The Role of Animals in Hmong Shamanism

Animals hold profound significance in shamanic rituals and beliefs across various cultures, serving both symbolic and practical roles. In Hmong shamanism, as in many other traditions, animals are seen as spiritual allies, messengers, and symbols of deeper cosmic truths. Animals are often used in sacrificial rituals to appease spirits, seek blessings, or heal individuals. The sacrifice of a chicken or pig, for example, is a common practice in Hmong shamanistic ceremonies. The act of sacrifice is believed to be a negotiation of the animal's vitality and life force to protect the person in need of healing or protection. Shamans will often transfer the negative energy, sickness, or dark entity that has latched onto a person onto an animal, most typically the pig or goat. Similarly to the bible, demons or devil tricksters can be cast out into animals.

In a traditional healing ritual, Hmong shamans use different animals for different reasons. A chicken in Hmong is called "qaib," but in shaman terms it is called something different. It is thought of that these are the original names of the animals from the "beginning" of times when humans, animals, and spirits lived peacefully side by side. Hmong shamans also use different terms for different colors.

The term "Puj tsiaj, puj txhu" is a term used to say, "animal." Below is the categorization for animal names. Please note that these are not published works, but instead like much of Hmong history, it is oral knowledge passed down from master to student for generations and generations.

English Terms	Hmong Term	Hmong Shaman Term	Sentence
Chicken	Qaib	Xyooj Kooj Cib	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kooj Cib
Pig	Npua	Xyooj Kooj Tswb	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kooj Tswb
Goat	Tshis	Xyooj Kooj Yaj	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kooj Yaj
Duck	Os	Xyooj Kooj Yuaj	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kooj Yuaj
Cow	Nyuj	Tuam Txhoj, Tuam Khaw	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Tuam Txhoj, Tuam Khaw
Dog	Aub	Xyooj Kawb	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kawb
Bird	Noog	Xyooj Kooj Cib Lem	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kooj Cib Lem
Cat	Miv	Xyooj Kooj Nyiab	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kooj Nyiab
Mouse	Nas	Xyooj Kooj Huaj; or Tsib Tswj Lwj	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kooj Huaj; or Puj tsiaj puj txhu Tsib Tswj Lwj
Cricket	Kab Civ Liv	Tswb Lwm Seej	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Tswb Lwm Seej
Rock	Pob Zeb	Puj Zeb Dub, Puj Zeb Dau	Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Puj Zeb Dub, Puj Zeb Dau

In traditional Hmong shamanism, there are three main colors we use when describing animals: red, black, and white.

English	Hmong	Hmong Shaman Term
Red	Liab	Hooj (pronounced hong)
Black	Dub	Hej (pronounced hey)
White	Dawb	Pej (pronounded bay)
Stripe or Pattern	Txaij	Yuaj Huaj

In a shamanic chant, to say "an animal that is a red rooster," you follow the sequence:

1. An animal = Puj tsiaj puj txhu

2. Chicken = Xyooj Kooj Cib

3. Red = Hooj
   

In a sentence, the Hmong shaman might say, "Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kooj Cib, Hooj."

Similarly, to say "an animal that is a stripe pig," you follow the sequence:

1. An animal: Puj tsiaj puj txhu

2. Pig: Xyooj Kooj Tswb

3. Stripe: Yuaj Huaj

In a sentence, the Hmong shaman might say, "Puj tsiaj puj txhu, Xyooj Kooj Tswm, Yuaj Huaj

How do we know which animal to use during a healing ritual? A Hmong shaman determines the appropriate animal through divination. During this process, spirits communicate to the shaman which type of animal is required to combat the illness or address the individual's situation. For instance, spirits might indicate that a pair of white chickens is necessary for a soul-calling ceremony, as the spirits see that only white chickens can summon that person's spirit back home. The shaman will then instruct the family to find these specific chickens for the hu plig ritual. In other cases, a black goat might be needed to absorb negative energy, and only a black goat can carry such a burden. The specific animal and its color are revealed to the shaman through spiritual guidance.

In traditional and ancient times, dog sacrifice was practiced because it was believed that the spirits of dogs had the power to protect individuals or families from ghosts, evil entities, and dark energy. Dogs were seen as protectors and guardians. However, this practice has been abandoned, and now stuffed animal dogs are used symbolically. Some Hmong families may still tie stuffed animal dogs to their front or back doors as a sign of protection to ward off evil spirits.

Tou Fong Lee, M. Ed, & Charles Vam Yeej Lee

TFL Hmong Shaman

Note to the reader: Thanks for reading! If you choose to utilize the information provided here, kindly consider citing the source accordingly. Below is an APA citation you can use to cite my dad, Charles Vam Yeej Lee, and I, as co-authors of this article.

APA Citation:

Lee, T. & Lee, C. (2024). The Role of Animals in Hmong Shamanism. Wix. https://tflhmongshaman.wixsite.com/tflhmongshaman/single-post/the-role-of-animals-in-hmong-shamanism