BY XUYING LEE
STAFF WRITER
Minnesota’s Hmong New Year is one of the biggest events for the Hmong people of Minnesota. It is a time to get together with family and friends, as well as strangers, and gloss over the recent year. It is a three day celebration that holds a pageant, dance competition, talent showcase, and many speeches from honorable elders. The whole of the Hmong community came together and felt a sense of belonging to one another. Not only that, but it was a time to honor your past family members and welcome on the new year with good luck and prosperity.
However, due to the continuous increase in cases of Covid-19, it had to be cancelled. The large number of people gathering together in an enclosed space would have been a very big safety concern, so it had to be dispelled. Many Hmong people were upset to hear that it would be cancelled, considering it is a time of year to get together and be with others.
Not only that, but many families also gained from Hmong new year. There was a marketplace where you could walk around and see pieces of art, music CD’s, and handcrafted jewelry and trinkets for sale.
Some other things people have done to still try and enjoy the holiday was watch the livestream of speeches and watch the dances. There was also a server on ROBLOX that replicated the River Center where it was held and played traditional music so you could still “go” to Hmong new year with friends.
Overall, it was very disappointing to hear that it would have to be cancelled this year, but it was a very safe thing to do with the continuing rise of Covid-19.