Overview

• Americans celebrate their spiritual new year, 'Noj Peb Caug', mainly in November and December, with rituals that include soul-calling ceremonies, venerating ancestor spirits, and invoking the protection of good spirits.
• Shamans play a crucial role in these celebrations, sending off their spirit guides to regenerate their energy for another season of healing.
• The majority of the approximately 300,000 Hmong in the United States are animists and believe that spirits live throughout the physical world, including multiple souls in a person.
• Many younger Hmong have not learned the spiritual significance of cultural traditions, leading to efforts by community leaders to preserve and pass on these traditions.
• Rituals often include the slaughter of animals as an offering or an exchange of spirits, and meat is considered a significant part of new year dishes.