Hmong Studies Journal (Dec 2019)
A Hmong Story Cloth Featuring Mak Phout (Lima Site 137) In Northern Laos: Rare in Content and Artistic Detail
Abstract
The Hmong, who allied with the Royal Lao Government (RLG) and the United States during the “Secret War” in Laos, were forced to flee their homeland when the RLG fell to Communist control. They escaped to refugee camps in Thailand. During confinement the women drew upon their exceptional needlework skills and lived experiences to create a new art form using a culturally relevant medium to embroider colorful images on cloth to tell their stories. This article features a rare story cloth depicting military operations and life at Lima Site 137 during the “Secret War.”Because little information is available about this specific site, the article begins with background information on the overall purpose of Lima Sites with emphasis on those that are more well known. The article advances with a photo of Hmong refugees establishing a temporary shelter in the jungle after fleeing from the Communist Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese soldiers.A portion of these refugees eventually found safety at Lima Site 137, providing a segue to the featured story cloth. This ethnographic textile art is supplemented with rare photos and the first-hand experiences of Retired Captain Lee Gossett and Frederic Benson. Both provided humanitarian effort to the Royal Lao Government and the Hmong people affected by the war. Extended efforts were made to talk to Hmong individuals who had experienced life at LS-137, but those we learned of were no longer available to share their stories.Select photos of daily life at other Lima Sites add breadth and depth to our understanding of life during the war as experienced by both the refugees and the United States humanitarians who served them.
