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Absolute Astronomy. (2010). Disneyfication. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Absolute Astronomy: http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Disneyfication

Asian Info. (2000). The Vietnamese Language. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Asian Info: http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/vietnam/pro-languages.htm

Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. (2010, November 30). Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from U.S. Department of State: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4130.htm

Business-In-Asia. (2005). Interview with Mr. Vu The Binh. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Business-In-Asia: http://www.business-in-asia.com/vietnam_tourism.html

Definite Journey. (2010, May 27). Vietnam tourism growth ranked forth in the world! Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Definite Journey: http://www.definitejourney.com/vietnam+tourism+growth+ranked+fourth+in+the+world-3-2-0.html

eHow. (2010). Vietnam Tourism Development. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from eHow: http://www.ehow.com/about_5457025_vietnam-tourism-development.html#ixzz17K3OoROG

Ellis, C. (2004). In Culture Shock (pp. 45-46). Singapore: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia).

Encyclopedia of the Nations. (2010). Vietnam - Agriculture. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Encyclopedia of the Nations: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Vietnam-AGRICULTURE.html

has7.com. (n.d.). commodification. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from has7.com: http://www.has7.com/commodification/

IndoChina Odyssey Tours. (2010). Con Throwing Festival. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from IndoChina Odyssey Tours: http://www.indochinaodysseytours.com/vietnam/national/festivals-con-throwing-festival.html

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Disneyfication. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Merriam-Webster: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disneyfication

Offroad Vietnam. (n.d.). Festivals, Holidays and Recreation. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Offroad Vietnam: http://www.offroadvietnam.com/eng/13-63.php

Oracle ThinkQuest. (n.d.). Lifestyles. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Oracle ThinkQuest: http://library.thinkquest.org/25734/data/culture/lifestyles.html

Pho Bo Restaurant. (n.d.). Vietnamese Cuisine. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Pho Bo Restaurant: http://www.phoborestaurant.com/

Ritzer, G. (2005). Encyclopedia of social theory, Volume 1. California: Sage Publications, Inc.

Runckel, C. (2009). The Education System in Vietnam. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Business-in-Asia: http://www.business-in-asia.com/vietnam/education_system_in_vietnam.html

Simply Wood. (n.d.). Lifestyle. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Simply Wood: http://www.simplywood.us/garland/sea_viet/lifestyle.htm

Spainexchange. (2010). The Languages spoken in Vietnam. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Spainexchange: http://www.spainexchange.com/guide/VN-language.htm

Trails.com. (2010). Impacts of Tourism in Vietnam. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Trails.com:  http://www.trails.com/list_39950_impacts-tourism-vietnam.html#ixzz17KDVmxVX

Travel Mekong Delta. (n.d.). Vietnam Clothing. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Travel Mekong Delta: http://www.travelmekongdelta.com/travel-guide-detail/vietnam/vietnam-culture/vietnam-clothing

VietBao. (2009, October 14). Salad Book-fast food of the Vietnamese. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from VietBao: http://vietbao.vn/The-gioi-giai-tri/Goi-cuon-Fastfood-cua-nguoi-Viet/55257763/412/

Vietnam Travel. (2008). Vietnam Tourism Statistics. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam Travel: http://www.vietnamtravel.org/vietnam-tourism-statistics

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). Conical Hat (or Non La). Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/articles-45-10/Leaf-Hat---Non-La.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). Contemporary Vietnamese Traditional Weddings. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/contemporary-vietnamese-traditional-weddings.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). Lullaby Songs. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/articles-40-8/Lullaby-songs.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). Match Makers in the Past. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/match-maker-in-vietnam-in-the-past.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). Rice in Vietnam. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/articles-218-34/Rice-in-Vietnam.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). The Mid-Autumn Festival. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/articles-98-13/The-Mid-Autumn-Festival.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). The Tay Ethnic Group. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/tay-ethnic-group.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). The Viet Ethnic Group. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/viet.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). The Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/articles-19-13/The-Vietnamese-Lunar-New-Year.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). The Vietnamese Value System. Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/articles-18-6/The-Vietnamese-Value-System.aspx

Vietnam-Culture. (2009). Tuong (Hat Boi). Retrieved December 7, 2010, from Vietnam-Culture: http://www.vietnam-culture.com/articles-37-8/Tuong-(Hat-Boi).aspx

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Is Tourism a Culprit in Commodifying Cultures and Traditions?

