Hey brother,,another great video! Everything is just so eye catching,,interesting to look at. The tops game was totally unique,,never seen any thing like that. I'd probably have snagged one of the 40 dollar knives at the market. They were pretty decent. Loved the Bob tune. Interestingly,,Hurricane Carter just died in 14,,he was 76. I was a teenager when Bob released this song,,there was a shit ton of publicity,,articles in national magazines,,it was on 60 Minutes and even a book. It does appear that he was railroaded,,falsely convicted. Bob started a campaign to get him released in the late 70s,,he was released in 85 and fully exonerated in 88. Lots of corruption hovered around that conviction. After his release he became a youth counselor and did that for years. Was on a speaking tour when he died of prostate cancer. He actually announced he had cancer while on a speaking tour in Aus. That song was on the Desire album,,one of my 5 favorite Dylan albums. Crazy circles in life,,lol thanks for the vid Todd,,much appreciated! Ttyl,,,Marlon
The game is Hmong tops. There players are split into 2 teams. One team sets up their tops and the other team try to hit them. They rotate roles after the set amount of rounds. To score a point, the objective is for you to throw and hit the other team's top and out spin your opponents top as well. The team with the most point at the end wins. There are multiple games and rules depending on who sets the rules but from the looks of it, those kids are just testing their skills to see if they are able to hit the tops.
Tops were actually outlawed in the refugee camp I was at in 76. Some older guys were playing an a guard showed up an everybody hid their tops. The guard said he wanted to see how the game was played and would pay everyone if they played a game for him so they did. They arrested all of those who played and even some who didn't including my brother. For a week they had To go do slave work in the guards building. Fawking sneaky fawks!
So from bocce ball, to marbles its all kinda like the same concept. You have a target you want to hit. Wether its a marble and your thumb, you want to hit the target.
On top of the world indeed. I'm surprised to see such nice paved roads up so high, I always wonder how it feels to live up so high. Todd you're becoming a good Hmong biographer. Very well done, keep it coming with these fantastic videos.
Every video you make Todd draws us in. What is the average prices for knives from low end to top of the line? Maybe, one day you could show us in a video how the knife is used , and for what purpose. Thank you, Todd, and Neenee for the wonderful drone footage and touring . Sending you continued Safe Travels and Good Health🙏🙏 Jim and Harriet
the top cover of the blade is called the " Hilt" it protects the fingers. or is supposed to ... it should have a flared tounge out the sides to cover the forefinger and thumb when handled.... that is just a band but is still called a hilt.
Beaut drone footage again,giving the layout of the village,it's just beautiful scenery man. Great traditional Hmong home,thatch type roof. They be very grateful for those blankets Kenno ....West Aust
No matter where you go in the world they have some kinda home made games. Thanks Todd for the video. Looks like it's a little primitive up there. But everyone is happy. Cool🙏🙏☝
Todd I could watch these trips all day long. The drone footage is always the best but only next to the black and white photos. You are going to have one amazing collection to go through in your old age. Cheers mate!
There are two types of hmong knife, the one you bought from the blacksmith is a typical hmong luang prabang style.... the one here at the market is more xiengkhuam style. ... be very, very careful when holding the sheath because sometimes the sheath is not well made the knife can cut your hand.
thanks for sharing i always thought the collar on a knife or tool was a FERRULE, Made from metals like copper, brass or even silver on more ornate pieces.
Todd that spinning topper was make from flesh cut solid hardwood tree. I do not remember the name of that tree and not all trees can make toppers, I used to play that game in the 70's before the country fall it is great memories to see these kids play that game.
Awesome Laos highlands and hinterlands. Great job there Senior Comrade. Always amaze watching you and Kongmany reaching out and Vlogging in the hinterlands. Always my dream to meet you Live. Have a Blessed New Year ohhhhhhh.
One of My favourite songs and my favourite Asian country.. the best country to ride a motorcycle threw. Would be nice if you had a geo link or Lat Long for some of these cool places.
