In today’s post, I will be doing a very general overview of Vietnamese culture. We will cover aspects such as family life, Traditional dress, major festivals, literature, and art.

Family Life

Traditionally, Vietnamese households would have 3 or 4 generations living together under one roof. Many families were guided by the saying “more children, more fortunes”. These households were often heavily influenced by traditional Confucian and feudal views of male preference. Men tended to have important roles in the family, often being the head of the house. Women often acted under the feudal ethics of “three obedience’s, four virtues”. The three obedience’s are obedience to their fathers during childhood, to their husbands when married and to their sons in widowhood. Meanwhile, the four virtues are diligence, good manners, proper speech, and morality.

Nowadays, household and family life is different. In recent years, legal documents have been adopted to make family relations more equal. Families now have 2 or 3 generations under one roof, and most couples only have 2 children. Advocacy for men’s superiority over women has become less common. However, with these changes, often times men remain the head of houses. There is also still advocacy for “respect for the elderly and love for the children”.

Costume/Dress

Traditionally, traditional dress has varied greatly between different ethnic groups. In fact, most ethnic groups have their own distinct costumes. Many of these are decorated with vivid patterns and contrasting colors. These outfits tend to be made out of natural fibers like ramie, silk, pineapple yarn and cotton, all fine, durable, and sweat absorbing materials. Outfits were often designed around the ability of people to work manual labor.

  

Men traditionally wore outfits consisting of white pants and brown tops with a scarf. They would also commonly wear ordinary sandals or wooden clogs called “guoc”. For more formal or official events, they would wear a long velvet or cotton dress, paired with a turban.

Women traditionally wore more colorful clothing. Daily wear consisted of a black skirt, white brassieres, a four-panel dress with a “crow-beak” scarf and a pergularia-like belt. For more formal events, outfits would consist of three layers of dresses. The first was a velvet four panel dress in a dark color or light brown. The second layer would be a light-yellow dress, with the third layer being a lotus-colored dress. These dresses would have buttons going up the sides and women would often only fasten the buttons below her underarms, and the upper part is opened to show the three colors of their dresses. Beneath the dresses, women typically wore a red brassiere. These outfits were often paired with a special conical hat called “non”.

Now a days, formal wear has changed for many. For men, suits have become more common than the more traditional dress. For women, many still wear Ao Dai, though its style has changed a bit. The modern Ao Dai is more a tunic with a slit to the waist with two loose panels falling down to about the mid shin.

Major Festivals

Arguably, the most important festival of the year is Lunar New Year, also known as Tết Nguyên Đánor just Tết. During this festival, following the Chinese Lunar calendar, families will all come together to enjoy a big feast. Tết is the end of the old year, so it is believed that one must wrap up the misfortunes to open up a new year of good opportunities. Many families pay tribute to gods and ancestors. Often performing traditional rites such as “the first visitor of the Year,” “buds picking” and “lucky money”.

Another major festival is the Vu Lan Festival also known as Full-Moon Festival. This time is dedicated to deceased parents, grandparents, and ancestors. Many families during this time remember the phrase “when eating fruit, remember who planted the tree”. This festival is often celebrated by holding worshipping rites. This includes leaving offerings to ancestors as well as wandering spirits who may not have anyone to celebrate them. These offerings typically include parched rice, dry pancake, candies, and fruits. Often times votive papers are burnt for spirits of the dead.

 

Another festival is the August Full-Moon festival or Mid-Autumn festival. This also referred to as the Moon Watching festival. Families will have a tray of specialties for members. This tray will be passed around as the families eat and enjoy the moon’s beauty. This festival is considered very fun, especially for younger children.

The final festival we will talk about in this post is the Hung Kings Worshipping festival. During this festival, traditional offerings are prepared. People prepare lanterns, incense sticks, wine, betel, arca-nut water, Chung, and Day Cakes.

