OSHKOSH, Wis (NBC 26) -- A new exhibit at UW-Oshkosh is showcasing stories of Hmong people to help our community both better understand their history and heal from the trauma so many Hmong Americans endured decades ago.
"Battlefields of Memory," is UW-Oshkosh's newest exhibit. It showcases the history and culture of Hmong Americans. It's a topic, Mai See Thao who helped orchestrate the exhibit says, is rarely discussed in American history courses.
"This exhibit showcases the ways in which Hmong history, and the secret war, has been erased from the national memory of the US."
Thao helped orchestrate the exhibit, gathering artifacts including pictures and historical documents from Hmong Wisconsinites. She says by sharing these historical items with the public, they can better tell their stories of the trauma and stress related to fleeing from their homeland while not abandoning their culture.
"Those people actually carried with them those kinds of historical remains and artifacts," said Thao.
By displaying the various historical items, many from the '60s and '70s, onlookers can visually take in how a blending of old and new Hmong traditions are enduring. She adds that this exhibit can also have folks asking themselves questions, about their own cultures and the importance of their survival.
"For me, my question is how is that productive? How is that helpful? How does that help contribute to our continued survival?"
The Battlefields of Memory exhibit is a place where trauma and violence, as a result of war, are on full display. But it's also a place where people can learn about the Hmong culture and potentially understand how much alike, we all are.
"When you actually have to bear witness to someone's humanity it might make you consider the ethics and moral questioning around those kinds of racial violence."
The Battlefields of Memory exhibit is open until April 25th. It is located on the UW-Oshkosh campus in the Art and Communications Center. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
