Hana Luna Her, Hmong Storycloth
The city of Fresno is home to the largest population of Hmong Americans in California. The Hmong originated as a primarily oral language society, passing down their rich heritage orally from generation to generation. Many Hmong elders have preserved this oral tradition. An example of honoring oral histories is represented in Hana Luna Her’s painting Hmong Storycloth in Fresno, CA. Hana Luna uplifts the Hmong women’s tradition of utilizing embroidery and textiles, called Paj Ntaub (pronounced “pahn-dow,” which translates in English to “flower cloth”), to preserve and continue communicating ancient sacred messages. During the 1970’s Secret War camps, Hmong women further developed this textile art form through the practice of Storycloth which documented life before and during the war. In Hmong Storycloth in Fresno, CA, artist Hana Luna recontextualizes the tradition of Storycloth into paint and canvas to carry on the storyline of how the Hmong American community has adapted, struggled, and thrived in the US. Hana Luna aims to showcase Hmong stories and their legacy, and highlight a new generation of Hmong Americans in the United States of America.
About Hana Luna Her
Hana Luna Her (BETTER) is a Hmong Asian-American muralist and graffiti artist with immigrant parents from Laos. Luna utilizes public art as a way to promote social freedom and change. She also believes that the act of art can heal generational pain.