Literature

In Vietnamese literature, there are three primary time periods that have been impactful. These are traditional literature, contemporary literature, and revolution literature. Traditional literature includes things such as folklore, classical Chinese, and Nom (Vietnamese scripts modified from classical Chinese scripts). Contemporary literature came into fruition after the National Language Introduction set the foundation. Revolutionary literature was popular between 1945 to 1975. This literary time reflected the nation’s aspiration for peace and independence after years of occupation.

Arts

Vietnam has various forms of performing arts. Interestingly, many of these types may borrow from other cultures. We will in this post talk about a few influential forms as well as arts that are still in use/popular.

 

One ancient and popular art is Royal Music and Dancing. This particular art has many different styles. This are thrived during the dynasty of Emperor Lê Thánh Tông. There are various branches, such as Trung Cung Chi Nhac (Palace music), Yen Nhac (Banquet music), Nha Nhac (Refined music), Mieu Nhac (Confucian Temple music), Dai Nhac (Great music), Van Vu (Civil dance), and Vo Vu (Military dance). While Royal Music and Dancing may have thrived during the dynasty of Emperor Lê Thánh Tông, it peaked during the Nguyen Dynasty. This art functioned as a way to wish the king and his family happiness, prosperity, and longevity.

Another common form of performing art is Water Puppetry. This art first appeared in the Ly Dynasty. This involves characters acting out many different stories. Characters are sculptures often with different shapes and personalities. Typically sculpted from wood and coated with waterproof material. The main reason it is called water puppetry is dues to the puppeteers being in water to control the puppets. These performances are often accompanied by music provided by a drum set, tocsins, and gongs.

Cheo also known as popular theater originated form folklore music and dances. Cheo was traditionally performed in villages. It is very popular in the northern delta region. Often times Cheo was used to teach traditional values to young audiences. Other theater includes Tuong also known as hat boi. This is characterized by its classical and scholarly theatrical art. Often it is compared to China’s opera or Japan’s Noh. Finally, there is also Cai Luong or reformed theater. This is characterized by its more traditional opera feel. It originated in the 20th century and consists of Ly folk songs and amateur music from Mekong Delta. It often is accompanied by an orchestra consisting mainly of guitars with concave frets and Vietnamese two-cord guitar.

Painting is also a very common art in Vietnam, in addition to popular sculptures. Painting is primarily divided into two categories, Folk painting and Modern painting. These visual arts are usually grouped with ancient sculpture as well. Folk painting is often split into two forms, these are New-Year paintings and Worshipping paintings. Both are often connected to religious beliefs. They were mass produced at one time using woodblock painting. However, in recent years, they have become extremely rare. Modern painting came after the founding of The Fine Arts College of Indochina and is often associated with contemporary plastic arts. Meanwhile, ancient sculpture has experienced continuous development, leading to a very diverse spread over many years.

 

I hope you have enjoyed learning about Vietnams culture through this post. If you are interested reading more in detail, the links are provided below!

• https://vietnamtravel.com/vietnamese-culture/
• https://vietnamembassy-usa.org/vietnam/culture
• https://www.odynovotours.com/vietnam/holidays-festivals.html
• https://vietnam.travel/things-to-do/top-festivals-vietnam

In this post, I will discuss values and etiquette in Vietnam. These are important to remember is you ever visit Vietnam to avoid offending people.

Values within Vietnam often center around humility, restraint, and modesty. This means that one should avoid showing off wealth. PDA is often frowned upon and should be avoided. Additionally, one should try and dress conservatively, as well as give honor and preference to the eldest member of the group.

When visiting religious sites, it is important to remember not to be a distraction. This means that one should avoid tight-fitting/overly short attire. Women should wear a shirt with sleeves and shorts that go to the knee. One should also remove hats when visiting a sacred site. This is because heads are considered the most sacred place on the body and feet are considered the least sacred. The head being sacred, means that you should never touch another person’s head. One should also never point the soles of their feet towards any other person or towards any sacred statues.

