.

This video was quite different and interesting as well. It’s always very interesting to listen and learn about something your not used to listening to. I think that what you are doing with your education as well as the Ethno. Dept. is truly special.

IV. HMONG COMMENTS after screening at A) California State University, Sacramento, Anthropology Museum on May 11, 1996 for ca. 100 Hmong educators, students, and others, and ca. 25 non-Hmong educators and students

B) UCLA screening for Hmong Students’ Association and Southern

California Applied Anthropology Network

“What do I think? I think the video is a well (made) documentary especially for the younger generation of Hmong born in this country to realize that Hmong have their own culture and language passed through many thousands of years. It is important to keep these documents. It is a great piece of documentary. When I watched this I remembered in our time and our parents’ time back in Laos we had nothing to show and learn from pictures. We had to learn by word of mouth. You had to take time to learn from the older generation. But right now you put in the VCR, pop it in and play it, and it shows.

“It will be very important to help Hmong people to reconnect with their background, their past. I believe that past and present will form the future. We will look back and say, Yes, some of the things may not be suited to the present time we live. But we can’t say throw it away right away. Let’s see what part and what piece we can adjust and live on. This is how we are Hmong.

What Hmong say is, “The wonderful thing may not be yours.” So the thing that is yours, is  yours.  And no matter, wonderful or not so wonderful, you should keep as your great-grandparents have transformed. I hope this doesn’t offend any Hmong people.

“We Hmong want to preserve our own piece, and observe and practice according to what we preserve and believe. Other than that, it’s phoney, not authentic. I hope the video will be very helpful for Hmong and non-Hmong.”

Dr. Lue Vang, Ph.D., Hmong Educator, Rancho Cordova School District

Overall, the video is appropriate for Hmong adults and kids to look at. A little problem with some translations, but I think it’s still appropriate. It is very good for teaching that you show the different New Years, changes in clothing, - Ricky Chao

This movie was well made and constructed. This is the best “Hmong” movie that had ever seen. You had focus almost every important aspect of Hmong culture. I strongly believe this Hmong movie can make others who aren’t Hmong to understand Hmong culture better.

I think this is a great film. It is nice for some who interest in our culture to record and kept it live for our generation to study. You do a great job!

Very educational!!!

Ms. Amy Catlin. You have done a very wonderful job. An extraordinary piece of work.You’ve got a very excellent narration. - Achmad Alfarius.

My name is My Keu Lao. I think you catches my dream, because all of this are unclear to me. My famiy left Laos when I was about 10-12 years old. The new life in America are great, but I miss my way of living. I brought my children to see this because it is very important to me. If this video going to sell for home use, I don’t recommend the funeral crying over the coffin. It will bring bad spirit to the home or family. If it need to be in the video, I suggest that “do not” put the sound of the crying women in it. The rest of the video bring lots of memories to me. I appreciate you interesting in my culture and preserve it for generation to see. Thank you.

Amy: I am very appreciate for making this video about the Hmong people, music, culture, and religion.

I like the part about Doogie Howser, M.D. Since I’m from Southern California, and I always watch the show. I was surprise when Doogie spoke Hmong in return.

I think the overall film projects the culture of the Hmong people. It is great to have someone like Dr. Amy Catlin to do a research on these people (especially their music) so that these people’s culture won’t be lost. -I find their music and songs very soul-searching. Beverly Chung

I like the video and it’s very educational for the young Hmong people and other ethnics. It covers every aspects of the music chanted by the Hmong people. The funeral scene was of the traditional Hmong people who still believe in the traditional religion. The Christian Hmong funeral are different because they don’t play the geng or drum.

I think it is nice. I don’t know much about Hmong people and culture. However, after seeing this video, it gives me an idea about them. anon

I think we can learn from the things they do. They had done many works for this, so I think it is nice. The music is really nice. - anon

Dear Professor Catlin,

I thought the video was very touching. Some scenes were

humorous; others were emotional and thought-provoking. However, what

made a profound imprint on me was rather a subtle, yet significant part

of the video: the narrator (you). I was amazed that you had devoted much

of your life to this video.

The video made me realize some great things that I had not

before. Most importantly, I never realized how much music had an impact

on my life until yesterday when I viewed the video. It made so much

sense, yet for all my life, I had taken it for granted. As I was

watching the video, I had fond memories of my mom and dad singing [hais

kwv txhiaj] and suddenly discarding their abilities to do so. It made no

sense, but I never knew how to react to it since it was so gradual and

subtle. I also remembered how much Hmong music had an impact on refugee life as many looked to music as a liberator of their souls. My father

was a big music fanatic back in the refugee camps--Hmong and Lao music.

When we came to the US, we had bags of cassette tapes with the music, but

nowadays, I can't hardly seem to find any. I guess it took a long time

for me to realize where I came from, but in reality, I was always aware.

What's most sad is that my parents didn't encourage us kids to have an

appreciation of the music. I guess we were busy with other things such

as assimilation and education.

On a somewhat negative though constructive note, I thought the

video covered a lot of issues that may need more exploration than a one

hour video. The video was a good introduction. However, from my bias

point of view, I wanted to see some more depth.

All in all, the video was a great piece of work, which, for me,

has done a lot of good for me. Actually, if I may say this, the video

was the most instructive, informational and well-done video I've seen on the

Hmong yet [especially since I'm a somewhat assimilated Hmong who would

definitely need help in understanding and appreciating Hmong music]. You

did a great job and maybe there may come a time in which you could

possibly create a new video on the contemporary scene. However, I doubt

you'd get much because a lot of the music of contemporary times are

"parodies," facsimilies of American hit music. It's unfortunate because

the music is not original--in form and in lyrics.

Well, I hope my comments have not in any way offended you.

I thank you for the opportunity to view the video.

Blong Yang, President, Hmong Students’ Association, UCLA, 11/97