Lub Txhooj Tshoob Txhooj Kos/Traditional Hmong Marriage Custom

The Hmong United International Council of Minnesota, Inc. ( Hmong 18 Council) has approached me on a member of occasions to discuss the subject of Hmong marriage (Tshoob Kos), these discussions have been centered on the traditional Hmong wedding dowry.

As many of you are aware, the Hmong wedding dowry has always been an integral companent of our culture for as long as I can remember.  And since coming to the USA in the mid 1970’s, we have witness that the  amount of this “dowry” has varied tremendously from wedding to wedding.  Some dowry’s are from several thousand dollars to well over $10,000.  The excessive amounts that are demanded for some wedding dowries has cause great hardship for many grooms and theirs families.  Not only is it financially unreasonable, but more importantly it defeats the real cultureal purpose of the dowry.

It is obvoius that there needs to be some form of “unity and equity” in establishing limits on dowries.  Our childrens, both the groom and bride, are not to be used as pawns for creating financial gains.  Marriage is a sacred and special time that is to be used for the celebration in the union of two beautiful people into holy matrimony.  Let’s preserve our wedding dowry and its cultural value.  But let’s not let it turn into a means for division and an instrument of creating wealth at the expense of ou children’s union through love.

I have the greatest faith that you will ” do the right thing” and support the efforts of the Hmong United International Council of Minnesota, Inc. to establish a uniform dowry limit and guidelines.

Kev khaws & ceev keeb kwm ntawm Hmong 18 Xeem txoj cai muaj li nram qab no:

Raws li H18C tau tshawb fawb thiab ntsuam xyuas, pom tau tias keeb kwm ntawm pev haiv hmoob txoj kab tshoob kev kos yeej ib txwm muaj lub txhooj los tswj fwm, ua tus choj rau peb taug thiab ua txoj kev rau peb mus, kom peb haiv hmoob tau txoj kev sib qaws ua txij ua nkawm, nyob ua ib cuab ib yig, raws li poj rhawv kab yawm rhawv kev, paj ua cia yawm ua tseg txoj kab tshoob kev kos, qas yeev mus qas yi los, qas txhiab ua qas pua coj, ib txheej dhau ib txheej, ib tiam dhau ib tiam los txog rau niaj hnub tam sim no.

Singed by General Vang Pao “Copyright Protection” Amended 8/1/2019