Funeral Rituals: The most important steps of a proper Hmong funeral with many rituals include the playing of the Qeej (reed pipe) ritual music “qhuab ke” (showing the way chanting, a funeral music to guide the soul of the deceased back to the land of the ancestors), “qeej tu saiv” (last breath reed music), “qeej […]
Rituals & Ceremonies
Hmong Traditions – Rituals & Ceremonies: Wedding Ceremony
Wedding Ceremony: Traditional Hmong marriage involves elaborate preparation, a symbolic ceremony, and huge banquets. Depending upon the affluence of the families involved, the wedding can last anywhere from one to three days. Gift exchange between the two families, as well as elegant food preparation, always precedes the ceremony. A Hmong wedding ritual involves tying a […]
Hmong Traditions – Rituals & Ceremonies: Soul Calling
Soul-Calling: One ritual and ceremony would be the “existence of souls” also known as “soul-calling”, is often performed when a person is sick. This is sometimes complemented by the use of herbal medicine and magic formulas or “khawv koob” to extract the bad spirit from the body of the sick person or to heal a […]
Hmong Traditions – Rituals & Ceremonies
There are many rituals and ceremonies that the Hmongs practice. The clan elders used to perform the traditional ceremonies but now rarely do. Majority of the rituals and ceremonies are performed by a shaman. There are specific rituals, chanting and ceremonies that must be performed by a shaman in order to discover what the problem […]
