Hmong History Story Cloth

Paj Ntaub Da Neeg, or story cloth, is a narrative textile artform that depicts scenes, events, and stories. Created mainly to sale as a means to supplement income in the refugee camps, paj ntaub da neeg illustrates traditional Hmong life in Laos, folklore, combat in the Secret War, the treacherous journey across the Mekong River Delta, Thai refugee camps, and their subsequent exodus out of Southeast Asia.  

Scene depiction: Village life in Laos

“I bought this from a lady in California about 20 years back. She had purchased it from someone in the refugee camps. I love how it depicts our lives in Laos - we were farmers and grew rice, corn, and many fruits and vegetables. It was a community effort to survive in Laos and so we relied heavily on exchanging labor. This story cloth is a piece of Hmong history that I treasure dearly.” - Mai Lo Chang