Blia Vang
Hmong
BiographyBlia Vang emigrated to the U.S. from the hills of Laos in 1979. Highland Laos was the home of thousands of Hmong people who are believed to have come from the Southern provinces of China several generations ago. When Laos was invaded by communist troops in 1975, thousands of Hmong were forced to flee. Blia Vang, her husband Pa Koua Vang, and their children were amongst those who survived under precarious conditions in the jungle, and eventually crossed the Mekong River to find sanctuary in Thai refugee camps. The Hmong were resettled in a number of countries, including the United States, in the late 1970s and 1980s. About 4,000 Hmong were resettled in Rhode Island, mostly in Providence; the number has decreased because of secondary immigration to other states particularly California, North Carolina, and Minnesota. Blia Vang learned Hmong traditional textile arts form her mother and other women in her family, starting when she was eight years old. She is the bearer of a traditional living culture that carries with it centuries of knowledge. The contemporary decorative textiles (or “paj ndau”) include two major forms: applique and stitchery. The applique includes double applique and reverse applique; the stitchery is also of a variety of forms: cross-stitching and embroidery add texture and dimension to most pieces.
Person TypeIndividual
