TSL 4080 University of Central Florida
Vietnam A Cultural Handbook
Natacha Edmondson Tabitha Eisenberg Teresa James Chelsea Leitz Jessica Totaro Patricia Wise
November 16, 2010
Page 2
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
[A student]‌is not an empty glass coming into your class to be filled. He is a full basket coming into a different environment and society with something special to share. Please let him share his knowledge, heritage, and culture with you and his peers. -Robert Lake
Page 3
November 16, 2010
Page 4
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
TABLE OF CONTENTS Education (Natacha Edmondson)····································· 6 Children’s Literature (Natacha Edmondson) ······················ 9 Taboos and Time Concepts (Teresa James) ····················· 12 Music and Myths (Teresa James)····································· 14 Holidays (Tabitha Eisenberg) ··········································· 17 Values (Jessica Totaro)·················································· 20 Space and Kinesics (Tabitha Eisenberg) ···························· 23 Rights and Duties (Tabitha Eisenberg) ······························ 25 Personalities (Natacha Edmondson) ································· 27 History (Jessica Totaro) ················································· 30 Food (Patricia Wise) ······················································ 33 Family Ties, Courtship, and Marriage (Jessica Totaro) ········ 35 Arts (Chelsea Leitz) ······················································ 39 Sex Roles (Chelsea Leitz) ·············································· 41 Folklore (Teresa James) ················································ 43 Ethics (Patricia Wise) ···················································· 45 Religion (Patricia Wise) ··················································· 47 Space and Proxemics (Chelsea Leitz) ······························ 49 Bibliography ··································································· 53 Page 5
EDUCATION According to the Bureau of Student Achievement through Language Acquisition of the Florida Department of Education there were 2,680 registered Vietnamese speaking ELLs attending Florida schools during the 2009-2010 school year. On March 4, 2010, Erika Hobbs, an Orlando Sentinel staff writer, reported there were 1,698 Vietnamese speaking ESOL and non-ESOL students attending Orange County public schools, ranking Vietnamese as the third top spoken language other than English in that district. Considering that Downtown Orlando is the home of our own Vietnamese enclave, known as Little Vietnam, these statistics are not surprising. Educators need to be prepared and knowledgeable about the culture to help Vietnamese students reach their full potential. The Vietnamese are famous for their respect for education and love for learning. Vietnam provides a free and compulsory education from the ages five to ten years old, but less than half of those children go on to receive their secondary education. Some children have to miss school or stop attending to help at home and others just don’t have adequate facilities in their area. For these reasons, Vietnamese children have different levels of education, yet it is estimated that 94% of Vietnamese people are able to read and write. In fact, some Vietnamese children are bilingual since a foreign language is a required subject in Vietnam’s secondary schools. Vietnamese have been described as a high context culture, in which communication patterns are dictated by situational factors such as age, gender, rank, and the occupation of the speaker. In Vietnam, teachers are highly respected even though they receive little pay. To show November 16, 2010
Page 6
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
their veneration, Vietnamese students may call their teachers by the title, Teacher; avoid eye contact and/or touch; and, avoid speaking in the classroom unless they are called on. These cultural characteristics can easily be misinterpreted in the American classroom. For instance, some teachers may feel the student is being non-cooperative because they don’t participate in class, when really they are trying to show their respect. Since they are used to a more formal, traditional school culture, some Vietnamese students may feel uncomfortable with the relaxed attitude found in American classrooms such as wearing casual clothing or allowing students to eat in class. Additionally, many Vietnamese students may prefer more structured “by the book” lessons that are written on the board. Akin to the traditional learning style found in Vietnamese schools, students may prefer to copy down and memorize the lessons. As a result, many Vietnamese ELL’s fare better with their written English rather than their spoken English. For those students, it would be conducive to their learning style to avoid free lecturing, write key points on the board or use handouts, and give a summary of the lesson at the end of each class. Also, encourage the students to get involved in discussions to practice their speaking skills. During lessons, keep in mind that although many Vietnamese students like to be corrected while doing exercises or speaking, saving face is also very important in their culture. It is essential not criticize or embarrass the student in public. When teaching Vietnamese children English it is imperative to note that Vietnamese is a tonal language, which means words that are spelled the same way can be pronounced up to six
Page 7
different ways. The different tone gives the word a new meaning. They use accents to distinguish how to pronounce a word when written and to determine its meaning. Additionally, they use a Subject-Verb-Object structure. Vietnamese ELLs may find the tenses and inflections used in the English language difficult to learn since they have no inflections and the word order is different in their own language. As a collectivist culture, Vietnamese enclaves help to sustain their cultural heritage and community bonds. Orlando, home of Little Vietnam, is fortunate to have a Vietnamese enclave of our own. As the Vietnamese community continues to grow in Central Florida, it is impertinent that Florida teachers are also diversified and familiar with the Vietnamese culture so that they can create an inclusive environment that allows all children to reach their full potential and flourish.
November 16, 2010
Page 8
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
CHILDREN’S LITERATUR LITERATURE E Going Home, Coming Home By: Truong Tran This story was my favorite among the many examples of Vietnamese children’s literature that I read for this project. The book was written by Truong Tran, a VietnameseAmerican who moved to the United States when he was 5 years old. Although he experienced both Vietnamese culture at home and the American culture outside the home, Tran, did not truly understand who he was until he returned to Vietnam 25 years later. At that time, he realized he was neither one or the other, but a blend of both the American and Vietnamese cultures. The story is about a young girl, Ami Chi, who is on a journey to visit her parent’s original home in Vietnam. Initially, she feels sad and out of place in the new country. Everything is so different from the home she knows in America. Ami meets her Uncle and Grandmother, Ba ngoai. Since Ba ngoai does not speak any English and Ami does not speak Vietnamese they have to use body language to communicate with each other. After two weeks in this strange new world, Ami feels homesick. Her father takes her to the market where gets lost chasing after her new pet rooster and eventual meets another girl and boy who help her to catch the rooster. The young girl, Thao, is close to Ami’s age. Thao introduces Ami to new foods and a Vietnamese game with chopsticks. They become fast friends as they forget how much times passes. Eventually, Ami realizes she needs to return home and Thao’s older brother helps her to find the way. Ami can’t wait to tell her very worried parents about her new experiences from the market and her new Page 9
friend. She finally feels at home at Vietnam and she names it, “My home away from home!”. As she flies back to America, Ami realizes that she is both Vietnamese and American, a mixture of two beautiful cultures. This heartfelt tale is a perfect lesson for Vietnamese Americans to understand how precious both of their cultures are. Tam and Cam By: Mish Quoc Although this story is very similar to America’s classic, Cinderella, there are many differences as well. The story is about a young girl named Tam, her Half-Sister, Cam, an evil Step-Mother, and her Father. Like Cinderella, Tam’s father passes away early on in the story and she is left with her evil step-mother and half sister. Throughout the story Cam takes advantage of Tam, however, unlike Cinderella, Tam is able to get back at Cam and her evil Step-Mother with the help of Buddha, who appears throughout the story. At the end of this tale Tam is able to outsmart her jealous Half Sister and live happily ever after with the King. After reading the story to the students, they can compare and contrast Tam’s story with Cinderella using a Venn diagram. See the following example.
