Erickson School District

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Erickson School District

• Professional Development Program

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Educating OurRefugee Students

• Three Target Groups
• Bantu Somali
• Hmong
• Sudan

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Where in the world are these children coming from?

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Bantu Somali
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Hmong

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Sudan

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A Census Snapshot
Information was collected during the 2000 Census
for the Somali Bantu, Hmong, and Sudan
Population. This helps give us an idea of what
type of households these students come to us
from. The information is compared in graphs. The
statistics from the United States citizenship has
been added for reference.
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Median Family Income
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Families Below the Poverty Level
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Home Owners
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Adults with Less than 9th Grade Education
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Keep in Mind

• Use this information to understand what type of
  environment our students came from.
• Think of ways this knowledge can help with the
  special needs of these students.

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Somali Bantu

• Climate Temperatures range from 68 degrees to
  100 degrees. The Juba River Valley, their home,
  is the most cultivatable land compared to other
  areas of Somalia.
• Language Primarily Af Maay, a Cushitic
  language. Some Bantu still speak their ancestral
  tribal languages from Tanzania, with Swahili
  occasionally used.
• Religion Primarily Muslim, although a small
  number converted to Christianity in the refugee
  camps. Many retain animist beliefs, including
  use of magic, curses, and possession dances.
• Literacy General Somali population 24, Bantu
  population Few, if any, arrived to refugee camps
  with any literacy skills.

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Bantu Customs

• Bantus do not have any sort of family planning,
  believe in both male and female circumcision, and
  some practice polygamy. 
• Marriage traditionally happens between the ages
  of 16 and 18, and is usually arranged by the
  parents. The father of the groom pays a dowry to
  the family of the bride.
• Children are given the fathers names while the
  wife keeps her fathers names. They are
  addressed by their first name, and Islamic names
  are predominantly used.
• Community and spiritual well-being are important,
  and ceremonies and dance groups build this.
• The staple food in Somalia is maize, or soor, a
  thick porridge. The Bantu eat halal meat, meat
  slaughtered by a Muslim, and are not permitted to
  eat pork and lard. They do not drink alcohol.
• Married Bantu women wear a headscarf.
• Bantus communicate differently than typical
  Americans they are uncommonly open and honest
  with their answers to questions compared to other
  groups.

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Cultural Differences and Challenges for Bantus in
the U.S.

• Upon arrival in America, adjustment for the
  Bantus is a challenge few of them have ever
  watched T.V., talked on a phone, driven a car, or
  used a flush toilet. Only 5 of the adult
  refugees speak English, most of them male.
• Bantus have difficulty finding work because of
  the language barrier.
• The Bantus face discrimination. Multiple cities
  have protested plans by resettlement agencies to
  relocate them to their area, claiming that they
  dont want a concentration of people who do not
  speak English, do not know their culture, and who
  need handouts. The resettlement agencies have
  had to change plans and find places where they
  will be more widely accepted.
• Relations between the Somali population in the
  nation and the Bantus also face some strain, as
  relations among them have a history of
  contention. Despite the challenges, signs are
  hopeful. The Bantus spirits are strong after all
  of their hardships, and they are ready to work
  and learn.

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Hmong History

• The United Stated sought assistance from the
  Hmong people (who are believed to originate from
  China) in the Vietnam War from 1963-1975. Hmong
  casualties in the war far exceeded the U.S.
  casualties- an estimated 25-30,000 Hmong died
  during the war as a result of supporting the
  United States. Families lost members, wives lived
  without husbands, and children had no uncles or
  aunts. When the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam they
  left many Hmong soldiers behind without any
  protecting against the revenge that came upon the
  Hmong as vengeance for their support of the U.S.
  in the war. The fields and houses of any
  pro-American Hmong villages were burned, the
  animals slaughtered, and the people chased down
  and killed.
• Some Hmong were able to seek refuge in camps in
  Thailand, however they had no rights. This was
  not the refuge that they were hoping for, as they
  were then subject to chemical and biological
  warfare by Thai guards in these camps.

