Quietly reBorn: a literary journal by Iu Mien American youth
Christine Wong & Fam Linh Saechao, eds., 2000
Quietly reborn website
57 pages
Quietly reBorn follows Quietly Torn, a literary journal featuring writing, art, and photography by Mienh youth.
Topics include culture, identity, play, oral histories, future, and work.
Special to Quietly reBorn are "oral histories," biographies that situate personal experiences in a historial context.
Anyone interested in how Mienh youths view themselves and their culture should buy this book.
Other Chinas
Ralph A. Litzinger, 2000
331 pages
Here's a summary of this book from Duke University Press: "In Other Chinas Ralph A. Litzinger investigates the politics of ethnic identity in postsocialist China. By combining innovative research with extensive fieldwork conducted during the late 1980s and early 1990s in south-central and southwestern China, Litzinger provides a detailed ethnography of the region's Yao population in order to question how minority groups are represented in China."
Having read this summary, I was very excited about the book. However, after pouring over it for a few hours, this book is not what I expected.
I expected some discussion about his experiences in doing fieldwork with the Yao (Mienh in China). I also expected a detailed study of how the Yao are depicted in China today, by the media, literature, popular beliefs, etc.
Instead, Litzinger focuses a lot on the state and the historical representations of the Yao in past literature and politics. Other Chinas is more about China, less about the Yao.
Plus, any discussions of the Yao were cited from other literature.
It would have been interesting to see how the Yao represent themselves in China, and at the same time, how they think about their representation in China. There is not much discussion of either.
One should be familiar with anthropological theory, Yao literature, and some Chinese history before diving in.
He drops many names and many theories, often without much context. This book is not intended for the casual reader.
Aside from all I've said, chapter one about Yao history is an interesting read. There are sections here and there that are insightful. If you read it, I would like your opinion.
Quietly Torn
Katherine Cowy Kim & Fam Linh Saechao , eds., 1999
? pages
Quietly Torn is a literary journal featuring writing by Mienh-American women from the Richmond area.
Full of refreshingly honest accounts, Quietly Torn is a valuable contribution to the limited literature about Mienh experiences.
Iu Mien in America: Who We Are
Moung Khoun Saetern, 1998
96 pages
Moung Khoun's book covers many aspects of Mienh culture and society. She presents information at an easy-to-understand level.
This book is helpful for anyone who wants lots of general information about Mienh people from a Mienh perspective.
The main contents of the book are: I. History II. Iu Mien Society III. Iu Mien Refugee Experience IV. Resettlement in America V. Outlook for the future VI. Conclusions and Suggestions.
A Mien Family
Sara Gogol, 1996
64 pages
A Mien Family follows the Saechao family as they escape from Laos to find a new life in the United States. This book is intended for the young reader (9-12) and is helpful in teaching them about their past.
They will get a better understanding of how difficult it was for their parents to escape from Laos and get a chance to learn about others' experiences in resettling in America.
One weakness of the book is that it isn't as interesting as it could have been (I could be biased because I'm not 9-12 anymore). But overall, I recommend taking a look at it, especially if you're young.
Lao Mien Embroidery: Migration and Change
Ann Yarwood Goldman, 1995
72 pages
This book is a must if you're even remotely interested in Mienh embroidery.
It covers everything from supplies and techniques to regional differences in design to migration.
The two best features of the book are the incredible photographs (click here for a sample) and the easy-to-understand writing style.
Information is presented in a straightforward manner and in a language the average reader can understand.
If someone asks you, "What is Mienh embroidery?", hand them this book!
Azaleas in the Woods
Bin Chen, 1995
42 pages text
32 pages photos
Part of Women's Culture Series: Nationalities in Yunnan, Azaleas in the Woods seems to be about Yao women. The book is written in Chinese, so I inferred its content through pictures. If you can read Chinese, take a look at this book and tell me what you think.
Loz-Hnoi, Loz-Hnoi Uov 1
In the Old, Old Days 1
Tim Beard, ed., 1993
102 pages
18 storytellers from California collaborate on these traditional Mienh folktales. Some are written in both Mienh and English.
Great folktales, good writing style. A must-have.
Information on the Lao Iu Mien
Compiled by Ann Goldman and the Mien staff at Laotian Handcraft Center, 1994
21 pages
This booklet is intended for those who would like to get general information about Mienh history and traditions. There are some things in here that most younger Mienh people wouldn't know, like "spirit money stamps," embroidery, and traditional weddings. A good book for quick information.
Yao Ceremonial Paintings
Jacques Lemoine, 1982
159 pages
The first thing I noticed when opening this book was: wow, there are tons of photos! You can't find this many ceremonial paintings anywhere, and the ones photographed in this book are in pretty good condition. Take a look.
The writing is very thick and dense. You would have to really spend your time reading this book. The Mienh terms he uses are sometimes confusing, so asking someone who's very fluent in Mienh would help. The book also presents some useful information about Mienh history and religion.
Overall, an excellent book. It may take a while to read through and understand, but it'll be worth it. If anything, the photographs themselves make owning (or at least looking at) this book a must.