My explanation for why it takes longer to get there each trip. Each time you go its like a rolling pin on the road. It compresses it flatter and stretches it out like making bread.. lol
$18.00 usd for those knives is still a good deal, even if they're not the same quality as the young blacksmith makes. The mountain house looked like it has a packed dirt floor, not even concrete? I hope their young son can have indoor plumbing and a tile floor when he's grown.
Unless a blacksmith is inferior or still in his journeyman phase, knives (& tools in general) produced with care by a local blacksmith usually are superior to knives (& tools) made for mass/tourist purchase along roadsides. My maternal grandfather was probably the most famous knife and tool maker from this very village here... decades ago... I myself was born in this village (if this was the main Hmong village between Luangprabang and Oudomxai). Unfortunately, we had to leave it, when I was just a year-old, at the height of the Vietnam War, around 68 or 69, when the Communists were sweeping across the land, making VP and the Royal Lao factions retreat to that other place Todd noted about (1972 - 73) where they finally surrendered or melted away, giving the victorious Communists free rein of Laos, with the CIA taking Vang Pao with them to Thailand.
"Niss vlage, on top of the world, djonn djong ..." your terrribl aussie accint is more an more funny , dear Todd , focus here in Brittany. It seems the more you go inside lao daily life (which you know so well) the more you get your aussie roots !! All the best to you and Madame NiNi.
American, we call it top spin. The rule, whoever top spin you are trying to hit. If you miss, is his turn to hit your. You spin and he trying to hit. Simple
Hello todd & NeeNee. I love the vids and the still shots. I sent you a message on facebook not sure if you got it any way I wish you safe travels and good health keep up the good work. D
Hey brother,,another great video! Everything is just so eye catching,,interesting to look at. The tops game was totally unique,,never seen any thing like that. I'd probably have snagged one of the 40 dollar knives at the market. They were pretty decent. Loved the Bob tune. Interestingly,,Hurricane Carter just died in 14,,he was 76. I was a teenager when Bob released this song,,there was a shit ton of publicity,,articles in national magazines,,it was on 60 Minutes and even a book. It does appear that he was railroaded,,falsely convicted. Bob started a campaign to get him released in the late 70s,,he was released in 85 and fully exonerated in 88. Lots of corruption hovered around that conviction. After his release he became a youth counselor and did that for years. Was on a speaking tour when he died of prostate cancer. He actually announced he had cancer while on a speaking tour in Aus. That song was on the Desire album,,one of my 5 favorite Dylan albums. Crazy circles in life,,lol thanks for the vid Todd,,much appreciated! Ttyl,,,Marlon
I'm always learning stuff from your comments. This track was actually listed as the original "banned" version..👌
Thanks Marlon, take care mate 👍
Hurricane carter - great movie
Hmong miss Laos made the top 20 in the miss universe contest. hope it will the the Hmong people of Laos proud. thanks
The game is Hmong tops. There players are split into 2 teams. One team sets up their tops and the other team try to hit them. They rotate roles after the set amount of rounds. To score a point, the objective is for you to throw and hit the other team's top and out spin your opponents top as well. The team with the most point at the end wins. There are multiple games and rules depending on who sets the rules but from the looks of it, those kids are just testing their skills to see if they are able to hit the tops.
Tops were actually outlawed in the refugee camp I was at in 76. Some older guys were playing an a guard showed up an everybody hid their tops. The guard said he wanted to see how the game was played and would pay everyone if they played a game for him so they did. They arrested all of those who played and even some who didn't including my brother. For a week they had To go do slave work in the guards building. Fawking sneaky fawks!
So from bocce ball, to marbles its all kinda like the same concept. You have a target you want to hit. Wether its a marble and your thumb, you want to hit the target.
Excellent to see kids getting outside exercising having fun. Not laying around playing on the phones 24/7
When they smile they are the most beautiful people. What a wonderful place. The older i get the more i notice what a magnificent world this is.
On top of the world indeed. I'm surprised to see such nice paved roads up so high, I always wonder how it feels to live up so high. Todd you're becoming a good Hmong biographer. Very well done, keep it coming with these fantastic videos.