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Hmong Culture

• The Asian Hmong culture is agrarian, like many
  cultures in Indochina, with religious beliefs
  based in animism, the belief that all things have
  spirits (including the use of shamans for
  guidance, healing, and other ceremonies). Hmong
  culture places a great deal of emphasis on
  relationships between relatives and members of
  clans, with respect for elders and strong
  families. Remembering ancestors and traditional
  ways is important, and many efforts are made to
  preserve traditional ways and to keep the memory
  of the accomplishments and suffering of
  ancestors.
• Hmong funeral services are lengthy (some lasting
  three days with while family members stay awake
  for 24 hour ceremonies to show respect) with
  extensive rituals and songs being sung. In the
  Twin Cities (MN) there are only 3 funeral homes
  (as of July 2005). Due to cultural customs, this
  creates multi-month waits to celebrate the
  deceased as well as stress on grieving families
  while they wait.

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Hmong Culture

• Here are some more general facts to be aware of
  about the traditional Hmong culture
• Verbal greeting are more common than handshake
  with traditional Hmong, especially women.
• Traditional Hmong may believe that direct
  comments about infants and babies could cause bad
  spirits to come and take the child's soul.
• Direct eye contact may be considered rude.
• In a traditional family, ask for the head of the
  household, usually the father.
• Dont make assumptions about the nature of
  peoples relationships, and ask only if its
  important to know.
• Traditionally, it is considered inappropriate for
  the opposite genders to sit too close to one
  another when conversing.
• Many Hmong parents strongly believe in discipline
  and practice corporal punishment.

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Hmong Immigration

• As recently as 2005 the Thai government has
  exported Hmong people, who fought in the Vietnam
  War and who sought refuge in America, and begun
  forcing reparations (slavery, murder) upon them.
  According to Jane Hamilton-Merritt in her book,
  Tragic Mountains, she states that the Bush
  Administration in 1991 sent roughly 15 million
  to Laos and Thailand to fund the closing of the
  refugee camps and the repatriation of the Hmong
  to Laos.
• The older generations of Hmong people have come
  to America mainly from Laos after the Vietnam
  War, but about 15,000 more Hmong refugees were
  moved from Thailand's last refugee camp to the
  United States in 2004. About 1,500 refugees
  missed the Aug. 2003 deadline to register for
  entry to the U.S.
• Presently there are roughly 169,428 (U.S. Census
  2000) Hmong people in the U.S., largely
  concentrated in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and
  California. Several million Hmong people remain
  in China, Thailand, and Laos.
• Many people think that the Hmong came here to
  enjoy U.S. economic benefits, but in fact, most
  are here to escape the death and horror of a
  genocidal war against them.

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Cultural differences for children

• It is common for young Hmong girls to enter into
  illegal "marriages" to older men. Girls may be
  "married" as early as age 13 to men ranging from
  age 17 to 35. These are Hmong style "marriages"
  done by a shaman having no legal authority and,
  in fact, typically being against state marriage
  laws. In many cases, the so-called marriage
  qualifies as sexual child abuse, and some of the
  older men have been prosecuted.
• A fourteen-year-old wife may have two kids by age
  16 or 17, and will usually not be able to
  complete high school. Her educational
  opportunities are often destroyed and the fun and
  freedom they hoped to find are replaced by what
  can be a hellish reality. The wives are
  responsible for all of the care giving. They even
  take care of their husbands parents. The role of
  being a wife is very demanding and often
  stressful. Traditionally the married couples are
  to be separated from their friends to signify
  adulthood.
• Many teenage girls, burdened by the heavy
  responsibilities that are heaped upon them at
  home (both parents often work in the evening,
  often leaving the oldest girl to run a large
  household and preventing her from having much of
  a social life unless she runs away), think that
  marriage will provide an escape. Soon they find
  that life is even harder, and escape is
  impossible.
• Polygamy is another dark side of Hmong culture.
  A number of Hmong men go find girlfriends, often
  in other cities, and even enter into bogus second
  "marriages" with them. One of the terrible things
  about this is that the man often gives a large
  fraction of his income to the new "wife,"
  sometimes leaving the neglected first wife
  without enough money to take care of their kids.