Yes, tourism is a culprit in commodifying cultures and traditions.

These cute fridge magnets that I have bought during my trip definitely reminds me of Vietnam. Such souvenirs are cheaply produced in large quantity. These are considered symbols of tourist experiences that are transformed into tangible commodities which are instantly recognizable. 

Vietnam Flag T-shirt

Another example would t-shirts. Vietnam flag t-shirts can be easily purchased in the markets.

These commodities appear as a result of tourism as they are seen as novel in the eyes of the tourist.

This is an example of commodification of tradition. While we were taking a break near the Mekong Delta, these ladies started singing in font of us. There is modification in traditions as performances are put up for the sole purpose of earning revenue. The meaning behind the traditional performances are getting less important. 

Although tourism may revitalize culture and traditions, their values have changed.

Selling Conical Hats

Coconut Craft

Craft works are always on sale as they are usually unique to the country and many locals are able to make them. Again, the meaning behind passing down the skills in making these traditional crafts are no longer important. Because most people in Vietnam are poor, they are more likely to be concerned with making a living.

Sale of Traditional Costume in Sapa

Besides crafts, traditional costumes are also available. This is something which I cannot accept. I feel that the  traditional costumes should only be meant for people who belong to the ethnic groups or tribes. Something of sacred importance should not be mass produced and sold to the public. Such an activity would very much bring down the value of the traditional costumes as well as the ethnic group. There is loss of integrity by selling cultures and traditions for money.

(has7, n.d.)

All in all, tourism has led to increased merchandising of cultural and traditional items. There is also simplification of culture whereby an item is used to represent the entire culture of a country, for example, conical hats. Tourism is therefore a culprit in commodifying cultures and traditions.

Changes Brought by the Growth of Tourism in Vietnam

Growth of Tourism

Growth in tourism has been tremendous over the past  years in Vietnam. From 1998 to 2008, there was a 286 percent rise in visitor numbers. In terms of tourism growth for the first four months of this year, Vietnam stands fourth in the world, according to World Tourism Organization.

(Definite Journey, 2010)

Vietnam Tourism Statistics

(Vietnam Travel, 2008)

Changes

Westernisation

The pie chart below shows the percentage of the countries in which tourists were generated in the year 2008. A total of 35% were from western countries and amongst them, the biggest source of visitors was the USA with 350,000 visitors, followed by Australia and France with figures between 150,000 to 200,000 visitors. 

Vietnam Tourism Statistics

(Vietnam Travel, 2008)

Due to interactions and exchange of culture between the locals and tourists, westernisation is inevitable. With the growth of tourism, things are evolving to meet the demands of the tourists. For instance, the rise of fast food restaurants. Fast food is often associated with the Westerners, especially the USA. Now, there are KFC, Pizza Hut and Lotteria available in Ho Chi Minh City.

Western influence is rather prominent in Vietnam especially in the younger generations. People are no longer wearing their traditional or national costumes instead, they are turning to casual clothing such as jeans and t-shirt.

Traditional values of the Vietnamese have also become diluted. This is very much evident in young couples where public displays of affection can be seen more often especially during the evening. It is of contrary to the recent past, where a woman would not even sit next to a man unless he was her husband. Another example would be that Vietnamese girls in the upper-class used to blackened their teeth permanently with lacquer when they reached puberty. However, only older women are seen with such teeth now. Young girls living in the city would rather spend their time attending to their personal hygiene as well as Western-style make up. Western perms and colouring are also gaining popularity over the traditional long, black hair. (Ellis, C., 2004)

Traditional-Modern Wedding

In the urban cities, modern Vietnamese weddings are often a combination of traditional and Western-style weddings . 

In summary, there is loss of cultures and traditions due to tourism.

Urbanisation, Job Creation and Reduced Poverty

Vietnam is moving towards urbanisation. Since 2005, the annual rate of urbanisation is 3.1 percent. (CIA World Factbook) One of the reasons towards this trend is the job opportunities available in urban areas. The tourism industry, although still developing, is a key economic role in Vietnam. Tourism is largely happening in the urban areas of Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City thus giving rise to investment and job creation in these places. 

By shifting the workforce from agriculture to the service sector created by tourism growth, it also helps to reduce poverty. Some of the industries benefiting from the growth of tourism are the hotel, construction, retail, and food and beverage industries. (Trails, n.d.)

