Hmong Poetic Short Story

I found this while browsing youtube about a year ago.  At first, it was the daunting background music that caught my attention but as I repeated the video a few times, I began to pay attention to the spoken words and realized that this guy, Liaj Xyum Vaj, has a pretty amazing talent for Hmong speech.  He is able to tell a short story that was compelling while poetic.  It is something that I struggle to achieve, but because I'm more fluent in English than Hmong I am limited in my ability to produce poetic pieces.

Below I've picked the part of Liaj Xyum Vaj's two-parts video that I like.  Initially, I attempted to translate everything into English but found the task very difficult and decided not to do so because there are words and phrases that have no English equivalent.  But I think that to truly appreciate the beauty of the Hmong words, it should be left as is.  I've reproduced the writing in Hmong below (along with his audio for those who cannot read Hmong), and in parenthesis provided rough meanings to the words or phrases that are not common in colloquial Hmong for those of you who read Hmong but whose Hmong comprehension is limited to basic speech.



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Muaj ib tag kis thaum sawv ntxov, lub hnub tawm liab pliv puag tim npoo ntuj (horizon).  Txawm hnov ib lub suab me nyuam mos liab quab peb zag nrog leej niam leej txiv lub suab nqee (happy parentese).  Peb tag kis tom qab ntawv txawm muaj npe thiab loj hlob tuaj yuav ua paj paws (to jump or leap happily) luag ntxhawv ntxhi ncav tes nuag (to extend the arms to hold) tuav tag leej niam leej txiv lub nqaws tsho (shirt buttons), tawb (to flirt) tag txhua leej txhua tus lub siab ntshaw.  Tsis muaj puas tsawg xyoo rov tuaj rau tom qab, yuav txawj ris dej txiav taws.  Tawm rooj plaws (to step beyond the house door) yuav ua me hlab ntxhoo (I'm thinking this is the Hmong sashes worn on the waist) ntxhee yees (wavy)  zoo tam zoj li tsis tau muaj dua nyob rau hauv lub ntiaj teb no, ua rau me leej nus Hmoob lub siab lub ntsws ntxeev (reverse) tag zoo tam zoj li toj rooj hauv pes nphau (to fall).  Me leej nus Hmoob xav zoj los mob siab thiaj li tsa ncauj hu hais tias, “Me leej muam, tus me kab lia tom txij nko (cute dimples) ua nkauj nyob tus me zoo zoo nkauj li koj puas tau muaj hmoob nco?”

Me leej muam thiaj li teb hais tias, “Leej nus Hmoob, kuv ua nkauj nyob tus me kab lia tom txij nkoov (cute dimples) tawm rooj plaws fim (to represent) tag leej niam leej txi txhais nrhoob (leggings worn by Hmong women) los twb tsis tau muaj hmoob.”

Txij li hnub ntawv los me leej nus Hmoob thiaj li maj mam ntoj qab roob pus qab ha (follow the base of mountains and valleys).  Toj roob hauv pes yog qhov chaw nce toj roob hauv hav yog qhov chaws mus, maj mam ntoj ib hnub thawm ib hlis maj mam puv ib hlis thawm ib xyoos (slowly use time).  Me leej nus Hmoob thiaj li khaws tau me leej muam txoj kev hlub coj los puag pw.  Tiam sis leej nus Hmoob lub siab lub ntsws ntshai rwg (to constantly worry) tsam me leej muam txoj kev hlub rais los ua ib txog kev (becomes the factor that influences) rau leej nus Hmoob tus ntsuj plig mus thawj thiab (reincarnation of his spirit).

Vim me leej nus xaiv tau lub neej txom nyem nyob rau tiam no, tawm rooj plaws los ntshai luag thuam rov ntsuj (a fancy Hmong way to say "to return") los txog tsev los ntshai luag hais.  Ua neej nyob tsis phim luag zej luag zos xav kom tuag mus los tseem ntshaw txoj kev hlub.  Me leej nus thiaj li hais rau me leej muam hais tias, “Me leej muam, cas tiam no koj yuav los ntsib ib tug tib neeg nyob li tus puav (bats) khiav li tus ntses es koj puas nrog kuv tu siab thiab os?”

