Wisconsin Life

[Mason sings in Hmong] - Mason Lospeej Her: I would say being connected to your identity gives you purpose, value, and a reason why, especially when I was in college.

I'm in my last year of my master's program studying clinical rehabilitation counseling.

As a young Hmong American male, I've used this instrument to help me navigate my experiences, as well as preserve our culture.

The only thing that I could use as an outlet to explore my identity or remind me of my identity was my instrument, the qeej.

[playing qeej] - My name is Mason Lospeej Her, and I play the traditional Hmong instrument, qeej.

[playing qeej] The qeej is a woodwind instrument that is made out of bamboo, wood, tree bark, and alloy reeds.

[playing qeej] The instrument is typically played at weddings, funerals, and at Hmong New Year's for entertainment purposes.

[playing qeej] So, when we play the instrument, it does mimic the Hmong language.

[playing qeej, ringing cymbals on shirt] It can basically share our Hmong story.

[gentle music] From our culture back then, as a displaced group of people, we didn't have a written language.

We weren't able to communicate or write down our history.

It was a lot of oral history.

So, one of the ways that we've been able to preserve that is through qeej song.

So, I've been able to preserve those stories and also pass them down.

[playing qeej] So, I was introduced to the instrument when I was eight years old.

Initially, it was my mother who wanted me to learn an instrument.

Then, my father wanted to come in and teach us.

There are a lot of aspects to the instrument, so I am still learning myself, but we have created a relationship to now create stories together, and share our stories as a father and son, as well as a student and a teacher.

[playing qeej] My favorite part about playing an instrument would be the therapeutic effects that I get from the instrument.

So, when I play the instrument, I do have to focus on breathing, in a sense of mindfulness breathing, as well as, again, being able to tell my story as a first-generation college student.

When I felt that I was alone, away from family, I could play the instrument and feel that I belonged or it was something that I was good at.

I've definitely created a different relationship with the instrument, rather than just using it for cultural purposes.

[playing qeej] The qeej is important because it is something unique to the Hmong people.

[playing qeej, shaking cymbals on shirt] You get to understand what your history is and why you are pursuing to be the person you want to be.

It speaks to the importance of how music and this instrument can share stories, as well as help generations heal together and communicate together.

[playing qeej, coins chiming]