Some forms of jobs that the locals take on are tour guides, receptionists, clerks, sales assistant, hotel bellman, housekeeping, chefs and waiters. Other jobs that I have personally encountered are cyclo drivers in Ho Chi Minh City and boatman at the Mekong Delta. In the informal sector, there are touts, motor taxis and the selling of self-made handicrafts.

Destruction of the Environment

Tourism bring about damages to the environment. For instance, the Ha Long Bay in the North is renown for its unique scenery thus attracting a lot of tourists to the area. Tourism development is increasing pollution, traffic, and bringing destruction to the wildlife habitat. These damages are often irreversible.

The Government of Vietnam and the Administration of Tourism have been developing Sustainable Tourism to minimise the negative impacts on the environment.

(Business-In-Asia, 2005) 

Improving Vietnam's Image

Hotel Continental Saigon

The growth of tourism would simply mean the growth of tourism developments. The rise in the number of hotels is a clear illustration. Hotels are not merely increasing in numbers, they are also rising in standards. Luxury hotels are a growing trend in the urban Vietnam. 

Some 5 star hotels are Intercontinental Asiana Saigon, Rex Hotel Ho Chi Minh City, Movenpick Hotel Saigon, Sherwood Resisdence Ho Chi Minh City, Majestic Hotel Ho Chi Minh City, New World Hotel Saigon, and Sheraton Hanoi Hotel. (Asia Hotels, n.d.)

Luxury resorts are also coming up in Vietnam. Some existing resorts include Sheraton Dalat Resort and Le Meridien Danang Resort and Spa. (eHow, 2010)

Disneyization and Disneyfication in the Modern Society of Vietnam

Cu Chi Tunnel

Vietnam is also well known for the horrendous Vietnam war against the Americans. A trip to the Cu Chi Tunnel will show you part and parcel of the life of the Vietnamese soldiers during the war. 

The Vietnamese soldiers were smart to make use of their smaller size to create underground living quarters with small entrances and narrow tunnels. These entrances were covered by leaves so as to avoid being noticed.

Life underground was rather self sustainable where there were kitchens, well, sleeping chambers, conference chambers, hospitals, storerooms, air raid shelters, and firing posts.

After all these introduction, exactly which part does disneyfication steps in?

Here it is! The tunnel made just for tourists. 

According to the encyclopedia in absoluteastronomy.com, disneyfication 'can be used more broadly to describe the processes of stripping a real place or event of its original character and repackaging it in a sanitized format.'

'References to anything negative are removed, and the facts are watered down with the intent of making the subject more pleasant and easily grasped. In the case of places, this typically means replacing what has grown organically over time with an idealised and tourist-friendly veneer'. 

This definition perfectly fits this tunnel. Just look at how clean and spacious it is. There were no snakes, no false traps and it was in fact a pleasant and fun experience. 

On the point of view of a tourist, I feel that disneyfication is not all bad. It gives us an opportunity to go through the abstract underground tunnel that is unique to Vietnam, even though it is very much toned down. It is just not possible to enter the real tunnels thus this artificial one was made.

I believe such a move actually brought in more tourists to the site as tourists are more able to get a grasp of life in a tunnel. It is much more engaging to try it out than to merely stare at the entrance of the tunnel and listen to the tour guide telling us how life was down there. Besides, jobs were also created for the locals. Even though it is minimal, there is still some form of benefits to the society.

According to Merriam-Webster, disneyfication is 'the transformation (as of something real or unsettling) into carefully controlled and safe entertainment or environment with similar qualities'. The above would probably be considered disneyfication as well. Traps all over were fenced to ensure the safety of all visitors and a gallery of self made traps was provided for visitors to view. This real, unsettling and dangerous place was transformed into a controlled and safe place while still keeping most things original. It fits the definition again, does it not?

Performance Labour

If you have noticed, the people working at the site dress up as soldiers and perform the activities done by soldiers in the past. They were actually acting out the scenes to enhance the overall experience for the benefit of the visitors. Disneyization? Yes, it is.

To sidetrack, these sandals were purposely made and worn 'upside down' so that the enemies would go in the opposite direction if trails were left. "Speak without voice, cook without smoke, walk without trails," my knowledgeable tour guide Khoa said. And that was life in this place.


Hybrid Consumption

This is another form of disneyization - a souvenir shop in the middle of the place, which many of us found weird.