Another important thing to know when visiting Vietnam is proper greetings. Commonly, you can greet people by saying “Xin Chao”, this means hello. Some people may just say “Chao”; however, this is commonly reserved only for people who you are really familiar with. So, for strangers or someone older you should use “Xin Chao”. It is also important to note that since Vietnamese is a tonal language, you should make sure you are using the proper tones when speaking or else the meaning of what you are trying may change drastically.

When it comes to Dining etiquette, there are many unspoken rules. Before eating, you should say “Chúc mọi người ăn ngon miệng”.  This means the same thing as “Enjoy,” but also shows your excitement for the meal. Remember that the oldest at the table always eats first. One should always clean their plate; it is often considered offensive to leave food on your plate. You should also avoid picking your teeth. If you absolutely need to, you should cover your mouth with your hand or a napkin. You should also not hold your chopsticks straight up. This is because the motion is similar to a common funeral rite. Additionally, relating to chopstick etiquette, you should not play with your chopsticks, this includes sucking on or tapping them. It is also important to remember that you are not required to keep your bowl on the table, you are allowed to bring it up to you.

You may be wondering what you should pack/wear in Vietnam. More than anything, you should attempt to primarily pack modest clothing. This may not be as upheld in more touristy areas, but when in doubt, one should try their best to dress conservatively. This means long shorts, avoiding revealing shirts, covering knees and shoulders. One should also try to pack more light weight clothing as Vietnams climate is often warm and humid.

One the most important thing to remember is to respect others. You should avoid standing with your arms crossed in public. Additionally, you should also avoid standing with your hands on your hips. Both of these behaviors may come off as arrogant and standoffish. You should also avoid flaunting your money or criticizing others.

There are also many common taboos that one could fall into, so to avoid those, here are a few things you can do. Try your best to control your temper, especially when in public or around other people. You should also avoid public touching, especially with someone of the opposite sex. This relates to the value of remaining as modest as possible. You should also remember that the head is sacred and do your best to avoid touching someone else’s head. If you find yourself in a situation where you are handing something to someone, you should use two hands. This also applies to is you are receiving something. You should also avoid pointing as it can be seen as disrespectful and rude. Finally, when going into some else’s house, you should always remove your shoes.

 

To read more:

• https://vietnamvisa.govt.vn/vietnam-travel-tips/the-ultimate-guide-to-customs-and-etiquette-in-vietnam/
• https://internationalliving.com/countries/vietnam/traditions-and-culture-in-vietnam/

Human rights is always a hot topic around the world. In recent years, the discussion of human rights in Vietnam has become more prominent. Many believe that Vietnam has many human rights violations as they do not allow for basic civil liberties, as well as political rights. In this post, I will discuss in more detail the human rights issues in Vietnam.

Vietnam is currently under a one party rule by the Communist Party of Vietnam, or the CVP. The CVP enforces many restrictions that suppress what are considered basic rights. This includes restrictions on freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, movement and religion. The government has also set in place prohibitions on independent labor unions, human rights organizations and political parties. Additionally, recently there was a decree that restricts international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from operating in Vietnam. Another thing that many people take issue with is the removal of content critical of the ruling party (the CVP).

Within Vietnam, there are currently about 160 people in prison for peaceful exercsising of basic civil and political rights. Many of these people have been protestors and activists who are looking to spark change in their country. Additionally, in some cases, gatherings of people have been met with violence from authorities during peaceful marches/protests.

Vietnam also has strict restrictions on media. With the prohibition of independent or privately owned media outlets, the CVP has control over what reaches the public. The government decides what gets shared and what does not reach the public. This also comes into play with the governments strict control over radio, television and print publications. The government restricts what gets said. This is also seen in the removal of critical content on social media.

There is also pretty large restrictions on religion. Restrictions have been put in place through legislation, registration requirements, and surveillance. Religious groups must get approval from the government to gather and practice their religion. They are also required to register with the government, so that the government can keep track. While there are some government sponsored churches and other places of worship, it is difficult for people to freely practice their religion as they wish, especially with the registration and surveillance of the government.

