As I set out to interview former refugees about their migration and settlement experiences, it became apparent to me that many had been so busy trying to survive and/or help their friends and relatives rebuild their lives that they often have not taken time to reflect.  Many had stored away important items they brought from Laos or important documents from when they first arrived.  Because Hmong history and traditions have been passed down orally from one generation to the next, many interviewees were comfortable telling me their stories. 

The interviews were all informative; however, one of the most interesting moments was when I interviewed an elderly gentleman.  Because the interview occurred in the living room of a multigenerational household, his grandchildren sat and listened to my conversation with their grandfather.  Two of the grandchildren were teenagers. I told them I did not mind their presence.  They sat and listened to their grandfather tell me about his life in Laos before, during and after the war and his views on U.S. society.  When I finished the interview, the older grandson said, “Grandpa. How come you never told us these things about you?” The grandfather replied, “Because you never asked me. I told Chia because she wanted to know.”

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Chia Youyee Vang is an assistant professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and author of the new book Hmong America: Reconstructing Community in Diaspora.