Great Flood Story Part II
Artist
May Nao Ly
MediumCotton embroidery and applique
Dimensions31 1/16 x 33 1/4 in. (78.9 x 84.5 cm)
ClassificationsTextile
Credit LineSeattle City Light 1% for Art Portable Works Collection
The embroidery and applique techniques practiced by the Hmong women are ancient, related to those found in Northern and Central China over 2,000 years ago. Although other Asian groups use similar kinds of techniques, these colors and designs are unique to the Hmong. Here, the importance of village life is depicted.
May Nao Ly’s Great Flood Story, Parts 1 & 2
Verbiage on the artwork:
Part 1
A long time ago the earth was flooded
People and animals were all drowned except a brother and a sister who were safe in a wooden drum
The water rose higher and higher when it reached the heaven and the drum hit the man who is the owner of this world’s door
After he has discovered what had happened he used spears to make holes in the soil
In that way the water has gone and the earth has become dry again and the brothers got out of the drum
After getting out they found out that no more men no more animals and no more plants in this world
Then the brothers discussed and tried hard if they
…the stones could return back to the top of the mountain by themselves. At night the brother didn’t she know. He carried the stones up the mountain and put there.
The next morning when the sister saw that the two stones were together on the top of the mountain she said” Now we can marry and have babies.”
Not so long the wife’s pregnant.
Part 2:
When the sister gave them a baby the baby is a round as a stone it has neither arms nor legs the husband and wife cut it into many pieces and threw them everywhere.
Some pieces of the baby’s body fell in many places such as: Garden leaves grass.
some on goat the house some on the pig
Their baby’s body which they have cut into many pieces and thrown, changed into a village there were many kinds of animals and insects
The village was full of houses there was smoke coming out of those houses which meaned that the villagers were making fire the villagers were called “hmoob”
The Hmoob have got their family names like: Thao Vang Yang Lee from the places where the baby’s body fell.
May Nao Ly’s Great Flood Story, Parts 1 & 2
Verbiage on the artwork:
Part 1
A long time ago the earth was flooded
People and animals were all drowned except a brother and a sister who were safe in a wooden drum
The water rose higher and higher when it reached the heaven and the drum hit the man who is the owner of this world’s door
After he has discovered what had happened he used spears to make holes in the soil
In that way the water has gone and the earth has become dry again and the brothers got out of the drum
After getting out they found out that no more men no more animals and no more plants in this world
Then the brothers discussed and tried hard if they
…the stones could return back to the top of the mountain by themselves. At night the brother didn’t she know. He carried the stones up the mountain and put there.
The next morning when the sister saw that the two stones were together on the top of the mountain she said” Now we can marry and have babies.”
Not so long the wife’s pregnant.
Part 2:
When the sister gave them a baby the baby is a round as a stone it has neither arms nor legs the husband and wife cut it into many pieces and threw them everywhere.
Some pieces of the baby’s body fell in many places such as: Garden leaves grass.
some on goat the house some on the pig
Their baby’s body which they have cut into many pieces and thrown, changed into a village there were many kinds of animals and insects
The village was full of houses there was smoke coming out of those houses which meaned that the villagers were making fire the villagers were called “hmoob”
The Hmoob have got their family names like: Thao Vang Yang Lee from the places where the baby’s body fell.
Ka Ly
Ka Ly
