Visiting the Mien village of Phu Don Thon______All Photos ©Peter Whittlesey

I have gotten to know Fahm Choy, a woman with incredible presence, who runs the Mien Cooperative, and wanted my group to visit her village

Fahm Choy with Mien Creation Story published by Shen's in Fremont, CA Fahm Choy working in the Cooperative "shop" in front of her house Fahm Choy sharing the story of the Mien who have settled in these three villages This book owned by a Mien shaman is over 100 years old The Mien shaman learn to read and write some Chinese needed to maintain their religion. Tracey, who can read Chinese, said that there were names of Mien kings Fahm Choy's daughter with cousin carrying cut wood back to their home Mien children admiring the embroidery of their grandmother Grandmother watching one of her grandchildren Embroidering with Mien young boy in background Closeup of a Mien woman embroidering Mien women embroidering Mother and child My friend and our guide Tia paying for a little embroidered bag for cellphone