Me leej muam thiaj li teb hais tias, “Me leej nus Hmoob, koj tsis txhob tu siab mog.  Yog muaj ib hnub twg, txoj hmoov tsis muaj es koj mus ua tus ntses ces kuv yuav mus ua tus dej yog koj mus ua tus puav ces kuv yuav mus ua daim nplooj rau koj tau nkaum nag os.”

Txij thaum ntawv los, me leej muam thiab me leej nus thiaj li tau sib ntoj siv thuv (he visits her every day and night for many years) lub niaj thawm lub xyoo lub hnub thawm lub hli.  Ua cas muaj ib hmos, dab ntub los tsis tuaj npau suav los tsis ua kaj ntug rov tuaj tag kis txawm pom luag hu noj nqaij haus cawv.  Me leej nus Hmoob mam li tsa loo muag ntsia uas cas me leej muam sawv kev yeev ntawm luag rooj tshoob, tsoos tsho los hnav txhij khaub ncaws los hnav txhua.  Me leej nus Hmoob, xav zoj los mob siab txhos caug ntua thov lub ntuj thiab daim av los nqaij luag noj tag, tshoob luag ua dua cev nkauj xwb sua yeev rau luag npab (virgin body given to the groom) cev nkauj nyab nyob luag tes.  Me leej nus Hmoob, xav zoj los chim siab nkaus hlo ntaj (snatches his sword) rau ntawm duav ua roj sib yiag (sneakily) mus tos ntua kuv niam leej ntxhais rau lub dawm zeb (an area next to a rocky ridge line).  Me leej nus Hmoob tsa muag zaj saib ua cas pom me leej muam ua me plaub hau ntxhee ntxhias (silky and wavy) plaub muag dauv lawv (long, flowing eye-lashes), lawv tag luag leej tub leej roog qab (following another man).  Me leej nus yoj teg yim taw (wave his hands and feet) los me leej muam ua txoj ua tug tsis pom tsis ntsia.  Ib vuag dhau plaws (an experience that hastily passes) ntawm thaj me chaw tos rov ntsuj los txog tsev zoo yam nkaus li lub ntiaj teb no kub hnyiab tag nrho mus li lawm os me leej muam.

 

 

I made this video a couple of months ago and I think it matches this story pretty well; I just realized that this song is a cover of Unique 3's Hlub Tsis Yooj Yim as well but the lyrics is completely changed...I still like it though :)

 

Song of the Week

Tsim Laj Muas & Mog Mim Yaj - Kev Hlub Yam Dej Ntws Tsis Rov

Guy:

Kuv tau hlub nrog koj ib zaug

I have loved you once

Los yuav tsis tau koj coj los ua kuv tug

But I don’t have the luck of getting you to be mine

Wb txoj kev hlub

Our love

Kuv yuav muab khaws zoo cia

I will keep it well

Cim koj tseg rau nruab siab

You will be imprinted in my heart (the literal translation is “You will be imprinted in my liver" because for the Hmong people, to love comes from the liver and not the heart; heart in Hmong is "plawv" and the word "plawv" sounds harsh to the ear)

Cim koj cia rau ntsiab muag

You will be imprinted in my eyes (more specifically "the cornea")

Song of the Week

While writing The Magnificient Seven, I suddenly felt nostalgic of this old Hmong song by the group Unique 3 because I think the music matches the ambience of The Magnificent Seven very well.  Alongside Unique 3's version, I decided to post Pov Thoj's cover of the song (I believe his lyrics is slightly altered), Npis Yaj and Christal Vaj's cover, and the instrumental.  Enjoy...listen to the music while you read the story...I think it will help put you in the mood...

Unique 3 - Hlub Tsis Yooj Yim

Pov Thoj - Hlub Tsis Yooj Yim 



 

Npis Yaj & Christal Vaj - Hlub Tsis Yooj Yim

Instrumental - Hlub Tsis Yooj Yim



Unique 3 - Hlub Tsis Yooj Yim

Verse 1

Lub Ntuj Tsaus Nti Muaj Ntau Hnub Qub Ci

(Although) there are many stars twinkling in the dark (night) sky

Los Kuv Tsuas Muaj Koj Ib Leeg Xwb

There is only you for me (or I have only you)

Koj Muaj Nuj Nqis Tshaj Plaws

You are the most valuable

Kuv Paub Koj Zoo Tshaj

I know you best

Kuv Zoo Siab Heev Thaum Kuv Los Nyob Ze Koj

I’m happy when I’m near (next to) you