November 16, 2010
Page 10
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
The TET Pole: The Story of the TET Festival By: Tran Quoc The TET Pole tells the story behind one of Vietnam’s more popular celebrations, the TET Festival. Similar to story of Cam and Tam, Buddha appears throughout the story to help the protagonists, the Vietnamese people, to outsmart the antagonists, the devils controlling the land. This story is a great way to introduce students to different types of holidays and celebrations around the world. To incorporate the story into your lessons, you and the students can create your own TET Celebration for the classroom. After taking the student’s on a picture walk and reading the story, The TET Pole, allow them to plan their own TET Festival.
Page 11
TABOOS AND TIME CONC CONCEPTS EPTS There are many different taboos and superstitions in the Vietnamese culture. For example, in Vietnam tattoo’s are becoming more and more popular with the younger generations while the older generations associate tattoos with ‘social evils’. This is similar to the American culture since younger generations in America are also very interested in tattoos and older generations usually consider tattoo’s to be trashy, or the sign of criminals. In the classroom it will be useful to know Vietnamese customs and taboos to help the students feel more comfortable and to create an inclusive classroom. For instance, in Vietnam it is respectful to hand something to others using both hands, this action is especially used when giving something to someone who is older or who holds a higher status. Additionally, it is acceptable to pick your nose in public in the Vietnamese culture. Teachers should be aware of this custom since it may arouse teasing from other children of different cultures. It’s also important to note that Vietnamese people are less respected if they lose their temper and it is very hard for them to regain respect. Teachers need to be careful not to get to angry and lose their tempers in front of the children to ensure they retain the children’s respect and so that they continue to be a good model of acceptable behavior. Another interesting superstition shared by many Vietnamese
November 16, 2010
Page 12
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
people is that they are often weary of photos with only three people in the picture. Educators may want to be careful with the pictures they hang around the room and the photos they take of the students. One of the biggest cultural characteristics teachers need to know about Vietnamese people is that children do not look teachers in the eye as a sign of respect. Many Americans may feel that avoiding eye contact is disrespectful, so be aware and not offended of this particular cultural characteristic. A great way to avoid misunderstandings in class is to share taboos and superstitions among various cultures. Allowing students to share their differences through fun activities in class will help them to learn about different cultures and to realize their similarities. The Vietnamese concept of time for parties is often referred to as “rubber time” because they usually will arrive 10 to 30 minutes late. However, for educational and business functions they are always very punctual. To help the students with time management teachers should talk about the time during activities. For example, “We have 5 minutes before we start doing math”; “In 5 minutes we’re going to line up and go lunch, finish what you’re working on”; “You have 30 minutes to complete this assignment.” These techniques will help students to manage their time efficiently and assimilate to the culture of American schools.
Page 13
MUSIC AND MYTHS In Vietnam music and folk songs are orally transmitted and edited throughout generations. The authentic authors of folk songs are generally not known. Folk songs are written in rhythm or iambic pentameter in stanzas. They are created by multiple composers and other people try to memorize them and pass them along through generations. Many mothers sing their children to sleep with folk songs. Mother’s Admonition “The fatherly immense toil is as big as ThaiSon mountain The constant motherly devotion is similar to the stream of water flowing out from spring, You ought to honor your parents with all your heart, In order to decently fulfill the solemn precept of filial piety.”
“My child, sleep well, So mom can carry water to wash the elephant’s back, If anyone wants to see, go up to the mountain To see Lady Trung, Trieu riding the elephant’s golden backs”
November 16, 2010
Page 14
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
There are several popular dances in the Vietnamese culture that are performed with people of all ages and at many different celebrations. The Dragon dance is performed in many celebrations but particularly at the TET Festival (Vietnamese Lunar New Year). The dance is thought to expel devils; the dragon symbolizes a blessing and prosperity and is supposed to bring good luck. The fan dance is a very popular choreographed dance that is performed in theaters and often at ceremonies. Props are often used is Vietnamese dances. For instance, during the popular hat dance a group of women wearing ao dai, which is the national dress of Vietnam, dance and spin their hats in a visually stunning performance. There are many ways teachers can incorporate Vietnamese folk songs and dances. One way to teach children about Vietnamese dances would be to hold a mock TET Festival. Divide the students into groups and have them choose the type of dance they want to perform. They can create fans and hats from some basic art supplies. For the Dragon Dance you can use a picture of a dragon head and a blanket as the body of the dragon. The students can choreograph their own dance within their groups and then perform them for each other.
Page 15
A fun way to incorporate folk songs into a lesson would be to either show the students some folk songs or have them look them up on their own and compare them to their own cultures folk songs. Older students would benefit more if they have to look up a folk song on their own, because then they are free to choose one that compares to a folk song from their own culture. With younger students it might be fun to give them several examples of folk songs, let them divide into groups and try to put the words to music. The groups can create their own tune and rhythm to sing the folk song they choose.
