Overview
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The Story Behind Paj Ntaub (Story Cloth)
Author: Linn Lee
Grades: 4-5
Suggested Amount of Time: 55 Minutes
Area of Study: Hmong Ways of Knowing
Compelling Question
How do we understand the varied worldviews of peoples in Hmong communities?
Lesson Questions
- What is paj ntaub (story cloth) and what is its purpose?
- Who makes paj ntaub?
- What does paj ntaub tell us about Hmong worldview and ways of knowing?
- What does paj ntaub tell us about Hmong history of migration?
- What does paj ntaub tell us about Hmong women resiliency?
Lesson Objective
Students will learn about the history of the story cloth and its importance in communicating Hmong history, refugee and migration experience, and preservation of culture. Students will analyze a paj ntaub, and interpret the message, story or feeling that the artist is trying to convey.
Lesson Background
Paj Ntaub is the practice of embroidery in the Hmong culture. It has existed for more than a thousand years. It is found on the elaborate, colorful and ornate clothing that the women wear and it is mainly geometrical patterns. However, during the years of displacement from Vietnam and Laos into refugee camps in Thailand, the Paj Ntaub became an artistic form to tell the story of the experiences of the Hmong people escaping war and persecution. It also became a way to make money by selling to foreigners who visited the camps. This added to the art of the Paj Ntaub which became the story cloth.
Image Citation: Miller, S. (2015). [Photograph of early years of Hmong story cloths]. Shayle Miller Collection, The Hmongstory 40 Project / Hmongstory Legacy, Fresno, CA.
Skills
Historical Thinking Skill
This lesson will facilitate student proficiency in evidence, one of Seixas’ historical thinking skills (Seixas & Morton, 2013). To encourage students to observe closely and make inferences. Students consider that sourcing often begins before a source is read, with questions about who created it and when it was created. It involves inferring from the source the author's or creator's purposes, values, and worldview, either conscious or unconscious. Educators may enhance this lesson by having students explore Hmong story cloth as Hmong Indigeneity and cloth as land.
Ethnic Studies Theme
This lesson connects to the ethnic studies theme of reclamation and joy from the Asian American Studies Curriculum Framework (Asian American Research Initiative, 2022). Students explore the ways that communities reclaim histories through art, cultural expression, and counternarratives. Students discuss how paj ntaub story cloths, vibrant textiles shaped by Hmong hands to illustrate ancestral landmarks and homelands, can preserve and pass down knowledge and stories.
For additional guidance around ethnic studies implementation, refer to the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (2021) https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/esmc.asp.
Materials
Supplies
- Access to laptop device
- Notebook or GoogleDoc for note-taking
- Images of Hmong story cloth on Calisphere website
Reading
- Hmongstory 40 Panel: The Story of Story Cloth
Video
- What is Hmong Paj Ntaub and How did War Change It? on YouTube
Procedures
- Lesson Opener/Cultural Energizer:
- Ask students to consider: What has been passed down from your ancestors that your family cherishes as a representation of your culture and history? It could be something physical or an oral story. (Have students talk in pairs first on this question and then ask for people to share out.)
- Inform students of the following: Today we are going to learn about the Hmong Story Cloth (post a picture up on the screen of a Hmong Story Cloth).
- Suggested image from Calisphere: https://calisphere.org/search/?q=hmong&rq=hmong%20story%20cloth - “Escape from Laos” - this story cloth shows the Hmong families on the upper half heading towards the Mekong River, it shows the river and the people in the river crossing it to get to Thailand on the other side, and then below the river, there are Hmong families who are being rounded up by the Thai soldiers and the houses that represent the refugee camps that the Hmong stayed in like prisoners.
- he teacher can expand the image on the screen. Let the students study the cloth and its images. Ask the students, what questions come to your mind when you see this story cloth? Type in the questions that students come up with on a Google Doc - having students come up with the questions motivates them to find the answers. Students should come up with the supporting questions on their own, but if they don’t, you can add them to the list. Add the overarching question, as a statement, the story cloths can help us understand the varied world views of the peoples in Hmong communities.
- List of questions:
- When was the story cloth created?
- What is paj ntaub (story cloth) and what is its purpose?
- Who makes paj ntaub?
- What does paj ntaub tell us about Hmong worldview and ways of knowing?
- What does paj ntaub tell us about Hmong history of migration?
- Interaction with First Text: Youtube Video
- Show the Youtube video about embroidery, story cloth and Hmong cultural tradition: What is Hmong Paj Ntaub and How did War Change It? (9:37 minutes) https://youtu.be/thww9cyr_6U?si=FLBl4_qTXhpOiWu2.
- Instruct students to pay close attention to the video and listen for the answers to the questions.
- suggested title of notes “Hmong Story Cloth.” Direct students to add the question: How did war change Hmong Paj Ntaub (embroidery)?
- Students can create a document with two columns labeled questions and facts, with the number rows for the number of questions, in other words, each question should have its own row.
- Interaction with second text: Hmongstory 40 Panel: “The Story of Story Cloth”
- Give students access to “The Story of Story Cloth” https://ucdavis.box.com/s/r9kl6cve59ytwjxmj2qdm3qe46i4g7ai.
