Hmong Noj Tsiab celebration set for Nov. 13 in Madison

Madison’s Hmong community will celebrate Noj Tsiab, a traditional pre-New Year meal honoring the past year and welcoming the next, on Friday, Nov. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 4402 Femrite Drive. Guests can stop by anytime during the event, with lunch served at noon. The celebration, hosted by The Hmong Institute, will feature traditional music, games, cultural activities and an opportunity to learn about Hmong traditions. Noj Tsiab, pronounced “naw chia,” traditionally takes place the night before Hmong New Year celebrations begin following the harvest season. The gathering is a time for families to give thanks, honor ancestors, reflect on the past year and share a meal. This year’s celebration will include a traditional hu plig (soul-calling ceremony) led by a Hmong elder, traditional musical performances, pov pob (ball tossing) and tuav ncuav, a rice-pounding activity in which participants make Hmong mochi. As part of the commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, elders will al