November 16, 2010
Page 16
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
HOLIDAYS The most commonly celebrated Vietnamese holiday is TET. TET is described as the Vietnamese New Year. Technically the holiday lasts three days, in actuality the holiday is celebrated for almost a week, or ten days. TET actually marks the beginning of the new year on the lunar calendar so it can be celebrated anywhere from January 21st and February 19th. The TET Festival originates from an old Vietnamese folklore in which the country was taken over by devils. In the tale, the people of Vietnam relied on the devils for food and shelter, and in return they worked as sharecroppers on the land. The devils enforced a rule on the people entitled “take the tip and leave the root” in which the people would only be allotted the tip of the crop they were growing. The Buddha was watching as the Vietnamese people grew very sad with hunger so he told them to plant sweet potatoes. When the sweet potatoes were done harvesting the people listened to the rule and kept the tip as instructed and were reluctant with many sweet potatoes. After playing simple tricks on the devils with the crops the devils became furious and said that the Vietnamese people should have nothing. The Buddha told the people to negotiate with the devils for land that would be as large as the cast of a shadow by a monk’s cloak and a standing bamboo pole. When the people erected the bamboo stick it began to grow and cast a shadow over all the land as the devils were left with nothing and had to escape. The infuriated devils planned an attack on the people, the people retaliated by using rice balls, boiled eggs, pineapple
Page 17
leaves, lime, garlic, and dog’s blood because it was what the devils feared most. The people won and the devastated devils made an agreement with the Buddha to visit dry land once a year to see their ancestor’s graves. This is why TET falls on the same time each year according to the Lunar calendar. It is when the devils come back to visit dry land. It is also tradition to erect a bamboo stick to keep the devils away from their homes. In return the Vietnamese people have been able to live happy and plentiful lives. During TET, the Vietnamese people clean their house and make traditional Vietnamese meals. People clean their homes, and prepare for a fresh new year. TET is also considered everyone’s birthday. The Vietnamese do not keep track of the day they were born, instead they celebrate being another year older in regards to TET. Another holiday takes place on April 30th and it is called Liberation Day, or Reunification Day. This day is very significant in Vietnamese culture because it signifies the end of the Vietnam war. Similar to the United State’s Fourth of July, Reunification Day is a celebration filled with festivals, ceremonies, and activities that celebrate the nation’s pride. Flags are everywhere, along with the countries colors displayed proudly among the people and in decorations. The 2nd largest holiday celebrated in Vietnam is the mid-Autumn festival, also known as TET Trung Thu. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th Lunar month. It was originally stated that this holiday came about as a way for parents to spend time with their children after having a very
November 16, 2010
Page 18
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
busy harvest. The festival entails that children dress up and parade around the streets. They hold brightly decorated lanterns with a candle inserted in the middle which is intended to be the Earth circling the Sun. It is also tradition to give “moon cakes� to friends and families. I feel that all of the holidays mentioned would be great to celebrate in a classroom in the United States. It would be a wonderful opportunity to expose children to the Vietnamese culture, and what a better way than a holiday? Children love the ideas of arts and crafts and celebrations, and if implemented correctly I feel that they could obtain an excellent grasp on the Vietnamese culture as well. The one that stands out the most to me is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I would love to give my students some background knowledge on the holiday and how it is celebrated and have them make their very own lanterns that they could take home. I would have the students light the candle at home with their parents for safety purposes. But I feel that children would grow a better understanding of the culture and become even interested in learning more about the culture if they were given the opportunity to celebrate a holiday just as the Vietnamese people do.
Page 19
VALUES In Vietnam, the value system depends on allegiance to family, a yearning for a good name, love of learning and respect for other people. Family is the center of the Vietnamese culture and children are taught at a very young age that they owe everything to their parents and their ancestors. Children are also taught to forsake themselves and focus on their family’s welfare and harmony. They are expected to be grateful to their parents for being born, make sacrifices for their parent’s sake and take care of them when they are old. In Vietnam, a good name is worth more than any material possession that one could acquire. By having a good name, one can command respect and admiration. In the Vietnamese culture, a rich man with a bad reputation is looked down upon, but a poor man with a good name is respected. Names in Vietnam generally consist of three parts: a family name, a middle name and a given name. In Vietnam, it is said that the best thing that a person can leave behind once they have passed is a good reputation. The legacy of having a good reputation will ensure remembrance. In order to require a good name, one must avoid all words and actions that will damage their dignity and honor. A good name can also be required by doing a heroic deed, having an intellectual achievement or by moral virtues. Generally, the majority of Vietnamese people have a great love for knowledge and learning. Like many, the Vietnamese have a particular respect and admiration for intelligent individuals. Learning is considered to be more valuable than material success in Vietnamese November 16, 2010
Page 20
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
culture. If one is wealthy but not educated they will be looked down upon by others and will feel inferior to those who are educated, even if they have less money. The strongest incentive to the pursuit of knowledge is gaining prestige and having the prospect of an improved social status. Respect for others is one of the most important values of the Vietnamese culture. In Vietnam, it is important to show respect to people who are seniors, parents, relatives, teachers, clergymen and people of high status or position. Respectfulness is expressed by obedience in words and actions. However, respect is not a one sided behavior. The ones giving respect also expect others to show respect back, by virtue of age, status or position. One gains additional and special respect by leading a virtuosos life, by doing a heroic deed or by having a high degree of intelligence. Values are an integral part of every culture. Being a part of a culture that shares a common core set of values creates identify and a sense of worth. It is important that students realize their own values as well as the values of other cultures so that they can better understand themselves and become more accepting of others. One way to incorporate the values of the Vietnamese culture into a lesson would be to brainstorm with the class a list of traditional American values and a list of traditional Vietnamese values. After the brainstorming activity, the class as a whole would be required to create an oversized Venn Diagram poster. In the first circle, the class would list the values of American culture, in the second circle students’ would list the values of the Vietnamese culture and in the middle they would draw similarities between the two. This lesson would teach the students that
Page 21
every culture has its own set of values and although cultures may seem very different they often have similarities. Another way to incorporate the value system of the Vietnamese culture into an activity in the classroom would be through a KWL chart and the use of a book, such as Vietnam by Aleta Moriarty. Before the activity starts students will be required to write what they know about Vietnam (including their values) and what they want to learn. Then in groups, students will explore the book Vietnam, which is an interactive book that allows students to act as detectives to find out about the Vietnamese culture. This book helps students discover what it is like to live in Vietnam, what people do for fun, what the Vietnamese value system consists of and what people eat. Inside the book, there are numerous photographs from all over Vietnam, and interesting facts that students’ might not know about. After the students are done exploring, they must write, on their KWL chart, what they have learned. The book gives students tips to find websites that will help them to conduct further research on Vietnam.
November 16, 2010
Page 22
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
SPACE AND KINESICS Vietnam is similar to other Asian cultures in that it is considered to be a “high context society”. This means that a lot of communication is done nonverbally through gestures, facial expressions, and body language. While eye contact is considered to be a sign of respect in the United States it is a huge sign of disrespect in people older in age or people of the opposite sex. It is also no acceptable to wink at people of the opposite sex, it is considered to be inappropriate. Unlike in the United States, bowing is considered a regular greeting, and a great sign of respect. Bowing is almost unheard of in the U.S. In the United States, crossing one’s arms can be a sign of standoffishness, while in Vietnam it is a sign of respect. One of the more peculiar gestures I found to be interesting is that putting a person’s hand or hands on their hips is considered to be a sign of arrogance, while in the United States it is a simple gesture. Opposite from the United States, it is more common to see men standing close to other men when they are communicating with one another than women. Vietnamese women seem to prefer having a decent amount of personal space. Similar to the United States though it seems that women tend to spend more time in the kitchen, while men are found in other areas of the house, typically where the TV is.
Page 23
So all the while Vietnam and the United States both have similar and different gestures and kinesics it is important to refrain from using anything that may be offensive to a Vietnamese student in the classroom. A teacher would certainly refrain from demanding a Vietnamese student to look him or her in the eyes when speaking because it is a sign of disrespect in their culture. It is important to be sure that the student is comfortable when in the classroom so that they can be provided with equal learning opportunities and being aware of the students typical gestures and kinesics is the first step in assuring their level of comfort.
