Having married a Hmong woman, I realize that the culture is very important to them. However, there are certain things that should be changed and stopped forever. These include, having multiple wives, selling daughters for $5,000 to their prospective husband's family, and 3-day funerals; which are often 4-day funerals--which involve sacrificing and processing numerous chickens, pigs and cows. I have seen how wasteful, expensive and stressful these are (for the living). I think the money could be much better spent putting children through college. Instead, tens of thousands of dollars are spent putting on lavish 24-hour funerals where mourners attend sometimes 24 hours a day. I have had to personally represent my wife since she is a woman; when she gives money to a funeral (due to the male dominated culture). Most recently this included downing 5 shots of alcohol at 8:30am. Now, as I write this at 4:18am, my wife has not yet returned from the overnight rituals. Sorry if I'm being culturally insensitive, but these ancient ceremonies need some serious updating. Some of the younger Hmong people need to do it; to free their children from this wasteful, horrible, obligation imposed upon the living.
The thoughts of a writer.
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