Many in Duluth celebrated New Years on Saturday, not western New Years, but Hmong New Years.

“It’s fun to stop and celebrate with other people in your city,” said Robert Lillegard, who was celebrating the Hmong New Years for the first time.

The Lillegard family was among some of the people getting a taste of the traditional clothing, food, and dances of the Hmong culture at the United First Methodist Church.

Lillegard was excited to celebrate and learn about their history.

“I was thinking to show my kids this we would have to go down to the cities, but it’s really neat that even in our neck of the woods we have that around,” Lillegard said.

The celebration is usually held in the November and December months to acknowledge the end of the harvesting season.

Thus bringing in the beginning of a new year so that a new life can begin as the cycle of life continues.

“It’s important for the Twin Ports because as our numbers begin to dwindle due to opportunities elsewhere, mainly employment, as the Hmong population gets smaller and smaller it’s important for us to continue this tradition even though there is so few of us here,” event organizer, Sawm Peter Vang, said.

The truly vibrant event is brought to the area annually to keep the Hmong culture alive in the Twin Ports.

“We just try to expose them to different cultures, different people, and different celebrations, because at the end of the day we are all people and I think it’s important to break those barriers down,” Lillegard said.

The Hmong New Year was initially celebrated in Laos, Southwest China, Vietnam, and Thailand, but since has become a worldwide cultural holiday.

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