Article: The Traditions of Hmong New Year

Fong Lee
Asian Pages
11-30-1995
The Traditions of Hmong New Year.

We would think that we all know what it means when a Hmong says, "To Eat the Feast of the 30th." But do we really?

The literal translation in Hmong is "Noj Tsiab Pebcaug." Some have shortened it to "To Eat the 30th," translated literally as "Noj Pebcaug." The meaning of both expressions is to celebrate the New Year.

How did the idiomatic expression come about? Let's look at some past Hmong ways in Asia that might answer this question.

First, the word "tsiab" means "feast," according to many knowing elders in the Hmong community. "Noj" means "to eat" or "eat." "Pebcaug" means "thirty" or "thirtieth," depending on how it's being ...

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