November 16, 2010
Page 24
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
RIGHTS AND DUTIES The Vietnamese culture has many similarities and differences when it comes to the priorities their culture focuses on in comparison to the United States. One of the similar rights that the people of Vietnam have is the right to vote. It is stated in their Constitution under Article 54 that regardless of nationality, sex, social background, religious belief, cultural standard, occupation, or time of residence that once a person reaches the age of eighteen they are entitled to vote independently. Article 54 also states that once a person reaches the age of 12 they are entitled to stand for the election of the national assembly. This is a difference from the United State’s culture in that a person must be at least 35 years of age to run for the Presidency. Another similarity that the Vietnamese culture has with the United States is the right and the freedom to innovate. Article 60 of their Constitution states that the Vietnamese people have the right to “carry out scientific and technical research, make inventions and discovers, initiate technical innovations, rationalize production, engage in literary and artistic creation and criticism, and participate in other cultural activities. The State protects copyright and industrial proprietorship.” A right and duty that the Vietnamese really take pride in lies under Article 64; it is the right and duty to a person’s family. It states that parents are responsible for raising their children
Page 25
to be good Vietnamese citizens. It also states that children and grandchildren have the duty to show respect and look after their parents and grandparents. And while in the United States families strive to show their children good values and morals. It is not written in stone that they are responsible to provide appropriate care to the humans that they bring into this world. There are laws against neglect of a child, and violence towards a child, but nothing that assures that a parent is utterly responsible for the outcome of their child. Or that the child is responsible for being respectful and responsible of their elders. I feel that this law says a lot about how the Vietnamese view their families, as well as the morals and values they expect of their families. Â
November 16, 2010
Page 26
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
PERSONALITIES Nguyen Phan Chanh was born on July 21, 1892 in the Ha Tinh province of Vietnam. He was one of the first graduate students of the School of Fine Arts College of Indochina, one of Vietnam’s most famous art schools. In 1928, two years before he graduated, he began studying painting on silk, a technique mostly used in China at the time. Phan Chanh appreciated the unique and transparent appearance of silk paintings and sought out to promote and improve the technique. He is now considered the founder of Vietnamese silk paintings. Phan Chanh used vibrant and soft colors to create mystique or a mysterious and powerful quality. Like other silk paintings, his works are usually of the countryside, landscapes, pagodas, historical events, or scenes of daily life. Phan Chanh’s silk paintings have been displayed all around the world including Paris, Italy, America, and Japan. Most of his paintings are currently being preserved at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum. Some of his most brilliant paintings include the "Play O An Quan Game", "Going into a Trance", "The Girl Feeds the Bird", "Rubbing the Back of a Bather", "The Bright Moon", and "The Dim Moon". Through Phan Chanh’s story and with a few simple materials, you can give children their own hands-on experience of silk painting. To create their own silk paintings, the students will need any type of silk material, stretched hoops, silk dyes, gutta or water based resist to block in the silk paint, and silk salt. You can find most of these materials in silk painting kits online or at art stores. The kits usually contain enough for about 30 students. Allow the students to choose
Page 27
from one of themes often used in Vietnamese silk paintings or create their own. You may want to have the students sketch out their painting before painting on their silk. Thích Nhất Hạnh is a Buddhist Monk whose humanitarian deeds helped to rebuild Vietnam after the war. In addition to establishing numerous monasteries, he founded the School of Youth for Social Service, a neutral corps of Buddhist peace workers who went into Vietnam’s rural areas to establish schools, build healthcare clinics, and help re-build villages. As an activist in the peace movement and promoter of non-violent solutions to conflict, he organized and participated in many non-violent demonstrations around the world including many peace walks located right here in America. In an unprecedented act, Hanh was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr. He was awarded the Courage of Conscience in 1991. He attended Princeton University to study comparative religion and has given lectures at various universities including Cornell and Columbia. Although Hanh was exiled from Vietnam in 1973, he continued to help his home country by rescuing the Vietnamese boat people who escaped from Vietnam. Finally in 2005, Hanh was permitted to return to Vietnam. During his controversial visit to his home country, he strived to inspire his fellow countrymen through group prayer, chanting circles, and visits to numerous temples. In addition to his many great deeds, Hanh is a poet and author and has published over 100 books. A speaker of seven different languages, he continues to promote peace throughout the world through his demonstrations, poetry, books, and speeches. Hanh’s inspiring life story is a lesson in itself, however, September 21st, the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, is an excellent time to discuss peace and diversity with students.
November 16, 2010
Page 28
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
After discussing Hanh’s story, ask the children to talk about what peace means to them. They can express their ideas by writing their own Peace Poem; creating a Pinwheel for Peace (http:// pinwheelsforpeace.com); or by making a peace and diversity mural to share with the rest of the school. The students can even conduct their own Peace Walk on September 21st. As one of the greatest mathematicians of our time, it is difficult to talk about famous Vietnamese personalities without discussing Ngô Bao Châu. Ngô was born in Vietnam and continued his studies at the Université Paris-Sud, where he completed his PhD. Recently he accepted a Professor of Mathematics position at the University of Chicago. At the age of 37, Ngô’s work was recognized as one of TIME Magazine’s top 10 scientific discoveries of 2009. The Fundamental Lemma, a significant connection between number theory and group theory in the realm of mathematics, was a math theory that many mathematicians have been working on since it was introduced by Robert Langlands in 1979. Almost three decades later, Ngô finally proved the theory. In addition to being honored in TIME Magazine, Ngô has received other awards for his work including the Oberwolfach Prize in 2007, the Prix Sophie Germain de l’Académie des Sciences de Paris in 2007, and the Clay Research Award in 2004.
Page 29
HISTORY The country of Vietnam currently has a population of about 81,624,700 people, and the capital, Hanoi has a population of 2.5 million people. Vietnam is a multi-nationality country. There are fifty-four ethnic groups in Vietnam. The largest ethnic group, which comprises of 88% of the country’s population, is called Kinh. The Kinh mainly inhabit the Red River Delta, the Central Costal Delta, the Mekong Delta and major cities. The other fifty-three ethnic groups in Vietnam, comprise in total, over eight million, and all inhabit the mountainous areas to the North and South. Other ethnic minorities, which have a population of about one million people, are the Tay, Thai, Muong, Hoa, Khmer, and Nun. The least populated groups include the Brau, Ro Man, and O Du, and consist of around several hundred people each. The name Vietnam originated in 1803. Viet, was acquired from the traditional name for the Vietnamese imperial domain. Nam, which means south, was added to the name to acknowledge the expansion of the dynasty’s domain into the southlands. Vietnamese, is the official language spoken in Vietnam. Vietnamese is a tonal language that is compared to the official language in Cambodia, called Khmer. Each syllable in Vietnamese has six different tones, which can change the definition of a word, posing as a challenge for foreigners. There are four regional dialects of the Vietnamese language. These include; Northern
November 16, 2010
Page 30
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
Vietnamese, North- central Vietnamese, Central Vietnamese, and Southern Vietnamese. These dialects usually differ in sound systems, vocabulary and grammar. Other languages spoken in Vietnam are Chinese, Khmer, and Cham. In written form, the Vietnamese use the Roman alphabet, as well as accent marks to show tones. The Vietnam culture combines both tradition and innovation. Between 200BC and 938AD, the Chinese ruled over the Vietnam region. This ruling led to the inclusion of the Chinese population and culture within the Vietnamese borders. As ancient as 4,000 years, the Vietnamese culture has been subject to many changes. Along with the influence of the Chinese culture, Vietnam has also become a blend of indigenous cultures as well as a combination of Polynesian and Western influences. There are various ways to incorporate the history of the Vietnamese culture into a lesson in the classroom. Every country and culture has its own history. Students must learn about cultures other than their own in order to draw conclusions based on differences and similarities, and become more accepting of others. One way to incorporate the history of Vietnam into a lesson would be to choose a book such as, A Look At Vietnam (Our World) by Helen Frost and Gail Saunders- Smith. This small children’s book provides pictures and simple text about the country of Vietnam. Young elementary students will be able to read it themselves, with some assistance on the more complex words. It includes color photographs, an
Page 31
index and a glossary. It is suitable for young children in a classroom setting and can be used in conjunction with a class project about the country of Vietnam. Another way to incorporate the history of Vietnam into a lesson would be through a PowerPoint presentation which highlights various aspects of Vietnam’s history by displaying pictures and audio. Only small amounts of text would be needed and they would cover important dates or interesting facts. The use of PowerPoint provides the students with visual and minimal amount of text. After the PowerPoint presentation is done, teachers can assign their students to make their own PowerPoint on a culture of their choice to be presented on a later date.
