Between Two Worlds

Directed by: Taggart Siegel Produced by: Taggart Siegel & Dwight Conquergood Released: 1984 Running Time: 27 min Subjects: Anthropology, Southeast Asian Studies BETWEEN TWO WORLDS: The Hmong Shaman in America powerfully exposes the struggle of Hmong refugees in America. This classic documentary traces the lives of three Hmong families displaced thousands of miles from their villages in Northern Laos and alienated in American cities. Renowned anthropologist Dwight Conquergood narrates the rich history of shamanic rituals and explains the similarity between Hmong beliefs and those of Aboriginal people of the Americas. Rare and dramatic scenes reveal traditional ceremonies and psychological challenges faced by the Hmong as they strive to maintain their culture. A missionary's attempt to convert a Hmong family to Christianity highlights the pressures confronting refugees adapting to a new environment. The effects of their trauma are extreme in the Sudden Unexplained Nocturna