Black Hmong sings over her mountain village

I met Lan in Sapa Nov 2005, My girlfriend became good friends with a girl called Khu and her baby Ga, We both thought Khus youngest sister Ah was very naughty but extremely beautiful. Lan became my good friend. She was very informative about the Hmong people and eager to teach some one who would listen. Our last day in Sapa, Lan asked me if i would like to visit her village on the out skirts of Sapa. My girlfriend stayed behind to have all the knots brushed out of her long hair after a long motorbike ride the day before. So off we went. On the way she showed me apple and pair orchards that were dripping with fruit. She showed me a mans garden that grew the orchid flower called Lan which she was named after. Lan showed me Tea fields in the higher parts of the mountains and all the herbs and what medical uses they had for them. While Lan was doing this amazing tour, she was singing these songs. I just had to get some footage and wished I had a better camera. I went back to Sapa in Nov 2006 and saw Lan again but not very long. She is working hard now as a full time Guide for a big hotel, taking groups people on tours into the hills. Now has her own cell phone like a little business-women. Sad in a way to see the western ways slowly taking over her village. We still e-mail alot and she will always be a special little Hmong girl in our harts.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Black
• Hmong
• Sapa
• Vietnam
• Monkeytiger

[Sougen02]

These videos are lovely.

If you don't mind me asking, do you still keep in touch with these friends you made? :] It would be so sad to think that you guys lost touch.

[monkeymannequin]

@Sougen02 It's been 1 and a half years since I saw Lan. She is married now and has a baby boy call Ho and her husband is a cool guy called Dsom. I like him he is nice to her. Lans internet email has a virus, all I get from her now is junk mail. Sad. But when I travel there we all get together and drink rice wine and talk story. She now works alot in the rice fields, looks after Ho ( she's a good mum) and sometimes works as a guide. I only see Lan on my trips back, it would be sad to lose touch

[beehfancy]

do you know what she's singing about?? hahah aww she's singing a love song. btw how old is she?

[monkeymannequin]

@beehfancy I've known for along time, There is nothing funny about a love song, only if you are in preschool. Most songs around the would in different cultures are about love. Do you think a young girl sings about Trucks? haha, noT. She is around 22 yrs old and when I went back in 2009 she was married to Dzom and has a baby boy called Ho. Her husband and I are good friends and they have made me a part of there family. She works very hard in the rice fields, more of a women than any in the west.

[dxiong55]

They learn English by American missionary.

[monkeymannequin]

@dxiong55 I was just talking with my wife, and she too cannot remember any American missionaries up there. There is one Australian man who with help of other volunteers washes and cleans babies with soap and water. Maybe you are right and I missed them. I spent one month there last year. There was one American tourist that came through town and I know alot of the local Hmong, Dsao, and Vietnamese up there

[sxyooj]

Thanks for sharing this. We Hmong people are very proud of our culture. And it's great to see others learning about it too.

[emilyang]

wow! she was singing on how she will miss you pretty romantic lyrics~ lol... ok my hmong is bad, but i can understand most of it. ^^

[Sprinbrooks]

@PVCNX

Wow, I was just in Sapa. The black Hmong there are very friendly. Many of the young girls are translators, speaking many foreign languages, but most of them speak green Hmong dialect which I am not fluent. Good trip, beautiful mountainous terrans...oh the long hiking road up/down the mountain.

[PVCNX]

I understood every word she sang. What country is Sapa in? They have names that I am unfamiliar with.

[hajime8312]

I like her, Thank

[Sougen02]

@monkeymannequin

Thank you for the reply. :]

I'm so glad you guys keep in touch. It seems like she's doing really well, too! :D

I know how it can be tough to keep in touch with friends who live in other countries.

Hope you guys meet up again soon and drink rice wine!

Have a great day. :]

[leejvaj13]

Thank you for the great clip, also thanks again for taking the time to get to know our people. Greatly appreciated.

[dxiong55]

@ Monkey mannequin I'm sorry that I said they learn English by american missionary.I would like to tell you why I said that,I have a vietnames friend who worksw/ me he told me that,but I think you're right , I don't think the Gorvernment allow-foreiner's missionary to teach religion to their own people yet. oh by the way

how is everything overthere,I mean foods& goods.

[dxiong55]

@ tubxeeb91 If you really want to go in north-Vietnam to visit our hmong people,

you need to have Pastport and get a visa from the vietname government embassy

then Air plane ticket,if you speak hmong very good you don't need a translater otherwise you must to have a person overthere take you as a tourist

The best for your own safety,you must travel with a group of good-friends,and you

must know the legal or illegal law too. I will go to N vietnam-next year 2011-2012

if u want to let no

[tubxeeb91]

@monkeymannequin

wow, I wanna know how to get there. is there any programs that I can join or scholarships that i can get to go over to those country and visit the Hmong people?

[cashyang559]

i wanna go visit that village so bad now...

[cashyang559]

@Hmoob9527 the color 'black' refers to their clothing they have one.

[Hmoob9527]

lolz y it called black hmong??? hmong aren't white as white trash and hmong aren't black as niggaar but hmong r middle lolz

[Hmoob9527]

she kinda pretty haha

[zoosabpumkoj]

She tried to have some breast milk.

[zoosabpumkoj]

Tug miv ntxhais Moob zoo nkauj: koj twb hu koj zaaj nkauj tsi yog es yog koj xaav tau nua kuv maam xaa ib cov nkauj moog rua koj tau noog luas pob.

[HmongHipHop]

Hmongs are so humble and nice :].

[asianRSXdriver91]

how old was lan today?

[mengthor]

she's adorable. makes me want to go to vietnam and visit there.

[monkeymannequin]

@dxiong55 I see hardly any Americans in Sapa every time I go. Khu has a friend that is an English (British) lady that is not American or religious that teaches her and a group. Lan had lady that was not a missionary.