Listen: Hmong shaman employed by St. Paul to chase away lingering spirits from redevelopment parcel
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It's not every day that civic planners ask a shaman to chase away lingering spirits from a redevelopment parcel, but that was the scene in St. Paul's Frogtown neighborhood. The city of St. Paul purchased the site of the old Hmong Funeral Home. Before they call in the bulldozers, they allowed a traditional Hmong healer to give it one final blessing.

The Hmong Funeral Home at 625 Dale St. in St. Paul was the first of its kind in the Twin Cities. After the owner shuttered the business, the city worked with community groups to purchase the building with plans to demolish it and build something new.

Funders

In 2008, Minnesota's voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution: to protect drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve arts and cultural heritage; to support parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater.

Efforts to digitize this initial assortment of thousands of historical audio material was made possible through the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. A wide range of Minnesota subject matter is represented within this collection.

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