Hmong New Year celebration held at Sacramento's Grant High School
SACRAMENTO — Traditional song and dance kicked off this year's Hmong New Year celebration at Sacramento's Grant High School.
It's the Hmong people's version of Thanksgiving.
"Hmong New Year is when everyone in the culture comes and celebrates the harvest," said Bell Lee, a Grant senior.
It's a chance for young Hmong people – most born here in the United States – to dress in customary clothes and learn about their history and ancestors.
"It's our culture," Lee said. "No one else is going to carry the culture but us."
"With an event like this, it brings students and families together to celebrate, to remember and to also not forget why we came to America," said Gloria Thao, an advisor of the Grant Hmong Club.
There are an estimated 45,000 Hmong people living in Sacramento County and 100,000 statewide.
Groups immigrated to the U.S. as refugees from southeast Asia following the war in Vietnam where the Hmong were American allies and fought alongside U.S. troops.
Grant High School's Hmong Club has been around since 1993 and currently has more than 200 members.
"This is a place where our students can really celebrate their identity," Thao said.
Grant is one of the few high school campuses offering classes in the Hmong language, which is an accepted foreign language course for college admissions.
"Our students who come here, they're very eager to learn about the language," Thao said. "They're curious about the culture. They have a lot of questions and they want to know."
The annual festival serves as a way for the next generation to carry on a culture that dates back thousands of years.
"It's who I am and I am passionate about this," Lee said. "I love talking in Hmong. I love doing our Hmong activities. I love meeting Hmong people."
People interested in celebrating Hmong New Year can attend a three-day-long celebration that is taking place at Cal Expo beginning on Friday, November 24.