MILWAUKEE — Tuj lub, a traditional Hmong sport which translates to "spinning top" or "spin top" has been played in Milwaukee for more than a decade, but now players have their first official courts in the state. The Hmong community hopes this helps spread the sport. tuj lub is pronounced too-loo.
The courts at Carmen Playfield in Milwaukee's Silver Spring neighborhood, completed last summer, represent a significant milestone for the local Hmong community, who previously played on grass.
"It's a time for you to release your mind and have some fun," Kou Lee said.
Lee helped lead the efforts to get the courts built at Carmen Playfield.
"It's the only sport we play long time ago in the old country," Lee said.
The game tul lub is more than 5,000 years old. All you need to play is a stick or golf club handle, some string, and a few large spinning tops. To start a player spins a top on a mat and the opponents attempt to knock it down. They do this twice at two different distances. After this initial phase, players flip the tops over and place them in a row at varying distances. Points are awarded based on how many tops are knocked down, with farther targets earning more points. The distances one needs to throw the spinning tops vary from 10 feet to 70 feet.
Tou Vang also helped get the courts built and sees them as an important cultural showcase.
"Show our culture and prove to them that we do have a sport, the Hmong community do have a sport," Vang said.
While local tournaments are held several times a year, dedicated players like Vang travel as far as Oklahoma and North Carolina to participate in competitions. His goal is to inspire other communities to build their own courts.
"We want to prove to others that it can be done elsewhere, that if they just get involved, it can happen," Vang said.
The courts are open to everyone, not just those from the Hmong community, and regular players are eager to teach newcomers.
"We like to let other race know that this is not just for us, everyone welcome to play," Lee said.
People can be found playing tuj lub almost any day of the week during warm weather. No equipment is needed for first-time visitors who want to learn.
Watch what it's like to play tuj lub
This story was reported by James Groh and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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