If I lived in a tropical country, I’d prefer to live up high, less humidity and cooler weather.
Every video you make Todd draws us in. What is the average prices for knives from low end to top of the line? Maybe, one day you could show us in a video how the knife is used , and for
what purpose. Thank you, Todd, and Neenee for the wonderful drone footage and touring . Sending you continued Safe Travels and Good Health🙏🙏 Jim and Harriet
I truly love these videos, I have taught the Lao, Hmong and Lo Main people Automotive Tech for years, great people.
the top cover of the blade is called the " Hilt" it protects the fingers. or is supposed to ... it should have a flared tounge out the sides to cover the forefinger and thumb when handled.... that is just a band but is still called a hilt.
Beaut drone footage again,giving the layout of the village,it's just beautiful scenery man. Great traditional Hmong home,thatch type roof. They be very grateful for those blankets Kenno ....West Aust
MISS LAO MHONG LOR ,,,,, # 1 👀👀👋👋👋👋🙏👍👍👏👏👏👏👏
No matter where you go in the world they have some kinda home made games. Thanks Todd for the video. Looks like it's a little primitive up there. But everyone is happy. Cool🙏🙏☝
Your enthusiasm really showed through in this video. You do a great job of portraying the Hmong lifestyle.
Todd I could watch these trips all day long. The drone footage is always the best but only next to the black and white photos. You are going to have one amazing collection to go through in your old age. Cheers mate!
You and Nini's generosity is beautiful. That's what life is all about.
There are two types of hmong knife, the one you bought from the blacksmith is a typical hmong luang prabang style.... the one here at the market is more xiengkhuam style. ... be very, very careful when holding the sheath because sometimes the sheath is not well made the knife can cut your hand.
Ok, thanks for the insight 👌
Hello old chap Todd , so you "know somebody everywhere " , even in the far top of Laos !!cheers
Lol.. it seems that way ay! 😁
Great that you are interested in our Hmong tops game! Thank you!
My wife said her brother and other boys played that when they were kids in Namtha. It’s called something like Ma Khang.
Really enjoying your videos, thanks. From WA. Great music as well.
Cheers Steve 👍
Lots of colour and life at the top - happy times - the knives looked good , but as you say , the volume of them may not be local ? - 👌👍🙏👋🍻
thanks for sharing i always thought the collar on a knife or tool was a FERRULE, Made from metals like copper, brass or even silver on more ornate pieces.
Hi Todd Really enjoy your videos and music,Neenee sounds very similar to my ex wife who came from Kemmarat near Ubon in Thailand.
great content..as always. thanks for sharing
Some solid Leyland brothers or Alby Mangle vibes at the title shot there 😂
Please do more. I live in USA MN and I always want to see house they live and what they do..
More coming 👌😁
Todd that spinning topper was make from flesh cut solid hardwood tree. I do not remember the name of that tree and not all trees can make toppers, I used to play that game in the 70's before the country fall it is great memories to see these kids play that game.
The Carpenters song - “Top of the world” would be very fitting for this very good video 😊
🤗🙏!
Great video, very enjoyable. Thank you. Them little guys were pretty good with their tops.
Take care.
That part of the knife is called the guard on the Tang
Look so fun
Hey Todd , if you’re not too busy see you this afternoon around 5. Nev and Zona.
Looking forward to it Nev 👍
Another awesome video Todd 👍🙂
Thanks for visiting hmong people.. hope to meet you too.
Awesome Laos highlands and hinterlands.
Great job there Senior Comrade. Always amaze watching you and Kongmany reaching out and Vlogging in the hinterlands. Always my dream to meet you Live.
Have a Blessed New Year ohhhhhhh.
Meanwhile Todd and Nene are showing us Laos, Miss Laos (which is Hmong) is competing for Miss Universe in the USA.
Awesome video...