November 16, 2010
Page 32
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
FOOD The Vietnamese cuisine is a style of cooking derived from Vietnam with the fish sauce, soy sauce, rice and many more things in the cuisine. I noticed in the research that the Vietnamese are very big into using different sauces for their food. Such as using soy sauce, fish sauce, pawn sauce to put into their stir-fry dishes. In these types of food in the Vietnamese cuisine is that there are so many different herbs in the food. For example, there are herbs like lemongrass mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander and Thai basil leaves. In the Vietnamese cooking they are expecting to cook everything fresh and make sure that everything is going to be healthy for them. The common meat in the Vietnamese cuisine is beef, pork, chicken, fish, and other seafood too. Most of the food is all about being fresh. However, Vietnamese cuisine they like to realize on their vegetables. Because of their region, the home-style Vietnamese cooking does call for an array of simple dishes to be made when cooking a big meal for the family. While researching about all the food I noticed that while cooking a meal for a family they are really big into cooking with fruits and vegetables in their meals. There are various ways to cook Vietnamese food. You can stir fry, boil, steam, deep fry. Even though Vietnamese use a minimal amount of oil while cooking.
Page 33
Lastly, when a Vietnamese family eats out they go to a restaurant that is known for one of their specialties that a family will go because they do not know how to cook that meal. However, recipes have been passed down generations to generations for a very long time. My ESOL strategy is that I’d like the students to try the moon cake that I’d provided for them and tell me what they thought of the cake and what the texture is. The other ESOL strategy for the students will be to take them on a field trip to a Vietnamese Supermarket and have them compare and contrast the regular supermarket and the Vietnamese supermarket.
November 16, 2010
Page 34
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
FAMILY TIES, COURTSH COURTSHIP, IP, AND MARRIAGE The most important part of Vietnamese society is family. Generally, families are large, close- knit and loyal. The husband is considered to be the head of the household and has financial authority in all of the family matters. The father expects his wife and children to respect him. In return, he is responsible for acquiring the best education for his children that he can afford. When the sons of the family get married, the father continues to help them with advice and money. In the traditional Vietnamese family, the father can punish his children when he deems it necessary; his children need to ask permission for many things. The second person in authority is the first-born son of the household. When the father dies, the oldest son must take responsibilities for his duties. Younger siblings in the family must ask the oldest son for permission for many things including playing or visiting with friends. The woman of the house is called n么i tuong (general of the interior). The mother of the household manages the family and buys items like food, clothing, and other basic necessities. In rural areas of Vietnam, both the husband and wife work in the fields, however the man does the heavy work. Generally, the women tend to the gardens, take care of the children, cook, and clean. Daughters are expected to serve and obey their fathers when they are living under his roof. When they get married they are expected to serve and obey their husbands, and if they become widowed, they are to serve and obey their oldest son. Vietnamese women live by four virtues; hard work, beauty, refined speech and excellent conduct.
Page 35
In the Vietnamese culture, marriage is an expected rite of passage. In the past, marriage was considered to be a duty and was generally arranged by the families. Today, people are fighting for their right to marry who they choose and younger people are gaining more opportunities to meet each other, which has lessened the role of match making for the parents. In Vietnam, there are certain standards to be maintained when choosing a spouse. Social rank, education, and moral history must be similar in background and at about the same level for possible couples. The Vietnamese place a high emphasis on horoscopes and look to them for guidance when choosing a mate. According to culture, horoscopes should blend, not conflict in couples. In the past, girls often got married around the age of thirteen and boys would marry at about the age of sixteen. Marriage was conducted at a young age for economic reasons. For example, if the girl’s family consisted of several people, her parents would want to marry her off so that they would have one less mouth to feed. On the boy’s side of things, a wife acted as another helping hand in the fields and a prospect of more children to work the lands. Today, it is common for women to get married between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two. Men commonly get married between the ages of twenty-two and twenty five. In cities with western influences, people tend to marry at older ages. Courting is more indirect in the Vietnamese culture than it is in most Western cultures. The Vietnamese relationship occurs in several stages and lasts for a long period of time.
November 16, 2010
Page 36
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
Generally, relationships start with a friendly date, at a public place, and is accompanied by other friends. During this stage of courting there are no public displays of affection. In the second stage of courting, couples may go out together without their friends. However, the relationship must still be discrete. Women generally need to take things slow and play “hard to get” because it is inappropriate if they take a relationship too fast. Courting may last for years until the women accepts the man and they become boyfriend and girlfriend. After some time, the couple may decide to take things public. They will usually inform their family and friends about their relationship. Men visit the woman’s family and introduce themselves formally to her parents. It is appropriate for men to bring small gifts to the woman’s family every time he visits. In Vietnam, couples must have a formal proposal of marriage. This occurs when the couple’s horoscope is consulted for the right time and hour, and the man’s family is at the woman’s home. During the proposal, the man’s family presents gifts to the woman’s family by placing them on the ancestral altar. After a long conversation, the head of the woman’s family removes the gifts and splits the edible gifts into two parts. The man’s side receives the smaller half as a sign that the woman’s family is not greedy. This indicates good luck and a close alliance between the families. The term family is universal. Every country and culture is comprised of families and they all vary drastically. To incorporate an activity about the traditional family in Vietnam, teachers’ can show their class a video, such as Families of Vietnam (Families of the World) directed by Mark Marquisee. This video shows the lives of two children and their families in Vietnam. Families of Page 37
Vietnam (Families of the World), displays the way of life in Vietnam, family interaction, foods and celebrations. From breakfast to bedtime, viewers can visit the city, country, community, school and homes of the two families in Vietnam. This activity will allow students to see, with their own eyes, two real families in Vietnam and learn how they operate. Another activity to incorporate in a classroom would be a role-playing exercise. The students could use their prior knowledge about the Vietnamese culture and family dynamics to properly display and act out how a traditional family in Vietnam runs. Teachers could create not cards with one-word titles, such as father, son, mother, and daughter and hand them out to a group of students. Looking at their title, the students must act out a family conversation or moment for at least five minutes. This activity will give students the chance to personally feel what it is like to be a member of a family in Vietnam, as well as allow the students to draw similarities or differences between their own families and Vietnamese families.