Over the years, the CVP has promised certain protections that they have not been able to act on. They have said that they would allow freedom of religion and remove restrictions but, as we can see, there continue to barriers that prevent people from living freely. There have been many promises that have been broken or not kept with the country itself.

 

To read more:

• https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/vietnam
• https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/03/vietnam-rights-reforms-urgently-needed
• https://freedomhouse.org/country/vietnam/freedom-net/2023
• https://www.state.gov/2023-u-s-vietnam-human-rights-dialogue/
• https://www.voanews.com/a/vietnam-us-upgrade-partnership-activists-critique-silence-on-human-rights-/7267878.html

Endangered cultures refer to the assimilation and threatened extinction of indigenous cultures and languages. This has become increasingly more common in the international community, with more dominant cultures controlling a country or region and ignoring the less popular (usually indigenous) cultures that may have been in the area before. Within Vietnam, the endangered culture that I will be focusing on are the Montagnard’s.  Montagnard’s are indigenous to the highlands on mainland Southeast Asia, with ancestral lands that used to span over Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. While they are often collectively referred to as the Montagnard’s, they consist of upward of 30 distinct and diverse ethnic groups, including the Bunong, Jarai, Ede, Koho, Tampuen, Brou, and Kreung.

Map of where the Central Highlands are:

From a western view, Montagnard’s are often seen as fighters, largely due to the knowledge that they sided with the US in the Vietnam war. Aside from that though, little is actually known by the general public. In fact, Montagnard’s were not only hired by the US but were hired by both  sides. Due to this the Montagnard population experienced many casualties.

The name Montagnard, originate from the French colonial period. It means “people if the mountains” and has been adopted by the US since the end of Frances colonization. However, it is important to note that while they may often be grouped under one name, each of the different villages and cultures are unique. Often times, it is hard to group them into one category due to the culmination of so many different tribes. Regardless of this though, Montagnard tribes are mainly of Malayo-Polynesian, Mon-Khmer, and Sino-Tibetan extraction.

During the French colonial period, late 1800’s to 1954, the Montagnard’s were allowed a bit of autonomy to act on their own within their tribes. However, even with this autonomy, the 28 distinct tribes became one political unit under the French. When the French were overthrown and the Southern Vietnamese government took power in 1954, the Montagnard’s autonomous political status was abolished. This was followed by the banning of teaching native languages, burning of books and documents, and the Montagnard’s being forced to take Vietnamese names. Additionally, about 1 million Vietnamese refugees resettled in the Central Highlands. Ancestral land was seized often times with no compensation.

In 1958, the Montagnard’s attempted to resist the government. This effort was crushed and the Vietnamese government even resorted to violence in some instances. Many southern Vietnamese citizens viewed Montagnard’s as “Moi” or savages. In 1960, the Northern Vietnamese communist government, included the right for highlander autonomy in its founding platform, though when they did eventually take overpower, this promise was forgotten. In fact, the government even executed some tribal leaders, while others died in prisons or “reeducation” camps. Montagnard’s were again subjected to severe restrictions, such as limits on cultural rights, education, and employment opportunities. While the treatment of Montagnard’s has mostly gone unnoticed by the West, they gained some international attention between 201 and 2004, for protesting religious repression and the confiscation of ancestral lands. This protest ended in violence and has not been heard of since.

Nowadays, many Montagnard’s live in extreme poverty. They are rarely found outside of Vietnam, if they are from Vietnamese origin. While it has become increasingly rare  to interact with Montagnard people outside of Vietnam, there are nearly 12,000 refugees, many of which live in North Carolina.

 

To read more:

• https://carolinaasiacenter.unc.edu/event/endangered-cultures/#:~:text=Endangered%20Cultures%3A%20the%20Montagnards%20of%20Cambodia%20and%20Vietnam,-February%2025%2C%202019&text=Often%20collectively%20referred%20to%20as,Tampuen%2C%20Brou%2C%20and%20Kreung.
• http://encyclopedia.uia.org/en/problem/135023
• https://www.rfa.org/english/commentaries/vietnam-montagnards-10232018155849.html
• https://www.mhro.org/montangards-history

Since the end of the Vietnam war in 1975, Vietnam has experienced a plethora of economic changes. They are considered by some to be one of the most successfully developed countries in South East Asia. The country itself has experienced an incredible amount of growth in recent years. This growth has largely been contributed to economic reforms within the country that have opened the economy to foreign investors.

