A buzzing auditorium waited in anticipation Saturday night for the Hmong United Student Association’s fourth annual Hmong New Year celebration. As the lights dimmed, the full auditorium went silent before a traditional ball-tossing ceremony and a fashion show kicked off a night of celebration and appreciation of Hmong culture.

HUSA’s president Yaia Yang said Hmong New Year is traditionally celebrated at the end of the harvest season but has evolved, especially for today’s college students.

“We celebrate all of our accomplishments in the Hmong community and then welcome the New Year,” Yang said. “Our Hmong students can look back at their year and see what they’ve done and see what they can do. It’s almost like a New Year’s resolution in a sense.”

In addition to the fashion show of traditional and modern Hmong attire, the New Year celebration in Woulfe Alumni Hallce included a play and musical performances, including Hmong musical guest and YouTube hit Proto-J. Between 300 and 350 students from St. Thomas and other Twin Cities schools attended the show along with some family members.

Freshman Genda Lee performed in the ceremony Saturday and said the New Year means a lot to her.

“Honestly, it’s my culture – Hmong culture – and that’s what I want to celebrate the most,” Lee said. “Hmong New Year is about reuniting the Hmong culture and Hmong families.”

Senior Robby Vang, the club’s vice president, said the worldwide celebration historically served as a courting ceremony but is now an opportunity to encompass Hmong family and traditions.

Vang said each year the celebration incorporates a theme. This year the group chose identity, which was especially prevalent in the theatre performance.

“Our play is focused on the struggle of understanding your identity as a Hmong-American because you’re growing up American,” Vang said. “You learn the individualistic culture while at home. It’s all collectivist … you are stuck in between two worlds, and so we kind of depict how you address that culture clash.”

Yang said the group added a craft station for the first time this year so attendees could bring a piece of the show home and gain an even greater appreciation of the Hmong culture.

“The main goal for this event is to celebrate the culture and tradition and sharing that with the St. Thomas community and inviting the outside community to celebrate with us,” Yang said. “I think that’s very important. It goes with the UST mission of serving the greater community.”

St. Thomas student Chi Nou’s sister was in the show, but he said he has attended the St. Thomas celebration several times because the Hmong New Year show is more audience-centered than most.

“I would say (the performance) is more engaging just because they talk to you; like I feel like they are actually talking to me,” Nou said.

Lisa Yang also had family in the show and said the performances are her favorite part of the HUSA New Year.

“The performances – that’s the most exciting part – to see all the talents that Hmong people have,” Yang said.

The Hmong New Year does not fall on a specific date of the calendar year but generally takes place at the end of November and is celebrated for an entire weekend.

Vang said he would like students to take advantage of events like this on campus.

“A big part about these types of cultural events is people don’t feel they should come or they aren’t allowed to come if they are not Hmong,” Vang said. “Use it as a time to learn about the culture.”

Lauren Smith can be reached at smit7607@stthomas.edu.