Celebrate Hmong Heritage Month with PBS Wisconsin

April 16, 2025 Tara Lovdahl Leave a Comment

April is Hmong Heritage Month in Wisconsin, which honors the culture and contributions of the largest Asian ethnic group in our state. Learn more about Hmong culture and celebrate Hmong Heritage Month with these programs from PBS Wisconsin.

Angela Fitzgerald visits the Hmong Wausau Festival | Wisconsin Life

At the Hmong Wausau Festival Angela Fitzgerald enjoys food, sport tournaments and dance competitions. She chats with the Director of the Hmong American Center, Yee Leng Xiong.

Joe Bee Xiong: War to Peace | Wisconsin Biographies

After fighting as a child soldier in Laos during the Vietnam War, Joe Bee Xiong moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as a refugee in the 1980s. He dedicated his life to serving the community, including serving on the city council, making him the first Hmong American in Wisconsin elected to public office. He also taught about Hmong culture and Hmong Americans about U.S. customs.

MalyMade | Wisconsin Life

Maly Vang is a self-taught macramé artist who uses her skills to create Hmong-inspired works of art. She learned how to create macramé by watching tutorial videos on YouTube. She sells her work online through her business malyMADE, with many pieces selling out within minutes of going on sale.

Preserving Hmong culture through movement | Wisconsin Life

Duabci Crystal Vang teaches Hmong dance to Fox Valley youth, blending traditional styles with modern influences. Emphasizing the cultural stories behind the movements and committing to preserving the Hmong language, Vang creates a community where students grow from reluctant beginners to passionate performers, all while celebrating their roots.

Preserving Hmong stories through qeej music | Wisconsin Life

Milwaukee graduate student Mason Lospeej Her maintains Hmong cultural traditions by performing the qeej, a woodwind instrument that preserves oral histories and connects generations through music. His performances bridge ancient storytelling with modern Wisconsin.

Yia Vang | Union Hmong Kitchen | Wisconsin Foodie

Chef Yia Vang runs Union Hmong Kitchen in Graze Provisions + Libations food hall in Minneapolis. Vang’s goal is to make Hmong food more approachable for American diners while also paying homage to his family and their history. Host Luke Zahm joins Chef Vang at his new concept, Vinai, and hopes to bring Vang back to Wisconsin to cook at Owl Farm.

Lub Cev Muaj Zog: Ua kom muaj zog mus ib sim neej | University Place

StrongBodies: Strength Training for Life | University Place

This University Place program was recorded in English, Spanish and Hmong.

Program leaders for Healthy Eating and Active Living at UW-Extension Madison, led classes through the evidence-based StrongBodies strength training program designed to increase strength, flexibility, and endurance.

Phin Ter Thao, Tus Saib Qhov FoodWIse, hauv UW-Madison Extension, coj ua ib qho raws kev muab tau ua pov thawj tias qhov Lub Cev Muaj Zog (StrongBodies) tsim los ua pab kom lub cev muaj zog, muag, thiab ua taus ntev ntxiv.

How Do You Preserve a Thousands Year Old Musical Style? | Sound Field

Discover the deep historical roots of Hmong folk singing, a tradition that originated in China and migrated through Southeast Asia to America after the Secret War. Explore Hmong cultural preservation through music, focusing on the styles of lug txaj and kwv txhiaj, which are performed and cherished at community gatherings like the Hmong New Year and weddings.

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