November 16, 2010
Page 38
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
ARTS Art is defined as “the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance� (Dictionary). Art is an important part of every culture, it is a form of expression and way to carry on traditions from generation to generation. Vietnam has a rich history of arts and crafts and they are a very important part of their culture. Many of their origins stem from other traditions such as Chinese, Indian, Malay, and European, but over the centuries they have evolved into that which is distinctly Vietnamese. (Vietnamese Traditional Arts And Crafts) In present day Vietnam the arts are a very prevalent and important part of the culture but it wasn’t always this way. Due to decades of conflict many priceless relics were ruined and many ancient traditions were destroyed. Fortunately with the restoration of peace back to the country the arts were able to flourish. A way that an ESOL teacher could present this to their students would be a time line. The teacher could display the various changes in Vietnamese art and when they occurred. He or she could also put events that had an impact on art on the timeline with pictures or a simple description. A common form of Vietnamese art is ceramics, which is glazed pottery. Vietnamese pottery is a combination of informality and great technical skill. Vietnamese ceramics started during the rule of the Chinese from 111 B.C. to AD 939 and has continued to change and develop ever since. The unique interface between art and technology gives the ceramics a certain flavor and individuality. An ESOL strategy that could be used to show Vietnamese ceramics to students could be flash cards with a picture of the piece
Page 39
of pottery and then its name and the time it was created on the back. This would be a fun and easy way for the students to be exposed to various pieces of artwork and also a way for them to work on their reading and pronunciation. The teacher would have to be careful to make sure that the names of the pieces were translated to English and appropriate to the student’s level of English. That way the activity wouldn’t be a negative experience for the student because they can’t fully participate. Another handicraft that is common and popular in Vietnamese culture is woodworking. Through woodworking came about lacquerware which is, “the skill of creating highly-polished articles by coating them with several layers of resin developed into sophisticated art” (Vietnamese Traditional Arts and Crafts). Traditionally the Vietnamese people have coated their utensils with lacquer in order to not only to enhance their durability but also increase their beauty. Lacquerware includes items such as vases and furniture that are made of wood with inlaid designs of gold, silver, pearl, or eggshell. The skill of the gold and silver smith also adds to the value of each lacquered item as well as the beauty. The surfaces are covered with a shiny coating of lacquer. This lacquer comes from the sap of the son tree. The average piece of woodwork needs about ten coats of lacquer and each coats takes about seven days to dry. Sharing this information with the students would give them insight into how much hard work and dedication the artist put into their pieces and also the importance of the art to the Vietnamese culture. The teacher could bring in a sample of Vietnamese lacquer ware or let the class view an interactive website the way they would be able to use the visual learning to really see what laquerware is.
November 16, 2010
Page 40
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
SEX ROLES An important part of culture that differs vastly all around the world is sex roles, the roles that men and women take on in society, the workplace, and especially in the home. Over time the roles of both men and woman have changed vastly in many countries and cultures. Vietnam is no exception, with recent changes in government policy and the implementing of a new open door policy their gender roles are expected to change. If you are teaching elementary students the concepts of gender roles could be a more difficult concept to grasp an ESOL strategy to use would be group discussion. You could have the students form groups and talk about the different things they see men and women do in their culture and how they are treated. For instance one student might say she sees many women police officers where she’s from and they are treated the same as men. Where as another student may say that in their culture it is very unlikely and seen as taboo for a woman to be in such a dangerous line of work. Household duties are an area of daily life that is taken on by either the man or the women depending on the culture. A household chore or housework is unpaid work that is done in order to keep up with the household and the family members in it. In Vietnam the women take on this responsibility regardless of whether they are employed or not. This topic could also be put on the floor for discussion. The students could talk about who does the chores at home. Many of the students would find it interesting to see how the way their culture does things might be extremely different to the way the culture they are learning about does. This will help them to learn to embrace the differences among cultures and appreciate them. Page 41
In addition to housework gender also plays a role when it comes to decision making in regards to important areas of domestic life. It has been found the in Vietnam is most areas of household decision making women have just as an important role as men. In a survey done by the Population Studies Center by the University of Michigan they asked respondents who made the important decisions during the first few years of marriage. The researchers put these decisions under four main categories: household production, the purchase of expensive goods, family and kin relations, and social life. They were allowed to answer: mainly the husband, mainly the wife, husband and wife, or outside sources. They found that the gender of the person answering the question has an effect on the response. The husbands were more like to say that they mainly made the decisions than women were. The study found that both men and women said that the husband has a bigger influence in decisions about both household production and making expensive purchases. But when it came to make decisions about social life and family relationships both men and women agreed that those were made as a couple. Reports and statistical information can be overwhelming and difficult to grasp for students but yet sometimes it is the only way to present the information. An ESOL strategy to use would be to create or show a table that has the results clearly shown. You could explain it the class and have an activity where the students gather information from their classmates and create their own charts or reports.
November 16, 2010
Page 42
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
FOLKLORE In Vietnam there are many stories and tales are that are read and told on special occasions. There is a very popular story called Chu Cuoi-the Man in the Moon that is told during the New Year celebration called TET. This tale is about a woodcutter who finds a banyan tree that has healing powers. He used the banyan tree to save the lords daughter who was very ill. The lord thanked the man by giving him his daughters hand in marriage. The poor woodcutter was now very rich, has a large house, a beautiful wife, and a magical tree in his back yard. His wife loved to plant flowers and herbs, he told her she could plant everywhere on their property except near his banyan tree. After two months the only place left for her to plant was near the banyan tree and she thought that she could plant gently around it. She accidently cut one of the banyan trees roots with her shovel and the tree began to shake and uproot itself. As it started raising up off the ground she screamed and the woodcutter came running. As the last root came out of the ground he grabbed on, and the banyan tree climbed higher and higher till it re-rooted on the moon. They say if you look closely you can see the woodcutter under his banyan tree with his flute. During the TET holiday children will gather around their elders to
Page 43
hear them tell the story. I think a good way of incorporating Vietnamese stories into the classroom is to tell them the stories. Explain to the class the Vietnamese holidays and the different stories that are told. American children can relate with Christmas, Hanukkah, and stories that are told around those holidays. It will be very helpful for all students to know about each others cultures and the holidays they celebrate and the stories that mean something during their celebrations.
