Fresno New Year Holds Two Celebrations For 2012

Minnesota isn’t the only state to find division amongst new year celebrations: from December 26, 2011 until January 1, 2012, the Hmong International New Year Foundation, Inc. (HINYF) held the annual Hmong International New Year celebration in Fresno, California. However, for the second year in a row, the Hmong 18 Clan Council and the Hmong National New Year Inc., has competed with their own new year celebration held at the Fresno Regional Sports Complex.

The main catalyst of this dilemma stems from a disagreement about improper use of funds by the HINYF. The Hmong 18 Clan Council has accused the HINYF with misappropriation of funds, citing improper spending of previous year’s profits for personal use and leisure trips. A lawsuit against the HINYF has since been filed by the Hmong 18 Clan Council, demanding record of all finances to a neutral third party and financial damages for any wrongdoing.

The Hmong 18 Clan Council also claims that their group was given the responsibility of how the new year celebration is to be run, not the HINYF. In the early 90s, the two groups—then known as the United Hmong International New Year Committee and the Hmong National New Year Inc.—first began to dissociate. In 1995, the two separate groups held new year events in Fresno and in Hanford, CA respectively. However in 1998, it was mutually agreed upon by both parties that the event needed to come back to be held as one again at the Fresno Fairgrounds, reforming as the HINYF. The two groups continued to drift apart, though, and the Hmong 18 Clan Council is citing the HINYF for not allowing them to direct the festivities, as agreed upon in 1999 when the two celebrations initially reunited into one event again.

Still, both events went off without a hitch, with the HINYF ’s celebration featuring the Miss Hmong International Pageant, cultural and modern singing competitions, cultural performance shows, pov pob (ball tossing), and keynote speeches from local political leaders such as the Fresno Chief of Police, various City Council members, the Superintendent of the Board of Education, and the Mayor of Fresno Ashley Swearengin. Each night ended with live music entertainment and dancing, DJ parties, or live concerts performed by well-known Hmong bands. Over 120,000 were reported to have attended the celebration at the Fairgrounds.

However, the Hmong 18 Clan Council’s celebration did well itself with over 70,000 people to have been in attendance. Because this event is held in a sports complex, much of the focus is on team sport competitions, such as flag football and volleyball. The event also featured many concerts and parties in hopes of attracting attendees from younger generations. Another highlight of this new year event is the opening day parade which showcases banners representing each of the 18 Hmong clans. Both celebrations were held during the same times and over the same seven-day span.

This is the first year the Hmong New Year celebrations have been held since the death of General Vang Pao in January 2011. In an ironic note, both separate celebrations were unified by the remembrance of the late leader, who was a prominent commencement speaker and loyal attendee of California Hmong New Year for over a decade, and who also had a dying wish to see both of Fresno’s Hmong New Year events unite in becoming one event again. Both the celebrations featured speeches from the General’s closest confidantes, including his wife May Song Vang and Colonel Lee Tou Pao, who fought alongside Vang Pao. Both extended their wishes for unity and cooperation among the Hmong community, higher education, and the importance of having love for one another as the General did.

Additional information provided by The Fresno Bee

By Elizabeth Thao

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