🌹🌹
What a great video.Enjoyed the spinning top game. The people are so nice.Thank you for sharing 💛
Thanks for visiting hmong people
Good Memories, wonder if the hmong in lao still play the stick hitting stick game for fun. usually the little ones do it.
Looking forward to arrive in Lao
One of My favourite songs and my favourite Asian country.. the best country to ride a motorcycle threw. Would be nice if you had a geo link or Lat Long for some of these cool places.
Good stuff. 👍👍
I like how you plan out your trips and tell us about it. In doing so, really brings us along for the ride. Thanks again Todd and Nee Nee.
Its all good Mr. :-)
Nyob zoo again brotha!!!
👋 Nyob Zoo!
Thanks for showing it to us.
Loved it Todd, Would like to know when hmong games are coming ??
Thanks.. Will let you know when I learn more 👌
Amazing content thank you
Thanks Craig
@@NowinLao I’m hooked
@@craigcarlson8853 😉👍
When unsheathing the Hmong knife, don’t grip the whole sheath or you can get cut 😅
he should of said that's not a knife, that's a knife lol
hello does anyone know why the bank of laos has shut down 130 currency exchange companies ? nice video again todd and neenee thanks
Hey nyob zoo!
Hahaha do you have fun?
👍😎
My explanation for why it takes longer to get there each trip. Each time you go its like a rolling pin on the road. It compresses it flatter and stretches it out like making bread.. lol
Todd do you see they play this tops game during the Hmong New Year? If not they msy no long play it during the New Year.
Yes, they were playing it at the Hmong new year. This video was captured before we attended the New Year Event 👌
@ 9:11 can see the balls for the New Years ball toss for sale
Honestly ol mate you never cease to amaze. But I am not looking forward to driving on those roads with those bloody trucks from china?
sabaidee pimai
"Lady down here showering" and he turns the camera. Hey! i like watching women showering. Lol.
Name of song after intro?
That's probably called a ferrule.
$18.00 usd for those knives is still a good deal, even if they're not the same quality as the young blacksmith makes.
The mountain house looked like it has a packed dirt floor, not even concrete?
I hope their young son can have indoor plumbing and a tile floor when he's grown.
Unless a blacksmith is inferior or still in his journeyman phase, knives (& tools in general) produced with care by a local blacksmith usually are superior to knives (& tools) made for mass/tourist purchase along roadsides.
My maternal grandfather was probably the most famous knife and tool maker from this very village here... decades ago...
I myself was born in this village (if this was the main Hmong village between Luangprabang and Oudomxai). Unfortunately, we had to leave it, when I was just a year-old, at the height of the Vietnam War, around 68 or 69, when the Communists were sweeping across the land, making VP and the Royal Lao factions retreat to that other place Todd noted about (1972 - 73) where they finally surrendered or melted away, giving the victorious Communists free rein of Laos, with the CIA taking Vang Pao with them to Thailand.
Todd
Can Nini mum & dad speak English….? I’m so looking forward to his interview with you and him
That’s Hmong baseball man
Todd stick to the gum boot threw
Those knives made of scrap mental from the cluster bomb that was dropped back in the mids 60 by US.
"Niss vlage, on top of the world, djonn djong ..." your terrribl aussie accint is more an more funny , dear Todd , focus here in Brittany. It seems the more you go inside lao daily life (which you know so well) the more you get your aussie roots !!
All the best to you and Madame NiNi.
Haha.. yeah, how's that work! Cheers mate 👍
American, we call it top spin. The rule, whoever top spin you are trying to hit. If you miss, is his turn to hit your. You spin and he trying to hit. Simple
I can see how the west is so separate from mother earth. It's all about me, me, me, money, materials, and more materials. 😵
Those ladies that have darker skin are Khamu ethnic not Hmong.
Which ladies Chao?
Thanks again sir please accept my Apology.
Nyob zoo,
Love your videos.
Hello todd & NeeNee. I love the vids and the still shots. I sent you a message on facebook not sure if you got it any way I wish you safe travels and good health keep up the good work. D
Hi Doyle, thanks. Didn't see any messages under this name.. 🤔