HMONG

A Hmong woman explores her family’s history in this graphic memoir translated from the original French.

Lyfoung calls upon her experiences growing up in France as part of a Hmong refugee family from Laos to tell a larger story about history, culture, and survival. She frames this information through the eyes of her younger self: Encountering racism and ignorance led her to ask questions and do research in order to better understand her origins. She shares a condensed account of the nomadic Hmong people’s often tragic experiences of persecution, displacement, colonization, and conflict (much of it perpetuated by Western powers, including France and the United States). Lyfoung’s concise narrative spans centuries but nevertheless shows the impact of prominent Hmong figures, primarily from the 20th century; by connecting them to her own family’s struggles, she makes the narrative grounded and immediate. The black-and-white art, which is both simple and appealing, conveys a wide array of emotions (particularly when relaying intimate family moments) and serves to humanize the complicated history of the Hmong people, who proudly held onto their identity while crossing vast regions. Yang’s translation is deft and smooth. The book presents a great deal of information with clarity and enough detail to make the events feel real, making this an important contribution to our understanding of the Hmong people and how they contribute to and are a part of our societies.

An accessible and illuminating history, deepened by personal connections.