Stopping from field work to speak with us and to sing.
This woman, who is in her fifties, was very kind to us. She sang Miao songs and asked us to go back to her village, which was up the road from where we had just come. She also waived to us until we were out of sight, which was about 5 minutes.
I am filled with a sense of wonder of the Hmong woman who kept watch until you were out of her sight. It is a gesture peculiar to Hmong. As a Hmong refugee from Laos, we do that as well. What she is doing is that if there should be any danger come upon you under her watch, she will come to your rescue.
Many uninformed would missed the significant of her gesture. But it appears that you got it!