Madison Hmong celebrate New Year with old games

Nkauj Zong Lo played pov pob, a traditional ball tossing game, with her younger cousin, alongside other young Hmong guests from the surrounding areas at the Hmong New Year event in Madison this year.  Every year her mother embroiders her name on a new ball for the occasion, she said. 

In rural Laos, people played pov pob at New Year events.  The game served as a social icebreaker, allowing men to court women through song as they lobbed the ball back and forth.  The lyrics required improvisation and strong vocal command, making it a display of wit and talent.  For women, ball tossing revealed how coordinated they were, a valued skill in a potential partner or daughter-in-law.     

While Hmong-Americans no longer depend on this game for matchmaking, they still play for the sake of introduction and entertainment.  An estimated 4,000 guests attended the Hmong New Year event in Madison this November, many with a ball for pov pob in tow.

Not many elders toed up to the ball tossing lines, but the game still resonates with them.  It is a traditional display of affection in a modern setting that appeals to cousins and couples alike.  This video is a collection of pov pob love stories from the Madison New Year event.