November 16, 2010
Page 44
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
ETHICS In Vietnam, the most important thing is family values. The family is in the center of the Vietnamese common man’s preoccupation. If a child misbehaved not only is he or her are blamed but also the rest of the family. The children in the family are taught from an early childhood to readily forget himself for the sake of his family’s welfare and harmony. There has been a thing in Vietnam about the “good and bad name.” The concept of having a good name is that the name cannot be underestimated. The good names are better than any material possession in this world. If a man wants to secure his good name he must have respect and admiration from his fellow countrymen. Now with someone that has a “bad name” can be disclaimed by his fellow countrymen and also become a disgrace to his family. In order for a man to acquire that good name he must avoid all words and actions that may damage his dignity and honor. Vietnamese people are very modest and courteous people. They have a very simple lifestyle. With marriage it is considered sacred and they strongly believe in the play of fate choosing their mate. The ages for women are between 18-25 and for men it is 20-39. They do have arranged marriages that mates have been chosen by the family but the bride and groom are given the right to voice their opinions. After being married the married couple moves in with the Page 45
husband’s family and the wife is suppose to help to all the household chores for her in laws. However, the engagement is a bigger ceremony then the actually wedding. The family celebrates the engagement party because it is the announcement of their wedding and the celebration between the two families. The ESOL strategy is for what a “good name.� I would do for this section is have the students write their first names and write a good thing about themselves starting with each letter of their name. For Example, TRISH. T- Trustworthy, R-Responsible I-Incredible S-Sincere, HHonest. Another ESOL strategy I can use in my class or presentation is have them make a family tree and explain about their family and ask them who does everyone look up to in their family.
November 16, 2010
Page 46
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
RELIGION There are quite a few religions that are being studied in Vietnam. There are three religions that play a major part in Vietnam which are Buddhism, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. The first religion that I found that is being studied is Buddhism. Buddhism is spread throughout Asia and it has actually become one of the dominant religion in Asia. There are about 300 million people that study Buddhism. The second Religion that is big in Vietnam is Roman Catholicism. The French introduced this religion to Vietnam. Roman Catholicism is a balance between Buddhism and the Western Culture.
However, though Communism did stop the spread of this religion in Vietnam. The last religion that is big in Vietnam is Protestantism. This religion is found in the southern part of Vietnam. There’s about 100,000-200,00 followers of this religion in the first half of the 1980’s. There is one more religion that plays a good part in Vietnam is Cao Dai and Hoa Hao. This religion Page 47
is found in the Mekong River Delta. Cao Dai is a type of reformed religion of Buddhism. Cao Dai became very popular in the southern part of the delta.
The ESOL strategy I would use are to have the students make three columns and draw simple picture of the symbols of the religion and identify their beliefs. The second strategy would to have them compare and contrast the three religions.
November 16, 2010
Page 48
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
SPACE AND PROXEMICS Each culture has there own set of space and proxemics. This is the amount of space that is appropriate to have when you are interacting with another person. This also includes what kind of physical contact is appropriate and when and who it is appropriate. Vietnam is known to be a high-context culture. “In Understanding Cultural Differences (1996), Hall and Hall define a high-context communication, or message, as one in which most of the information already is in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit, transmitted part of the message” (Vietnamese Gestures and Politeness). In Vietnamese culture physical contact depends on who you are interacting with. When interacting with an elder there is a separate set of space rules to follow than when interacting with those your own age. Avoiding eye-contact is a sign of respect when speaking with elders or someone who is in a position of respect. This could be a problem for an ESOL student from Vietnam because it America it is seen as rude to make eye contact. An ESOL teacher would need to make sure that he or she educated the students on this and don’t punish them for it. The teacher could give the students handouts that lists various cultures and the appropriate space and proxemics used. The students could then work in
Page 49
groups and act out the different gestures and ways to interact in that culture. This would be a fun way for the students to interact with each other, and students who are more proficient in English could help those who are struggling. Another common gesture in the Vietnamese culture is bowing. It is a sign of respect to bow to someone who is older than you or in a position of power or respect. Different from American culture is also the ways that males and females are expected to react with each other in public. It is seen as inappropriate for a male and female to have their arms around each other or to hold hands. Often times in younger elementary classes the students are asked to hold hands when walking around campus. This could be an issue for students who are coming from the Vietnamese culture. The teacher would need to be aware of this and could have students touch shoulders or walk in same sex pairs instead. This way the student wouldn’t feel uncomfortable or feel compelled to separate their culture from their school life.
November 16, 2010
Page 50
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
Page 51
November 16, 2010
Page 52
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
BIBLIOGRAPHY Asiainfo.org. (2000) Education/Literacy in Vietnam. http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/ vietnam/pro-education.htm Discusses the history of Education in Vietnam to the present. I used this information to compare the Vietnamese Culture with the United States Education System. Asia-Art.net. (2008) Vietnamese Art. http://www.asia-art.net/vietnamese_artists.html Provided information about Vietnamese silk paintings and Nguyen Phan . BBC. (April 4, 2006) Thich Nhat Hanh. http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/ people/thichnhathanh.shtml Discussed Hanh life and accomplishments around the world. Cima, Ronald J. (1987) Vietnam: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1987. http://countrystudies.us/vietnam/ Discusses the history of Vietnam, its culture and education system. I used this information to compare the Vietnamese culture with the United States Education System. Florida Department of Education. (2009-2010) Count of ELLs by Native Language. http:// www.fldoe.org/aala/pdf/ELLsNativeLanguage.pdf Provided statistics of Vietnamese speaking students in Florida. Hanh, Thich Nhat. (January, 1967) In Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire. Hill & Wang.Provided information on Thich Nhat Hanh beliefs and passion for peace within Vietnam and throughout the world. Harrell, Eben.(December 8, 2009) Top 10 Scientific Discoveries. http://www.time.com/time/ specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944416_1944435,00.html Discussed Ngo Bao Chau work on The Fundamental Lemma. Hobbs, Erika. (March 4, 2010) A Look at Languages Spoken in the State’s Schools. The Orlando Sentinel. http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_education_edblog/2010/03/a-look-atlanguages-spoken-in-the-states-schools.html Provided statistics and information about Vietnamese speaking students in Florida. Koppes, Steve. (January 5, 2010) Prominent Mathematician Accepts Appointment at UChicago. http://news.uchicago.edu/news.php?asset_id=1848 Provided current information about Ngo Bao Chau, his life and accomplishments. Life Cultural. (September 24, 2009) Traditional Vietnamese Dance. http:// www.lifecultural.co.cc/2009/09/traditional-vietnamese-dance.html Provided information about traditional Vietnamese dances. Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Vietnam. (March 11, 2008) Viet Nam Cultural Profiles. http://www.culturalprofiles.net/viet_nam/Directories/Vi_ACYAIw-7879_ADst_Nam_Cultural_Profile/-2158.html Provided information about all aspects of Vietnam, including its culture. I used this information to compare the Vietnamese Culture with the United States Education System. Mishra, Pankaj Mishra. (2006) Thich Nhat Hanh: This Buddhist monk helped end the suffering of the Vietnam War. http://www.time.com/time/asia/2006/heroes/in_hanh.html Provided information about Thich Nhat Hanh, his life and his efforts to spread peace. Norland, Patricia (1991) Children of the World: Vietnam. Gareth Stevens Children’s Books. This book talked about the lifestyles and culture of children living in Vietnam. I used this resource to provide information about Vietnam’s school culture.