And this was a place some for snacks. At this rest stop, there was even a place for visitors to try out shooting. It was loud, crazy and not cheap.

Here, at this historical site, you can see, touch, experience, buy, eat and play. Actually, I do not think there is a problem with earning some money from the rich tourists, but it is just at the expense of authenticity.

This lady was showing us how rice paper was traditionally made.

And these were some food products on sale.

In just a historical site, there were four forms of disneyfication found. All in all, I feel that tourism is the main pushing force to disneyfication.

Other than the Cu Chi Tunnel, there is disneyization in Ho Chi Minh City.

Rise in Hotels and Restaurants

Again due to tourism, there is a rise in the number of hotels and restaurants available. Small scaled hotels can be found in almost every other corner in all the districts of Ho Chi  Minh City. The restaurants available are increasing not only in numbers but also in types. Restaurants serving Singapore style food and Muslim food are on the rise throughout the years.

Lion City Restaurant
Ho Chi Minh City

Merchandising

In the Banh Than Night Market, all sorts of things were sold. There were food, clothes, belts, bags, and  accessories. Imitations of Nike and Adidas clothings were sold very cheaply especially when you buy in bulk. Fake Gucci shades and many other shades with copyright branded logos were also sold by touts as cheap as 40,000 VND each, which is less than 3 SGD, and that is if you are good at bargaining.

Growing Trend Towards Social Environments

Me, Phuong, Zhengyi

I have made a Vietnamese friend at the local Hong Bang University during our visit there. Phuong, my new friend, brought us to Highlands Coffee for a drink during our free time.

She mentioned that this was her favourite place to hang out with her friends. Besides, she also love to go shopping, eat out and go to the movies from time to time. We all clicked as we feel that our lifestyles were similar.

This is evidence that life in the city is changing and moving towards the social environments which are driven by combinations of forms of consumption.

What is Vietnam Known For?

Image

  

Image of Vietnamese, pole and baskets

Vietnam is known for this image.

And Vietnamese say their country looks like two baskets placed at two ends of a pole. (Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Rice

Vietnam is an agricultural country where 8 out of 10 Vietnamese live in the rural areas, growing rice for a living.  Rice is the main staple of the Vietnamese diet, occupying 94 percent of arable land. In 1999, a total of 31.4 million tons of rice were produced. (Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Rice Fields

A lot of foods are also made using rice.

Bun, Rice Vermicelli

Banh Khuc, Sticky Rice

.

Conical Hats (Nonla)

Nonla

Conical hats are made only by hand and are usually made by women. It starts by exposing the leaves, which were brought back from the forest, to the dews for a night to soften them. They are then flattened by hand or by ironing when the leaves are dry but soft. Young leaves are selected while the old and dark ones discarded.

Usually, a hat consists of 16 to 18 rims which are made from a special kind of bamboo. Last of all, the hat is trimmed and painted with a coat of attar oil to keep it clean and smooth.

Nonla

The conical hat has several uses. It serves as a protection against the sun, rain and rough wind. Vietnamese women also use the hat to fan themselves during summer. It can also be used as a container for vegetables or even a bowl to relieve thirst when passing by a well.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Leisure Programmes

Under leisure programmes, there are 2 main topics: festivals and recreation.

Festivals

The Vietnamese Lunar New Year

Tet

The Lunar Year Festival is the largest festival that takes place on the first day of the lunar year and lasts for the entire week. It is known as Tet Nguyen Dan or just Tet in short. According to Vietnamese traditional customs, Tet is a family-oriented celebration where it is an occasion for family members to meet each other, invite visitors and toast to each other. It is also a time for people to hold light incense in remembrance of the late relatives. On the eve of Tet, people wait for midnight, the sacred moment, to bid farewell to the past year and welcome the New Year.

Nem chua, Vietnamese fermented pork roll

Traditional dishes such as rice cakes are prepared in every households. People wish each other health and happiness during this most sacred celebration in Vietnam.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Lunar New Year Celebrations

The Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month in lunar calender. On this day, children throughout the whole of Vietnam would march with their lanterns on hand and eat moon cakes, with the permission from their parents. The Mid-Autumn Festival is therefore also named Children's Festival.

This tradition was first started in China at the beginning of the 8th century. It was then spread to the neighbouring countries. There is a story behind this festival, according to ancient manuscripts.

