Humans of the Redwoods - Bao Syphanthong

Bao from Humboldt: “I always find myself coming back here no matter where I go.”

As a Hmong translator and interpreter in Humboldt, Bao Syphanthong is a part of a vibrant cultural community. However, she’s noticing a loss of Hmong language among younger generations resulting in a lack of monolingual translating services. Having also worked in healthcare, Syphanthong envisions expanding career opportunities through our local schools: “We have good education here. We have Cal Poly and CR and they offer really good classes that people can take and grow from.”

A Vibrant Culture

Bao’s family is originally from Laos. After landing in Eureka, she met her husband Thavisack “Lucky” and through him has found a thriving Laotian and Hmong community that organizes traditional events and supports each other through difficult times.

“The Laotian community is really involved. We have elders here that run the New Years for us every year, which happens usually in April. If there's a death in the family, then they'll also take over that support role. And every person from the community will donate a little fund to help out the family.”

Hmong Origins

The Hmong language originates from the Hmong-Mien language family, which developed in southern China thousands of years ago. Over time, due to conflicts and migration, the Hmong people spread to Southeast Asia, bringing their language with them. Bao grew up speaking with her parents and doing interpretation for them, helping preserve the language in her life. “I feel like a lot of us Hmong younger generations growing up, especially me being the oldest daughter, we take over a lot of roles, especially with interpreting because our parents didn't grow up speaking a lot of English since they're from Laos.”

“A lot of my friends don’t speak Hmong anymore.”

Need for Translators

Bao and her husband Lucky both do interpretation and translation work for the local Hmong community, helping folks with doctor appointments, communication with the schools, and within courtrooms. However, she notes that the complexity and scarcity of the language makes it difficult for younger generations to learn and current speakers to maintain. For the monolingual Hmong speakers in the area, there is a lack of interpreters and translators, resulting in Bao to often be on call.

“I always tell my friends that if you need a side gig, being an interpreter is always a good way to start, even just for fun, but a lot of my friends don't speak Hmong anymore, so it's kind of hard to do when you're not fluent enough in the language because. It's intimidating, so I think that's why a lot of people don't do it as much.”

Syphanthong envisions a future with more resources for monolingual Hmong speakers in the area, but she also understands the traditional boundaries at play within their culture that sometimes makes it hard to bring help to those who need it. “Some families don't want to get involved. They just want to keep it to themselves and to their families because they're so traditional.”

“I wouldn't go anywhere else but here. I always find myself coming back here no matter where I go.”