Txiab Vwj
Waterer
Txiab Vwj is an elder and source of watering for many generations of Hmong. The Waterer’s was formed in dedication to her - as she continues to generously share her knowledge and experience with others.
I sewed these stories
together on this cloth before
crossing an ocean to America
I fled the Viet Cong during the Secret War, crossing the Mekong River from Laos to Thailand. There, in the refugee camp I sewed this cloth. It tells the story of the life of our people led as farmers, and keepers of the earth. In these generations we lived with water and earth in a way that was different than how we live in the United States. This is why I like to spend my time watering and caring for plants. It reminds me of home.
waterer portraits
photographs by TJ Lor & Pang Foua Xiong