On the eve of the 15th day in the 8th month, Emperor Duong gazed at the moon, wishing that he could visit the Palace up there. The Emperor's wish was granted by a magician named Dieu Phap Thien. At the Moon Palace, Emperor Duong was welcomed by a Fairy God who prepared a banquet and entertained the Emperor. Hundreds of beautiful fairies danced and sang.

The Emperor enjoyed the performance so much that he wanted to bring the song and dance back to the Imperial Palace. This was how the tradition of gazing at the moon, and watching dance and song became a traditional event on the eve of Mid-Autumn.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Mid-Autumn Festival, Tet Trung Thu

Recreation

In Vietnam, people watching is a common activity where people sit by the roadsides or in cafes facing the street watching the world go by. Restaurants are nightclubs are popular for those who can afford it. Gambling is another favourite where people buy the national lottery, bet in horse racing, and play cards and mahjong. Adults and children also enjoy betting on cricket fights during rainy seasons, thus many children would catch them for this purpose. Children may also be seen tossing coins, sticks or stones along the streets, many of which gambling is involved.

People watching at roadsides

Vietnamese love going to the movies. Throughout the country, films from all over the world are shown. Some other popular sporting events include soccer, basketball, volleyball, swimming, hiking, ping pong and tennis.

People in the country often come up with their own leisure activities, using the resources available. Boat races are popular with those along the seashore. In places where elephants are found, they would be used to compete with each other also in the form of a race. Children seldom have fancy toys but they amuse themselves very well. They are always able to find things that interest them. Due to the large number of children around, children often play with each other.

(Offroad Vietnam, n.d.)

Mode of Education

Just like many other countries, education is done through schools. Education is of great importance to the Vietnam society as it is seen as an opportunity for advancement in life. Very often, families make sacrifices to ensure that the children get the education they need.

Vietnam has about 86 million people and 60 percent are under the age of 35. This shows how much education is needed by the young population. Every year, about 1.2 million students graduate from secondary education however, only 25 percent of these graduates enrolled for higher education. In fact, only 2 percent of the population, about 1.6 million, are in higher education institutions.

(Runckel, C., 2009)

Education system in Vietnam

There are a few possible reasons as to why the demand for higher education is very low. Firstly, only 28 percent of the population, approximately 24 million, live in the urban areas. Education is not as important as farming and agriculture are in the rural villages and mountainous areas. Secondly, it could be that families in the cities are unable to afford. As there are about four children per couple, not every child would have the opportunity to go to school. Most children, out of filial, would work to support their family instead of going to school. Lastly, it is also possible that children are unable to further their studies as it is generally tough to attain higher education.

Children would usually prefer playing to studying. We shall learn about their leisure activities in the next section.

Languages

The national and official language of Vietnam is Vietnamese, a tonal langauge. It became the official language only in the 20th century. Before that, traditional Chinese was used for governing purposes while written Vietnamese mainly for literature and poetry.

The vocabulary of Vietnamese language has been largely adopted from the Chinese language especially words that signify abstract ideas. The current Vietnamese writing system makes use of the Latin alphabet, adding extra diacritics for specific letters and tones. 

 

Vietnamese language guide

Vietnamese language is difficult as there are six tones to each syllable, all with a different meaning. Some other languages spoken in Vietnam includes Chinese, Khmer, Cham, and others spoken by tribes in the mountains.

A number of older Vietnamese still speak French as their second language while the younger generations are picking up languages like English, Chinese, and Japanese in schools.

(Spainexchange, 2010)

(Asian Info, 2000) 

The Indigenous Groups

As Vietnam is very close to China, the origin of many ethnic groups were from the different groups of Chinese. There are two groups that I would like to highlight which are believed to be indigenous to Vietnam. They are the Viet (or Kinh) and the Tay.

The Viet (Kinh)

In ancient times, the ancestors of Viet had settled down in the Northern and Central Vietnam. The Viet had played an important role in uniting all ethnic groups in Vietnam throughout the history. Wet rice cultivation is their major production activity and generations after generations of working in the rice fields, the Viet had gained a lot of experience in which they summarised the cultivation process to four profound words. "First water, second fertilizer, third hard work, fourth good seeds."

The ancient farmers also raise pigs, poultry, birds and some other activities would include fishing and producing of handicrafts.

