Summary

Embroidered panel made by members of the Hmong Community in Victoria. It was presented to Mr Andrew Reeves, Director Human Studies Division, by the Hmong Community, in appreciation for opening their exhibition at the Museum of Victoria in 1992.

Fine needlework has always been a source of great pride to Hmong women and girls are taught to sew at age seven or eight. This type of embroidered panel is "Paj Ntaub Tib Neeg" also called "story cloth." These pictorial embroideries developed very recently in Hmong history, when Hmong men began to draw elements of traditional Hmong stories to help make sure they would be remembered during the times of change. Women began to have the men draw these pictures onto fabric so that they could stitch the stories on cloth.

Physical Description

Square of flat fabric, of dark blue cotton, with the centre square hand embroidered in a variety of colours. Bordering the embroidered fabric are two thin bands of grey and white cotton, hand stitched into place. Around this is a wide band of the same dark blue material. The back is lined with a plain off-white cotton fabric. Embroidered on the front of the panel is a variety of animals, including monkies deer, squirrels, fish and birds, four trees and a small lake. The sun and some hills can be seen in the background.

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