Neeg Lub Neej Summary

Before I dive into more recently released, new, and upcoming Hmong movies, I wanted to share summaries of some past releases that remain favorites of mine. Therefore, I’m beginning with the original classic, Neeg Lub Neej, starring Lou Thao as Nkauj Ntsum and Khoua Yang as Tub Tuam.

Summary

Nkauj Ntsum and Tub Tuam dated and soon married. They each found successful careers and built a comfortable life together. However, there was one thing they did not have: children.

One day, Tub Tuam's mother pulled him aside and told him that she had spoken with their relatives. They all agreed that although he and Nkauj Ntsum were well-off, they needed children for their family to have a happy ending. Tub Tuam told his mother that, no matter what anyone said, he refused to take a second wife because he loved Nkauj Ntsum dearly. His mother, however, insisted that he should remarry. Tub Tuam said that before taking such a step, he wanted to make sure through medical testing that Nkauj Ntsum truly could not have children.

Song of the Week

Many people like this song for its beautiful voices, lyrics, and melody...aspects that speak well and straight the the Hmong heart...

Suab Nag Yaj & Npis Lis Tsab – Kob Nag Tshauv Nag Tshav Ntuj

Girl:

Cas ntiaj teb yuav dav luaj no
Why is the world so vast?
Kuv thiab koj niam sib ncaim lawm
You and I have been separated
Lub hnub ploj tav no mam tawm
The sun vanished for all this time and has only appear
Ntuj mam rov qaws wb los sib ntsib
The heavens has allowed us to meet again
Tus dej ncau ntws sis faib kev
The river branches into different paths
Lug toj lug pes mus ntev ua luaj
Meandering mountains and hills for many miles
Koj laus tag kuv twb laus dua
You have aged and I am older
Mam ntws sib tshuam hnub twg yuav ploj
(Like the river we’ve) flowed and merged again (but) the sun is about to set

Anayi Movie Recaps

Since I am kind of slow in terms of undating my writings, I have been contemplating on whether I should post Hmong movies summaries/recaps.  In the end, I decided to start with the Miao movie, Anayi.  For those of you who may not be familiar or who are confused, I just wanted to clarify that the term "Miao" used in China encompasses the Hmong and does not mean cat, like the derogatory "Meo" term used in Southeast Asia to label the Hmong in the past.  "Miao" in Chinese is equated with rice seedling, hinting to a possible fact that the Miao were the first people to cultivate rice in the world.  Miaozu, or Miao nationality, are divided into three subbranches (Western, Central, and Eastern) based on dialects and the Hmong outside the China mainland are considered to be in the Far Western group, nonethless still part of the Western Miao branch.  With this said, even though Anayi is about the Central Miao, it is nonetheless a Miao/Hmong movie and that is the reason why I decided to summarize it.  (Note: For those who are curious and don't know, the Eastern Miao are the ones in the poster for "A Candlelight Dream.")

This film was made in 2005 and starred Chouchou (also the director, screenwriter, and co-producer--she graduated from Beijing Art Academy) as the leading protagonist Anayi, Cheng Xiaodong as Ahan, and Wang Xuefeng as Abao.  Chouchou is half Miao, half Dong (an ethnic group who lives near the Miao but in lower elevations near rivers and streams, and who belongs to the same language family as the Thai/Lao), Cheng Xiaodong is Dong, and Wang Xuefeng is Miao.