The Hmong (MUNG') community is celebrating its first traditional New Year festival since the death of Gen. Vang Pao, a fabled military hero and beloved father figure for Hmong populations across the globe.
Fresno's Hmong International New Year event, believed to be the largest of its kind in the United States, began Monday and features regional foods, crafts and traditional games.
Hmong historically lived in the highlands of Laos and were recruited by the CIA to fight against Communist forces during the Vietnam War. Many who fled persecution and unrest after the war regarded the general as a hero who helped them resettle in California's Central Valley, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
