2021.001.004 [Blanket]

This is a Hmong story cloth crafted by a Hmong woman after she resettled in Decorah, IA after fleeing Laos in 1976. Story cloths are pieces of folk art and culture among the Hmong people and convey important cultural messages regarding family and community. Many story cloths originate from Hmong residents of refugee camps in Thailand after they fled the communist takeover of their country during the late 1900s. After coming to the United States, many Hmong artists produced story cloths as a means of providing money for family members still in Thailand or Laos. As time has gone on, however, the production of these story cloths has become rarer. Large populations of Hmong refugees resettled in Midwest states like Iowa and Minnesota to build new lives for themselves after leaving their homelands. This content can be used with the following resources: SS-Gov.9-12.28: Iowa Issues and Policies This content can be used to educate students on the nature of immigration in the latter half of the 20th century and how international events such as the rise of communism in Laos prompted immigration movements that impacted the state of Iowa. This story cloth can be used to tell the story of people who came to Iowa to make a better life for themselves and what that means about the cultural makeup of this state as a whole. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item for any copyright restrictions.