    

Water puppet is believed to have originated
from the Viet people in the Red River Delta

Rice and green tea are the basic everyday food and drink while fish, vegetable or crab soups are part of their daily meals. Sauces are greatly loved by the Viet and they are usually made from shrimps, crab and fish. Spices like chilli, ginger and garlic are also popular. On festive occasions, sticky rice and alcohol are consumed.

The Viet live in one story houses where there are yards, gardens and ponds. Each house has about 3 to 5 rooms with the most important one in the middle for the ancestor's altars. Families are small with 2 generations living together and women are the ones managing the finance and the welfare of the family.

Games are played during leisure time and there are different games for different ages, genders, seasons, individuals and groups. Some play chess, fly kites and release birds for enjoyment while some engage is sports and communal games such as tug-of-war, swings, wrestling and boat racing.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

The Tay (Tho)

  

Banho village

It is believed that as early as 500 BC, the Tay have been present in Vietnam. Just like the Viet, the Tay are farmers and also cultivated wet rice. Irrigation methods such as digging canals and laying water pipes were already implemented at that time. During harvesting, they would thrash the grains out on wooden racks, which they call loong, in the fields and carry baskets of grains home. Fruit trees are grown and cattle and poultry were also raised. Similar to the Viet, there are household crafts such as brocade weaving.

The Tay mainly ate sticky rice and almost every family use stew and steam pots for cooking. Many types of cakes were made during festive occasions such as Bahn Chung which is square rice cakes made from glutinous rice, mung bean and pork, wrapped in banana leaves.

   

Banh Chung

The Tay villages are large and crowded, with hundreds of houses in some villages. Traditional houses are built on stilts, using wood or bamboo for the walls and tiles, straw or palm leaves for the roofs.

Some games include throwing con, which is a sacred ball made of cloth, badminton, tug-of-war and chess. Children would play spinning top.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Traditions of Vietnam

For traditions, there are three sections: traditional clothing, traditional music, and traditional wedding.

Traditional Clothing

Ao Dai

Ao Dai is the most popular and widely recognized Vietnamese national costume. Nowadays, it is worn mostly by women and only on special occasions such as weddings or funerals do men wear them.

It is similar to the Chinese Qipao, consisting of a long gown with a slit on both sides, worn over silk pants, likely derived from the 18th century.

But as compared to the Qipao which is tight and shows the good the figures of the women, the ao dai is loose and comfortable and yet still portraying the elegance of the women.

(Travel Mekong Delta, n.d.)

Traditional Music

Tuong (Hat Boi)

Tuong is a five hundred year old drama that reflects the rich and special culture of Vietnam. What makes Tuong different from the usual theatre drama? The usual dramas require actors to give up their individuality and transform themselves into the characters they play. However, the actors of this dramatic art make use of technical mastery to describe the actions and states of mind of the characters which is a different and unique style.

Through the special characters, Tuong has raised the lofty view of the desire to the true (Chan), the good (Thien), and the beautiful (My) and also the viewpoints of life of the ancients which are Benevolence (Nhan), Righteousness (Le), Civility (Nghia), Knowledge (Tri), Loyalty (Tin).

The art of Tuong includes painting, make ups, costumes, dance, pantomine, singing, saying through the actings, and a combination of traditional instruments.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

(anthonyvn, 2006)

Lullaby Songs

Lullaby songs are often heard in Vietnam especially at the countryside. It is a type of folk music that uses slow and free rhythms and are usually based upon a characteristic frame of melody. Lullaby songs are commonly used to lull little children to sleep. Besides that, Vietnamese use them to express their feelings such as homesickness or the feeling of a wife missing her husband. These songs, however, are rarely used to express direct feelings towards the child the singer hold in her hands.

(tranphihung83, 2007)

"o au o. The light in Sai Gon are green and red,

The lamps in My Tho are bright and dim,

May you go home to read your books,

I shall wait nine months, I shall wait ten autumns...

au o. The wooden bridge is bound with nails,
The bamboo bridge is rough and difficult to cross...

In the autumn wind Mum will lull you to sleep
I sit up during all the five watches of the night..."

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Contemporary Vietnamese Traditional Wedding

Traditionally, weddings were mostly arranged by matchmakers. Horoscopes were matched and they must be complementary. Besides, the couple should also come from the same social class. A girl's age is an important factor in determining her suitability as a bride. In the past, the trend is in early marriage where an ideal couple would be of age 20 for the groom and 18 for the bride.