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Hmong adults raising children in America

• Researcher Ray Hutchison of the University of
  Wisconsin-Green Bay, noted that Hmong parents, in
  spite of limited education, strongly support the
  education of their children. In fact, Hmong
  students in six Wisconsin public school
  districts, including Appleton, performed above
  the national norms on standardized tests and have
  a graduation rate surpassing that for white and
  other non-Asian students (Post-Crescent on Dec.
  30, 1997).
• However, parents frequently don't know how to
  prepare their kids for school, and many cannot
  understand what their children are learning. Even
  today, some schools are unable to provide
  interpreters for parents, and are forced to use
  children to translate from teacher to parent
  during conferences. This undermining of
  traditional parental authority is blamed for a
  high occurrence of depression, even suicide among
  elders, and in part for teen delinquency and gang
  activity.
• School officials in Minnesota said that Hmong
  parents are attracted by the promise of more
  parent involvement in school affairs.
  English-as-a-second-language teacher Allison
  Stone says parents are deeply concerned, but
  often limited in how much help they can offer
  from home. It is suggested that teachers should
  reach out to establish relationships with
  parents.

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Sudan

• Climate
• tropical in south arid desert in north rainy
  season varies by region (April to November
• Ethnic Groups in the Sudan
• Black 52, Arab 39, Beja 6, foreigners 2,
  other 1
• Languages
• Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse
  dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic
  languages, English
• Religion
• Sunni Muslim 70 (in north), indigenous beliefs
  25, Christian 5 (mostly in south and Khartoum)
• Literacy
• definition age 15 and over can read and write
  total population 61.1 male 71.8 female
  50.5 (2003 est.)

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Sudan Customs

• In Sudan, if you are an important guest, a sheep
  will be slaughtered in your honor. Many dishes
  will then be prepared. Favorite meats are lamb
  and chicken. Rice is the staple starch. Breads
  are the Arabian Khubz. The okra, is an important
  ingredient in a (Bamia dish)- Bamia is an okra
  lamb stew. As in most Arabic countries, fruits
  are peeled and cut in small slices for dessert

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Cultural DifferencesSudan

• The questions raised by Sudan children on their
  way to the United States, help to understand
  their lack of understanding of the new place they
  would call home.
• Would there be a toilet on the airplane? How
  will I know when it is safe to cross the street?
  If a girl asks a boy on a date in America, can
  the boy refuse? How many cows are required to buy
  a wife in America? Is it possible to get a
  government grant to pay a dowry?

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Why did they come here?

• Knowing why these refugees left their country is
  important.
• Many have been through traumatic experiences.
• What are they expecting from us?

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Somali Bantus

• The Bantu Somali have a remarkably different
  history, along with cultural, linguistic, and
  physical differences, compared to other
  Somalians. They are a minority in Somalia, and
  have been discriminated against for years because
  of their agricultural lifestyle and distinct
  physical features, such as kinky hair and darker
  skin. Their standard of living in Somalia was
  very low, with no running water or electricity. 
  The Bantu history is complicated. In short,
  since the 15th century, they have suffered from
  colonial rule, slavery, being forced into the
  military, and most recently, in the early 1990's,
  civil war. The civil war caused a food shortage,
  and the products of the Bantus farm land were
  targeted. As bandits stole food stocks, they
  robbed, raped, and murdered Bantu
  farmers. Refugee camps were the only answer for
  the desperate Bantus, although they weren't
  necessarily much better. The refugee camps
  still left the Bantus vulnerable to bandit
  attacks. With international help, the camps
  became safer with time. In the Kenyan refugee
  camps, families lived in tents, cooked over a
  fire, and dug latrines. The U.S. provides
  cultural orientation of up to 80 hours for each
  individual. It includes survival literacy and
  special classes for mothers and youth. 

