Joe Bee Xiong arrived in Eau Claire in 1979 at the age of nineteen. In this interview, he discusses his experiences in Laos during the Vietnam War, his personal migration story, and his experiences as a qeej player at traditional funerals.
Narrator: Joua “Joe” Bee XiongInterviewer: James P. Leary
Date: December 15, 1992
Place: Chippewa Valley Museum, Eau Claire, WI
Duration: 2:02:20
Subjects: Funeral rites and ceremonies; Migration; Music; Relocation; Vietnam War
Copyright 1992, Chippewa Valley Museum. All rights reserved. For more information, contact the Chippewa Valley Museum. This session consists of an update regarding Joe Bee’s experience with Hmong musical practices and funerals since he was last interviewed in 1992.
Read the 2006 Follow-up Interview
Narrator: Joua “Joe” Bee Xiong
Interviewer: James P. Leary
Date: June 29, 2006
Place: Chippewa Valley Museum, Eau Claire, WI
Subjects: Funeral rites and ceremonies; Music
Copyright 2006, Chippewa Valley Museum. All rights reserved. For more information, contact the Chippewa Valley Museum.
Check out the video about Joe Bee Xiong produced by Wisconsin Public Television.