APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The city of Appleton is recognizing the Hmong culture. A unique library initiative is celebrating Hmong American Day, which was Friday, through music, art and literacy—as well as decorated pianos scattered throughout town.
“Music is such a big part of our culture, but there’s something special about it being shared together,” said Appleton Public Library Hmong family outreach specialist Pa Ja Yang. “That’s why we chose pianos for this project.”
The library’s Community Chords: Engagement through Music and Art theme this year, involves beautifully-detailed painted and decorated pianos, telling a story about the culture or the artists.
“It talks about their journey of being a Hmong American and all the opportunities here in America that children can now pursue,” Yang said, explaining the art on the piano inside the library. “The branches represent the different paths that children can pursue, and the tree represents the cultural roots of still being Hmong, at the end of the day.”
Five pianos are featured throughout downtown Appleton, and the public is invited to come and take a look, or to even hit some notes, themselves.
One piano is located inside the library. Another is outside of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and the Red Lion Hotel. The last two decorative pianos can be found inside River Thyme Bistro and the Long Cheng Market.
Yang says, the city of Appleton started naming May 14 “Hmong American Day” in 2015. On the day in 1975, it was the last aircraft evacuation of Hmong soldiers and families, from Laos to refugee camps in Thailand.
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