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Hmong Families in America

• Hmong refugees in the U.S. struggle with our
  unusual ways, though the rising generation of
  youth have melted in well with American culture,
  even at the risk of losing touch with their
  heritage. For the older generation, adopting the
  new ways has been painful. The language is a
  great barrier to the elderly, many of whom have
  had no schooling and had no reading skills prior
  to coming to the U.S. Simple things like going to
  a store or walking through town can be terrifying
  experiences for the elderly.
• Hmong men seem to encounter greater adaptation
  problems than Hmong women. Hmong women, for
  example, seem to adapt much faster in many
  aspects. They learn English faster than Hmong men
  and already have many success stories. Many
  Hmong men are distressed because of Hmong women's
  ability to generate income in the United States
  the role reversal between the young and the old
  (i.e., relying on the young for language
  translation and cultural interpretation) an
  inability to learn in school and, feelings of
  fear, hopelessness, and despair.
• Hmong children seem to face some serious
  disadvantages English may be a second language
  to them and it may not be spoken at home many
  Hmong parents do not read and may not be able to
  help with homework in many homes there are risk
  factors and stress due to poverty and academic
  pursuits are not a traditional part of the
  originally agrarian Hmong lifestyle.

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Sudan

• In 1987, a civil war drove an estimated twenty
  thousand young boys from their families and
  villages in Southern Sudan. Most no more than six
  or seven years old, they fled to Ethiopia to
  escape death or induction into slavery and the
  northern army. They walked a thousand miles
  through lion and crocodile country, eating mud to
  stave off thirst and starvation. Wandering for
  years, half of them died before reaching the
  Kenyan refugee camp, Kakuma. The survivors of
  this tragic exodus became known to the world as
  the Lost Boys of Sudan.
•      Through the next fourteen years of loss and
  suffering, these remarkable young men pursued
  their educational goals in the UN refugee camp.
  In 2001, nearly 4,000 Lost Boys came to the
  United States seeking peace, freedom, and
  education. Unfortunately, the challenges of
  starting life in the U.S. without a family
  support network have kept many of these committed
  and capable young people from continuing their
  education
• Garang also explains "All Lost Boys everywhere
  value education. Simply because they live alone,
  they don't have parents, they, they don't have
  relatives, so what they have in their minds is
  that if they have an education, then sometime in
  the future you know, they will be people."

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What can we do?

• Treat these students and families with patience
  and respect. It is pertinent that you gain their
  trust and build a rapport.
• Show these students that you believe in them and
  know they can succeed.
• Help these students acculturate to an American
  school so that they do not feel isolation and
  alienation in your classroom.
• Be a role model for your students.
• A thorough ESL program must service refugee
  students, and extra support should be available,
  such as after school and summer school learning
  opportunities.
• Social services must be in place, as the
  adjustment of a new culture and the anguish from
  their homeland will be emotionally trying for
  these students. The school counselors and
  psychologists must be readily available and set
  up adjustment programs for Bantus.
• School nurses should be informed of all medical
  customs and be ready to accept these cultural
  differences and aid them in any necessary medical
  way.
• For older students, technical education and job
  training will be beneficial as their English
  develops to prepare them for the job market.

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What can we do?

• Make the curriculum meaningful for your students,
  and incorporate their culture into your
  classroom. Educate your native students about
  Bantu culture so that they can understand,
  accept, and befriend the newcomers.
• Put the content that you are teaching in context
  and use manipulatives, pictures, film, etc. to
  make subjects meaningful.
• Use collaborative grouping in your classroom to
  foster language proficiency and partnerships.