Hmong
A Little Medicine, a Little Neeb for Qaug Dab Peg
When parents apply religious or cultural beliefs concerning spiritual healing, faith healing, or preference for prayer over traditional health care for children, concerns develop. This dilemma is unraveled in Anne Fadiman 's true story, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, where the study of cross cultural medicine holds a significant value in all profession. The book chronicles the vast cultural differences between mainstream Americans and the Hmong, and how language and cultural barriers affected Lia 's treatment. To understand the Lees we really need to understand the Hmong culture.
Personally, as a Hmong American, I have always felt caught between two worlds trying to figure out where I stand in my own beliefs about the Hmong’s concept of illness and spiritual healing versus the well established Western medicine. As a social worker, it would be a great challenge for me to learn how to remain neutral as possible working with the Lee family and Lia’s American doctors because I have experienced the pros and cons from both systems even when I still have faith in them. I know I would be under a lot of pressure because I am a member of the Hmong community, so the Lees are expecting me to be on their side believing that the Western medicines were the cause of Lia’s illness.
Although I grew up observing shamans curing the sick and the lost soul, I have never fully understood its process and its meaning, all I knew was of how sacred this belief was to the Hmong people. Fortunately, when we begin to ask ourselves questions we may begin to-uncover-the-sources-of our framing assumptions and values, (McKee, 2003) thus, I often question myself will I be culturally competent enough to work with Hmong families as a social worker? I have been told by my parents that a way to win the heart of the older Hmong generation is to be polite, humble, have manners, be respectful, trustworthy and hardworking, don’t see
When parents apply religious or cultural beliefs concerning spiritual healing, faith healing, or preference for prayer over traditional health care for children, concerns develop. This dilemma is unraveled in Anne Fadiman 's true story, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, where the study of cross cultural medicine holds a significant value in all profession. The book chronicles the vast cultural differences between mainstream Americans and the Hmong, and how language and cultural barriers affected Lia 's treatment. To understand the Lees we really need to understand the Hmong culture.
Personally, as a Hmong American, I have always felt caught between two worlds trying to figure out where I stand in my own beliefs about the Hmong’s concept of illness and spiritual healing versus the well established Western medicine. As a social worker, it would be a great challenge for me to learn how to remain neutral as possible working with the Lee family and Lia’s American doctors because I have experienced the pros and cons from both systems even when I still have faith in them. I know I would be under a lot of pressure because I am a member of the Hmong community, so the Lees are expecting me to be on their side believing that the Western medicines were the cause of Lia’s illness.
Although I grew up observing shamans curing the sick and the lost soul, I have never fully understood its process and its meaning, all I knew was of how sacred this belief was to the Hmong people. Fortunately, when we begin to ask ourselves questions we may begin to-uncover-the-sources-of our framing assumptions and values, (McKee, 2003) thus, I often question myself will I be culturally competent enough to work with Hmong families as a social worker? I have been told by my parents that a way to win the heart of the older Hmong generation is to be polite, humble, have manners, be respectful, trustworthy and hardworking, don’t see