Before we get too far into the economy of Vietnam, I would first like to define some words that will come up. Here are some important terms to know:

• Foreign investment: capital flows from one country to another, granting the foreign investors extensive ownership stakes in domestic companies and assets. In other words, the investment in domestic companies in a different country by a foreign entity.
• Globalization: the growth in international exchange of goods, services, and capital, and the increasing levels of integration that characterize economic activity
• Trade: the activity of buying and selling, or exchanging, goods and/or services between people or countries
• Trade Liberalization: the removal or reduction of restrictions or barriers on the free exchange of goods between nations
• Human Capital: the economic value of a worker’s experience and skills. Human capital includes assets like education, training, intelligence, skills, health, and other things employers value such as loyalty and punctuality
• Physical Capital:  tangible, human-made goods that assist in the process of creating a product or service

As mentioned before, Vietnam is seen as one of the success stories of South East Asia. It was the fastest growing economy in Asia last year (2022) with a growth of 8% due to the exponential growth of globalization and trade. This growth has been attributed to three different factors. First, the increase in policies within Vietnam that promote trade liberalization. Second, domestic reforms that have helped trade liberalization. Finally, this growth has been connected to increased public investment in human and physical capital.

Another interesting thing about Vietnam is the role that trade has played in its economy. In Vietnam, trade has accounted for about 190% of Vietnam’s GDP (gross domestic product) as opposed to 70% in 2007. This economic growth has also impacted living conditions within Vietnam. As there has been an increase in jobs in recent year, poverty in Vietnam has dropped from 16.8% in 2010, to 5% in 2020. Finally, one part of Vietnam’s trade that has helped its growth has been the focus on exports. Vietnam itself has also joined/become a member of multiple trade agreements over the years. It has joined:

• 150^th member of WTO
• Has a BTA (Bilateral Trade Agreement) with US
• Part of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations)
  • Also part of AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area)
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific (CPTPP)
• Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)

 

To read more:

Globalization and Trade In Vietnam: A Success Story

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/10/vietnam-is-the-most-globalized-populous-country-in-modern-history/

https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/wp2011-020.pdf

https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/vietnam-trade-agreements

 

For definitions:

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/foreign-investment.asp

https://guides.loc.gov/globalization/definition

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/trade

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/trade-liberalization.asp#:~:text=What%20Is%20Trade%20Liberalization%3F,as%20licensing%20rules%20and%20quotas

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/humancapital.asp

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/physical-capital.asp

My country of focus this week was Vietnam. Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia. It boarders Laos, Cambodia, and China, it is also located near the South China sea. Vietnam is currently a communist state, though Vietnam’s early history comprises of periods of occupation by outside forces and eventual power consolidation under Vietnamese dynastic families. Now, Vietnam has a relatively neutral relationship with the rest of the world, including China, who they have had some tension with regarding the maritime claim that overlaps with the South China Sea.

The story out of Vietnam that I will be focusing on today is related to hair donations towards pediatric cancer patients. On Sunday the 8th of October, a program called Tram Toc Uoc Mo (Dream Hair Station) was held across Vietnam to donate hair for pediatric cancer patients. As of now, there have been nearly 3,100 women and children who have donated hair, and upwards of 150 hair kits that have been created. These hair kits have helped young cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy regain confidence at school as they wait for their hair to regrow.

To read more in depth about this story:

https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20231009/hair-donations-give-strength-to-pediatric-cancer-patients-in-northern-vietnam/76071.html

To learn more about Tram Toc Uoc Mo (Dream Hair):

Trạm Tóc Ước Mơ

 

XOXO

• Nex