Three Days: Beginning and End
Three days is very important in Hmong culture.
When a baby is born, it is said that you are to wait three days after birth to have a calling of the child's sprit to come home, and then give him/her their name.
In marriage, it takes up to three days to finish a traditional wedding from start to finish.
And in death, you need at least three days to to guide the decease back to the sprit world.
As spring break began for all of us, most everyone had plan for something fun. I had plans for something fun also, but that didn't work out as there was other plans that was made.
In the first three days, it was set for a cousin's wedding. The beginning for the two newlywed. There was a lot of excitement from both families. Which started with the groom bring home the bride to let his parents know that he wanted to get marry. After informing the bride's family about the marriage, the negotiation between the two families begins. There were talks about if there have ever been a marriage between the two families and if there is any family ties. After all of that is reviewed, then they start to negotiate the price of the wedding, who provides the food, and the drinking begins. Long day ahead of us, after all is said and done, we add a new extended member to the our family.
But it doesn’t stop there, as a new member is added to the family, another member leaves the family. And this signifies the end of my spring break. Three days for funeral services for a great grandfather of mines. Families flying to and driving to Milwaukee, WI for his funeral for the final weekend of spring break. This is where I was, this is where I am. The first night of the service was mainly meet and greet. Seeing all the relatives again from Milwaukee brings back many memories of the past. Following on day two with a Christian service in the evening and visiting hour lasting all day Saturday into Sunday evening, 24 hours round the clock service.
Crazy tire, as I write this blog entry, I really don’t know what to write about. This is my letter to you, the reader, to let you know that I will not be in class on Monday March 23, 2009.