1. Ban Vinai

2. This picture shows the location of the Ban Vinai Refugee camp where many Hmong were placed after the war.

3. After viewing the this picture you are able to sense a lot of things from it. For instance, you can tell by the many people holding umbrellas that the sun had to be fierce. They used the umbrellas to shield their faces and wore protective clothing from the powerful sun’s rays. The lack of vegetation also hints the hot weather and lack of rain at the time. Also, note that the majority of the people are in one big group. From this I can sense all of the family’s closeness.

4. This here shows the bamboo homes the families stayed in while at the camp.

5. This is a more recent picture of a family staying at Ban Vinai. This picture was taken in 1991, about a year before the camp was closed in 1992.

6. This allows you to see that the houses were falling apart and rather run down. The ground was covered with mud and the baby is full of it and naked. This is not an ideal place to raise a child.

7. A look at the mountains that the Yang family often dreamed of going back to. They wished to go back to be with the spirit of the grandfather of Kao.

8. Two Hmong story cloth telling ones experience of The Ban Vinai Camp. This story cloth was created in the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp by a woman named Mrs. NkajZebVaj. It tells the story of the migration of the Hmong people. During the Vietnam War Hmong helped the United States defend Laos from the communist forces. North Vietnam came after them and they were forced to flee. They fled to Thailand but were not wanted there for long. They would be shipped overseas to countries such as America. Many Hmong families reside in America in places such as the Missoula Valley (www.umt.edu). You can see such story cloths in museums such as The Montana Museum of Art and Culture.

9. Resources www.north-by-north-east.com www.hmongza.com www.csuchico.edu www.lib.uci.edu/.../seaexhibit/refugeecam.html www.parkridgecenter.org/Page457.html www.umt.edu/.../newsletter/MMACNewsletter6.html www.cal.org To learn more information about Ban Vinai, other Refugee Camps, and other information please visit the sites provided for you below. Hmong Needlework: Traditions Both Ancient and New Hidden Treasure north-by-north-east Refugee Camps The Refugee Experience in Thailand