- Inform students that this text will give more information on the Hmong Paj Ntaub through using the strategy called Close Reading. In close reading we will read it three times:
- First, read through the first two paragraphs and then the headings. Circle or Highlight words you don’t understand, then guess the meaning through use of context clues.
- Possible Answers as you go through the first read: Words Paj Ntaub - Hmong Story Cloth and Embroidery
- unique - one of a kind
- dreary - sad, depressing
- scarce - few, little
- effective - successful, productive
- varied - were different
- traditional - long lasting practices that have been long established
- muted - not expressed strongly, so colors were not so bright
- formulaic - followed a pattern, geometrical patterns
- emerge - come forward into view
- conventional - normal, standard
- ingenuity - the quality of being inventive, smart and original
- originality - the ability to think independently and creatively
- priority - prime concern
- collaborate - to work together
- solely - only, not involving anything or anyone else
- Possible Answers as you go through the first read: Words Paj Ntaub - Hmong Story Cloth and Embroidery
- Second, read through it to get a general idea of what the main idea of the article is.
- Responses for Main Ideas:
- In the refugee camps, Hmong Story Cloth making became a family affair because it was a money maker.
- Although women were the ones who traditionally did the embroidery, they taught their children to assist and help with the embroidery to increase the speed and number of pieces to sell. While the men helped do the drawings, cooked and took care of the family so that the women could focus on sewing.
- The colors became muted and patterns formulaic to appeal to the western customers.
- However, some story cloths told the story of what refugees experienced to reach the refugee camps and life in the refugee camps.
- Responses for Main Ideas:
Third, read it again, write questions, and add comments by sentences that are important or stand out to you.
Comments and questions will vary (see samples below):
- Interesting how Paj Ntaub evolved into a way to make money in the refugee camps - this must have been unsettling for the elders who felt it was an important cultural practice to preserve their history and culture.
- I wonder how the roles of men and boys along with women and girls changed given that the whole family had to participate in creating the Paj Ntaub when traditionally before the refugee camps, it was just the women who created the Paj Ntaub.
- Fourth Read: Looking for Author’s Voice and Purpose
- The author must have had some experience in making the Paj Ntaub because they are able to describe the experience in such detail. The author’s purpose is to educate the public on how the Paj Ntaub changed in the refugee camps to become a way for Hmong to tell their story of how they got to the camps and what they experienced.
- First, read through the first two paragraphs and then the headings. Circle or Highlight words you don’t understand, then guess the meaning through use of context clues.
- Inform students that this text will give more information on the Hmong Paj Ntaub through using the strategy called Close Reading. In close reading we will read it three times:
- Give students access to “The Story of Story Cloth” https://ucdavis.box.com/s/r9kl6cve59ytwjxmj2qdm3qe46i4g7ai.
- Reflection:
- After the Close Reading, have students attempt to answer the questions they developed at the beginning of class in writing and then share out.
- Teachers can have students share out using Think, Pair, Share; Give One/Get One; Lines of Communication; etc.
- Have a whole class discussion on: How do we understand the varied worldviews of peoples in Hmong communities? What are some of the worldviews of the people in the Hmong community?
- After the Close Reading, have students attempt to answer the questions they developed at the beginning of class in writing and then share out.
- Assessment:
- Have students then choose a story cloth on the site Calisphere (https://calisphere.org/search/?q=hmong+story+cloth). There are about 16 different story cloths on this site so you can have students work in pairs or in groups of three to four to analyze the story or message. (Another website you can use is The Stories We Carry https://www.gerxiong.com/work/the-stories-we-carry.)
- You can also put pictures of the story cloths on slides and have students choose a Google Slide - analyze the story cloth and try to interpret the message, story or feeling that the artist is trying to convey.
- Questions: It’s always better if you have the students come up with their own questions, but if they need prompting, here are some sample questions to guide them in analyzing the story cloth:
- What are the different images on the story cloth and what do they represent?
- What events or activities are depicted on the story cloth?
- Read the story cloth from left to right and top to bottom, is there a theme or message you can draw from it?
- What’s the overarching message from the story cloth, what’s the story that the artist wants to convey?
- If you have Hmong students, ask them if they happen to have a story cloth or a picture of a story cloth that their family or mother has made at home and ask them if they would like to bring it in or show a picture of it and tell the story of the embroidery.
- Either in a verbal discussion reflection, or a written response, have students share about the story cloth they decided to focus on and share the story that the artist was trying to convey.
- Have students then choose a story cloth on the site Calisphere (https://calisphere.org/search/?q=hmong+story+cloth). There are about 16 different story cloths on this site so you can have students work in pairs or in groups of three to four to analyze the story or message. (Another website you can use is The Stories We Carry https://www.gerxiong.com/work/the-stories-we-carry.)
Assessments
Students will choose a Hmong Paj Ntaub from the Calisphere website to analyze, and narrate the story that the artist is trying to convey. (If you have Hmong students, ask them if they happen to have a story cloth or a picture of a story cloth that their family has made at home and ask them if they would like to bring it in or show a picture of it and tell the story of the embroidery.)
