Hmong Believe Nature, Rocks, Hills, Trees, And Streams, Have Spirits
Like Native Americans, many Hmong believe that certain aspects of nature, like rocks, hills, trees, and streams, have spirits.
Foodfeature
Spicy, Sweet, and totally SatiSfying, Hmong cuisine is the most flavorful food you have never tried. The Hmong people have had to be resourceful to survive their turbulent history, and their dishes reflect that sensibility. Fresh, bright colors and pitch-perfect spices are trademarks of the cuisine. The Hmong have a far more detailed understanding of herbs and vegetables than most westerners, and their cuisine, like Thai food, is enhanced by flavors like basil, lemongrass, chile peppers, mint, and cilantro. Traditional Hmong food also includes bamboo shoots, banana blossoms, cassava plants, roots, and bark. Historically, Hmong cooking and eating practices are connected to their belief in animism. Like Native Americans, many Hmong believe that certain aspects of nature, like rocks, hills, trees, and streams, have spirits. Hmong-American families who do not retain the ancient beliefs are often still more reflective of their natural surroundings because of the influence of animism on their culture.
Information about Hmong food is difficult to find since recipes have most often been passed down orally — written Hmong language did not even exist until the 1950s. However, in 2009, Sheng Yang, a Hmong-American woman, and her friend Sami Scripter released a cookbook, cooking from the Heart, highlighting traditional and more modern Hmong recipes for the public.
Yes. Hmong people do believe that there are spirits that reside in nature. There is a ritual that the Hmong people do, paying homage to the tree spirit. (It is believed that the spirit watches over the village and give blessings for the new year and they dwell in the tree of near perfect shape). Hmong people are also very wary evil spirits such as animal spirits, especially tigers. They believed the tigers come after people who are talented (like in music or art) and so they warned that if anyone were to sing or play music while traveling in the forest and the tigers like your skill then they’ll take your soul and you’ll become one of their minions in the afterlife.
My dad and gma told me something like that with the tigers.