Things are however changing now as there is an increased importance in career to both the men and the women. In the city, the figures have been raised by 5 to 10 years. Although matchmakers are no longer in use, some young couples still seek the services of an astrologer. Most would break off the relationship if the results were negative.

Vietnamese wedding photo

Parents can be considered the decision maker in a marriage for if the prospective spouse was deemed unsuitable, most couples would again withdraw from the relationship.

It is frightening to be left on the shelf and women who are over the age of 30 should be worried. For men, it is about 35. Individuals and families loosen their choosing criteria as these singles get nearer to their sell-by date. To them, it is better to have an unsuitable partner than no partner.

When arranging the marriage, the fortune teller is often consulted to determine whether the couple is destined to be together. The engagement follows several months after where families choose auspicious dates for the engagement as well as the wedding. Traditionally, the couple is to stay apart a day before the wedding day to prevent bad luck and on the night before, the bride's mother will comb her daughter's hair with several combs, each with a different meaning. The most important is the third comb where the bride will ask for luck and happiness for her new home.

Vietnamese wedding cake, Phu

The wedding ceremony begins in front of the altar where the couple kneel before their ancestors to get their permission and blessings for the marriage. The couple will turn around and bow to their parents to thank them for raising and protecting them since birth. Lastly, the couple then bow towards each other to show their gratitude and respect to their partner. Rings are then exchanged.

The Vietnamese wedding is similar to the Chinese wedding in terms of the matchmaking and the whole wedding process. This could also be due to Vietnam's history. However, due to globalisation, some weddings are rather westernised as they wear western wedding gowns and suits.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

The Vietnamese society is still keeping some forms of their traditions despite becoming more modernised. Traditions are a part of culture and the Vietnamese traditions are definitely what makes them Vietnamese. Traditions are passed down from generations to generations and who knows, they may be originated from the indigenous people hundreds of years ago.

Let's now take a step into the indigenous world.

Cultures of Vietnam

Culture, as we all know, constitutes a whole lot of things. Under this topic, I will be writing about three main components of culture: lifestyle, values and beliefs, and food.

Lifestyle

Family

Vietnam being a large and developing country, the lifestyles of its people vary from regions to regions. However, there is one thing in common for the Vietnamese and that is family being the most important aspect of their life. In many households, extended families live together and sometimes up to three generations of a family live under one roof.  Families have an average of four children per couple, with the father or the eldest son being the head of the household.

Family

In the family, respect is very important and everyone is expected to work hard. Thus, it is common to have both parents working while the grandparents look after the children. Children without traditional caregivers will be taken care of by elder siblings or otherwise be left at the day care center. Children must be obedient,  respectful towards elders, and helping out with household chores and the tending of livestock.

There is probably Chinese influence here as family is also the center of their life, with filial piety as the most important virtue.

Village Life

  

Rice fields

As of 2008, about 72 percent of Vietnam's population live in rural villages scattered throughout the lowlands and the mountains. In the lowlands, people make money by farming. They grow rice, vegetables, fruits, sugarcane, tea and coffee. Livestocks are also raised in some families and along the coast, people work as fishermen.

The life of a farmer is hard. People get up to work before the sun rises and only take a break in the middle of the day when the weather gets too hot, after which they return to the fields. 

Every member of the family has a certain job to perform. The heavy labour like plowing and digging will be done by the men while the women will do household chores, and easier work like planting, weeding and helping with the harvest. Elderly will do light labour, girls will clean, cook and work in the vegetable garden and boys will carry water and help the men in the field. In periods during planting and harvest, the whole family helps out.

Farmers wear lose pants that can be easily rolled up before they enter the field. They usually wear sandals or go barefooted. To protect themselves from the scotching sun and heavy rains, people wear conical shaped hats known as nonla. Nonla is in fact worn by people all over Vietnam, even in the cities. To me, it is a symbol of Vietnam.

Stilt houses

Many houses are built on stilts to keep above flood water.

People living in the mountains are very self sufficient thus they only buy things that they cannot make, grow, trap or hunt. Some mountain dwellers also make money by growing rice, coffee and tea. Other than that, they harvest rubber trees and some are even engaged in illegal growing and harvesting of opium poppy.