Scaffolds
- Engagement: Consider the following method to support with lesson engagement:
- Involve all participants in whole class discussions
- Invite personal response, evaluation and self-reflection to content and activities
- Representation: Consider the following method to support with multiple means of representation:
- Provide descriptions (text or spoken) for all images, graphics, video, or animations
- Action and Expression: Consider the following method to support in presenting their learning in multiple ways:
- Provide checklists and guides for note-taking
- Provide alternatives in the requirements for rate, timing, speed, and range of motor action required to interact with instructional materials, physical manipulatives, and technologies
For additional ideas to support your students, check out the UDL Guidelines at CAST (2018) http://udlguidelines.cast.org.
Multilingual Learner Supports
- Emerging: Consider the following method to support with emerging students:
- Reading: Use choral reading or shared reading
- Students listen to a content-rich text read-aloud, take notes, collaborate with a partner and rebuild (as precisely as possible) the original text.
- Reading: Use choral reading or shared reading
- Expanding: Consider the following method to support with expanding students:
- Reading: Use jigsaw reading to scaffold independent reading
- Bridging: Consider the following method to support with bridging students:
- Reading: Use Reciprocal Teaching to scaffold independent reading
For additional guidance around scaffolding for multilingual learners, please consult the following resources:
- English Learner Toolkit of Strategies, https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ujkdc2xp1dqjzrlq55czph50c3sq1ngu
- Providing Appropriate Scaffolding, https://www.sdcoe.net/educators/multilingual-education-and-global-achievement/oracy-toolkit/providing-appropriate-scaffolding#scaffolding
- Strategies for ELD, https://ucdavis.box.com/s/dcp15ymah51uwizpmmt2vys5zr2r5reu
- ELA / ELD Framework, https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/6537/ela-eld-framework
- California ELD Standards, https://ucdavis.box.com/s/vqn43cd632z22p8mfzn2h7pntc71kb02
Enrichment
- For extension, you can show them this video in which a Hmong Textile researcher Pachia Lucy Vang tells the story of a few story cloths to demonstrate how to analyze and tell the story from the story cloth.
- Hmong Textiles tell story of vibrant culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqjubfc7fYg (12:18 minutes)
- Invite family members who still do paj ntaub to come in the class and share their experience.
- Host a paj ntaub workshop - see Hmong Museum for ideas: https://hmongmuseummn.org/collection/artists/suzanne-thao/.
Works Cited
Asian American Initiative. 2022. Asian American studies K-12 framework. https://asianamericanresearchinitiative.org/asian-american-studies-curriculum-framework/
Britt, K. 2020, May 11. English learner toolkit of strategies. California County Superintendents. https://cacountysupts.org/english-learner-toolkit-of-strategies/
Calisphere University of California. (n.d.). Hmong story cloth. Retrieved from https://calisphere.org/search/?q=hmong+story+cloth
California Department of Education. 2021. Ethnic studies model curriculum. https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/esmc.asp
California Department of Education & English Learner Support Division. 2012. California English Language Development standards (Electronic Edition) kindergarten through grade 12 (F. Ong & J. McLean, Eds.). California Department of Education. https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/documents/eldstndspublication14.pdf
California Educators Together. (n.d.). ELA / ELD framework. https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/6537/ela-eld-framework
CAST. 2018. The UDL guidelines. http://udlguidelines.cast.org
San Diego County Office of Education. (n.d.). Providing appropriate scaffolding. https://www.sdcoe.net/educators/multilingual-education-and-global-achievement/oracy-toolkit/providing-appropriate-scaffolding#scaffolding
Sexias, P. & Morton, T. 2013. The big six: Historical thinking concepts. Nelson Education.
The Record (Stockton CA). 2019. Hmong Textiles tell story of vibrant culture [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqjubfc7fYg
Tulare County Office of Education. (n.d.). Strategies for ELD. https://commoncore.tcoe.org/Content/Public/doc/Alpha-CollectionofELDStrategies.pdf
Twin Cities, PBS. 2021. What is Hmong paj ntaub and how did war change it? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thww9cyr_6U
Vang, G. 2022. February 8. The art, origins of Hmong story cloths and why it shows the resiliency of Hmong women [Video]. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/kare11-sunrise/hmong-story-cloth-niam-song-leng-xiong-secret-war/89-185889a5-bf45-4eaf-8dc4-5043c9a4c8eb
Vang, P. L. 2015. Hmong Story 40 Panel Exhibit A: Story of story cloth. The Hmongstory 40 Project / Hmongstory Legacy, Fresno, CA. https://ucdavis.box.com/s/r9kl6cve59ytwjxmj2qdm3qe46i4g7ai
Supplementary Sources
Hmong Museum. (n.d.). Artist & collaborators: Suzanne Thao. https://hmongmuseummn.org/collection/artists/suzanne-thao/
Library of Congress. (n.d.). Teacher’s guides and analysis tools: Primary source analysis tools for students. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/programs/teachers/getting-started-with-primary-sources/guides/
Xiong, G. (n.d.). The stories we carry. https://www.gerxiong.com/work/the-stories-we-carry