Hmong and Lao Commemorative Memorial Statue
The idea to build this memorial started in the early 2003 by some Hmong community leaders. They wanted to create a memorial to honor and pay tribute to the SGU veterans of the Secret War in Minnesota. In the 2000s, these leaders met with members of the MN legislators for support and funding this memorial. Also, a committee of Secret War veterans was established to spearhead the project, including SGU Organization. With full funding, the construction for the memorial began in 2015, and it was commenced at the Minnesota State Capitol Ground in 2016.
The Memorial
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"The Memorial sculpture depicts a vigorous sprout to symbolize new life, tenacity and hope. Just as new plants emerge with impressive energy, this sculpted sprout represents renewal of the Hmong and Lao communities destroyed by war.
“Organized into 4 tiers, the sprout has 4 leaves on each tier. Each leaf tells a story. In all there are 16 stories of life, war and relocation. Beginning at the bottom, the stories move up with time, just as a sprout grows. Carved in bas-relief, they honor the embroidered story cloths Hmong women created after the war. Story cloths began appearing in Minnesota in the 1980s, communicating with embroidery what words could not. Pictures transcend language barriers and record history with power and emotion. Continuing the Hmong women’s method of graphic storytelling, we see stories of courage, honor, tenacity and bravery.
“Hmong embroidery is also honored in the plaza pavement. An elephant’s footprint is in the center with radiating water ripples representing Laos and Minnesota. The triangular motif symbolizes the beauty of the land and mountains.”
The 4 tiers represent the phases that the Hmong and Lao communities endured as they made their journeys from Laos to Minnesota:
Tier 4: Resettlement
Tier 3: Post-war
Tier 2: During the war
Tier 1: Before the war
— Excerpt is from The Memorial Book
2023
The Memorial Book
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In addition to the memorial, the Hmong and Lao Commemorative Memorial Committee completed a book to document and share the process. This 366-page, hardcover book contains information about the development of the memorial, SGU background history, and dedication stories. Please send an email to Mr. Michael Cherwayia Yia at michaelcthao@gmail.com for more information. Also, images of the memorial’s groundbreaking event in 2015 can be view here.
Photo sources: Andrew L. Xiong, Michael C. Thao, Shia Yang, Chu Wu, and Xang Vang