City Life

Is life in the city easier then? Well, it may be not as physically challenging but life in the city is still generally hard. Many people take on two jobs in order to support their family. Everyone gets up early in the morning and work starts as early as 6 am for some street vendors. By 6:30 am, the main streets will be filled with people on bicycles and scooters weaving their way to work in the slow and congested traffic. Hawkers start parking their push carts on the sidewalks and people gather to eat noodles soup, French bread and Xoi which is a type of sticky rice.

Xoi

Some exercise in public parks. Housewives go to the market place to buy fresh vegetables, fish, chicken or pork for the day's meals. Children go to school for half a day, either in the morning or afternoon shift, after which they return home to work, study or play.

Office work usually ends at about 4 pm while shops remain open until 8 or 9 pm. Families usually have dinner at about 6 or 7 pm and go to bed at about 10 or 11 pm.

Ho Chi Minh City landscape

People usually stay near their place of work. Homes are small with a small kitchen and bathroom and little furnitures. Most homes have running water and electricity but do not have appliances such as TVs and refrigerators.

(Simply Wood, n.d.) 

(Oracle ThinkQuest, n.d.)

Values and Beliefs

There are four basic tenets in the Vietnamese value system namely allegiance to the family, yearning for a good name, love of learning, and respect for other people.

Allegiance to the Family


The family is the most important factor in the value system of the Vietnamese. It is of excessive concern to the Vietnamese and the backbone of their society. Every individual strives to be the pride of his family. Filial piety is thus the most essential of all virtues. Every child must be grateful to his parents for the debt of birth, rearing and education. From young, children are taught to think of their parents and ancestors first and to love and take care of their parents as they grow old. One should readily forget himself or even make sacrifices for his parents' sake and his family's welfare and harmony.

The misbehaviour of an individual is not only blamed on himself but also his parents, siblings, relatives and ancestors. Similarly, achievements by an individual brings honour and pride to everyone in his family.

Acquiring a good name

The good name in this context is not literally the name of a person but the reputation that one earns. There are three ways in which one can earn a good name and they are by heroic deeds, intellectual achievements and moral virtues. One must also avoid all words and actions that damage his dignity and honour.The easiest and surest path would be to lead a virtuous life as the other two are harder to achieve. These virtues include the sense of honour, honesty, righteousness, modesty, generosity, and disdain for material gains.

To the Vietnamese, a good name is more important than any other material possession one could have. Only a man with good name is respected. The Vietnamese also believe that the best thing a man can leave behind after he had left this world and be remembered by  is a good reputation. Indeed, as a proverb goes, "After death, a tiger leaves behind its skin, a man his reputation".

Love of Learning


The Vietnamese consider learning as more valuable than wealth and material success. They have great love for knowledge and learning. A learned man is held in high esteem and respect by almost everyone in the nation. In the traditional social system, the scholar ranked first followed by farmer, artisan and tradesman. In the modern Vietnamese society, education serves as an essential stepping stone to the social ladder and to good job opportunities.

Concept of Respect


It is expected of a man to show respect to people who are senior to him in age, status or position. At home, one shows respect to his parents, older siblings and older relatives and it is often expressed by obedience. Outside of home, respect is paid to elderly people, teachers, and people in high positions. While one respects the others, he also expects to be respected by the younger and people of lower status.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Food


Food is one important aspect of culture as it is an essential part of our everyday life.

What comes to your mind when you put food and Vietnam together? For me, it is definitely Pho Bo!

Pho Bo in Pho24 Restaurant
Ho Chi Minh City

Pho (pronounced as 'fur') is a Vietnamese dish that originated from Northern Vietnam. It is also known as Beef Noodle Soup. As the name suggests, Pho is served in a big bowl with white rice noodles in a clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef.

(Pho Bo Restaurant)

Banh Cuon

Banh cuon is a rolled rice pancake. A couple of red shrimps, a bit of fresh rice noodles, a few slices of bacons and stalks of chives are wrapped in a thin sheet of steamed rice paper.

Banh cuon is also accompanied by the famous Vietnamese condiment, fish sauce.

(VietBao, 2009)

Exotic food? Take a look at Hot Vit Lon which is fertilised duck egg.

(andyzohoury, 2006)

Hot Vit Lon is a delicacy in Vietnam which is believed to strengthen men, the weak and nourish recovering women.

These three components (lifestyle, values and beliefs, food) add up to briefly highlight Vietnam's culture.

The next topic is the traditions of Vietnam.