No it’s not “Ha-mong” it’s “Hmong”

The “H” is silent so get it right

We don’t come from China or say ching chong

So don’t make assumptions on where we’re from

Don’t act like you’re interested and don’t you step all over my people

I admit that we are a small community

To be exact, the minority.

But our love for each other is more than you could imagine

 

My people fought in the war

Our families torn apart and kin turned upon each other

Children and spouses split up

Not knowing when they’ll ever meet again

Husbands and older brothers off to war, never to return

We treaded through deep waters as bullets whizzed past us

The few who had managed to escape finally made it

To America

 

Land of the free and one with dreams,

Hope.

That one word that resonated within our ancestors

But that isn’t the only sad part, oh no, there’s more

The children of today are ashamed of being Hmong

They lose their mother tongue, mixing it up with the English language

All because of a single word and action from a person

“English is my first language” the Hmong children say

 

But that is just a facade to cover up who they truly are because of society

They don’t realize how important they are

For the people who dare to speak badly about us

And mimic us before thinking

Educate yourself before you start a conversation with me about my people

 

And for all the Hmong people who read this, I hope you know that

You shouldn’t be ashamed of your culture and who you are,

You are loved

We may not have a homeland to go to

But don’t let that stop you from building your own home where you stand

 

And one last thing,

It’s “Hmong”, NOT “Ha-mong”