Page 53
BIBLIOGRAPHY Quoc, Minh. (2006) Tam and Cam. East West Discovery Press. This book is the ancient Vietnamese Cinderella story. I used this book as one of my examples of Vietnamese Children’s Literature. Rumbaugh, Jennifer. (October 15, 2009) Vietnamese Customs and Taboos. http:// namethelocation.blogspot.com/2009/10/vietnamese-customs-and-taboos.html Provided information about Vietnamese customs and taboos. Tran, Truong. (2003) Going Home, Coming Home. Children’s Book Press. This story was about a young Vietnamese American girl visiting Vietnam. I used this story as one of my examples of Vietnamese Children’s Literature. Vietnamnet. (March 9, 2009) The Tattoo Taboo. http://www.lookatvietnam.com/2009/05/thetattoo-taboo.html Provided information on Vietnamese taboos and focused on tattoos. Vietnam-culture. (2009) Vietnamese Culture. http://www.vietnam-culture.com/ Provided information about all aspects of Vietnam, including its culture. We used this information to compare the Vietnamese Culture with the United States Education System and provide information about Vietnamese time concepts, folk songs, music, dances, an insight on their family values, and what to expect in Vietnam. Viettouch. (2008)Viet Nam Art: Contempo. http://www.viettouch.com/art_cont/a1945bot.htm Explained the history of art in Vietnam, including information about the silk painter, Nguyen Phan Chanh and his paintings. Vietnam Travel Guide. (2007) Vietnam: The Culture. http://www.vietnamtourpackages.com/ Vietnam-Travel-Guide/the-culture-vietnam/arts-music-traditional-vietnam.htm Provided information about Vietnam’s dances. Art | Define Art at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/art> This website is a reliable and up to date source that offers the meaning of words as given in the dictionary. This source is helpful no only in finding the meaning of words but to also make clear which meaning you are using in the context of your work. Ashwell, Mark A. "Vietnamese Gestures and Politeness." Vietnam Today, A Guide to a Nation at the Crossroads. Print. This website is a guide for parents of adopted Vietnamese children. It provides information on the Vietnamese culture and how to help the children assimilate to the American culture. The article specifies gestures and verbal cues that are specific to the Vietnamese culture. http://www.adoptvietnam.org/travel/ vietnamesepolitegestures.htm Knodel, John, Vu Mahn Loi, Rukmalie Jayakody, and Vu Tuan Huy. Gender Roles in the Family: Change and Stability in Vietnam. Rep. no. 04-559. Print. This research report came from the Populations Studies Center at the University of Michigan. The purpose of the report is to explore the changes of gender relations within the Vietnamese culture. The report clearly states how the data was collection. What information was gathered, how it was gathered, and how it was used in order to form conclusions. I found the report to be extremely helpful in understanding how the gender roles have changed and how they are perceived now. Knodel, John, Vu Mahn Loi, Rukmalie Jayakody, and Vu Tuan Huy. Gender Roles in the Family:
November 16, 2010
Page 54
Vietnam: A Cultural Handbook
BIBLIOGRAPHY Change and Stability in Vietnam. Rep. no. 04-559. Print. This research report came from the Populations Studies Center at the University of Michigan. The purpose of the report is to explore the changes of gender relations within the Vietnamese culture. The report clearly states how the data was collection. What information was gathered, how it was gathered, and how it was used in order to form conclusions. I found the report to be extremely helpful in understanding how the gender roles have changed and how they are perceived now. Stevenson, John, and John Guy. "The Evolution of Vietnamese Ceramics." Vietnamese Ceramics. Chicago: Art Media Resources, 1997. Things Asian. http://www.thingsasian.com/ storiesphotos/1194 The website offers information on all countries located in Asia. There is information on each countries customs and traditions. The article I chose was an excerpt from a book written about Vietnamese Ceramics. The excerpt gave insight on the origins on the ceramics and there blend of Chinese and Japanese artistic style. I would have liked there to be more information on the book and the authors provided. On the other hand I enjoyed reading the excerpt because it allowed you to see if the rest of the book would be useful to you or if you would be interested in it. "Vietnam Traditional Art and Crafts." Vietnam Travel Tours and Holidays - Haivenu. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. <http://www.haivenu-vietnam.com/vietnam-trad-arts-crafts.htm>. This cite provides information on the traditions and cultures of Vietnam. The article on Vietnamese Arts and Crafts provided a lot of information without being to lengthy. The information was factually and relevant. Also the way it was presented and provided was no overwhelming or to difficult to process. The article briefly discussed origins of Vietnamese arts and crafts then went further into detail about each type of craft or handiwork. "VietnamArtsCrafts.com." Vietnam Largest Arts and Crafts Online Catalogue with 10,000 Items and More... Web. 26 Oct. 2010. <http://www.vietnamartscrafts.com/ vietnamartscrafts.htm>. The websites opening display had an opening intro that explained the history of Vietnamese Arts and Crafts and gave insight into the various crafts and handicrafts that are practiced and popular. The introduction provided background information on the start of certain handicrafts and how they have evolved. It also went into depth on the various types of art giving historical background on them as well. The one thing I didn't like was that the introduction was on a timer and scrolled on the opening page. This made it very difficult to read and frustrating to operate. http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/vietnam/culture-of-vietnam/-religion-invietnam.html Š 2010 AsiaRooms.com. I used this website to find information on their culture and ethics. 2004-2010 Vietnamese-Recipes.com. http://www.vietnamese-recipes.com/, Azeka Makai, Kihei, HI. http://www.mauivietnameserestaurant.com/, 2007 GuideVietnam.com. http://www.guidevietnam.com/travel/vietnamese- foodcuisine.html These three websites have different food and recipe ideas that can be made.
Page 55
BIBLIOGRAPHY http://travelvietnaminfo.com/yen-tu-buddhist-capital-of-vietnam/ http://www.tammynguyen.com/vietnam/ http://picsicio.us/keyword/vietnamese%20wedding%20gifts/ http://www.uniya.org/research/view_vietnam.html http://vietnam.panpages.com/ education/secondary-schools-and-high-schools/ http://rol.vn/printresource/1150/ I found all my pictures on these 6 websites. http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/culture_customs/marriage_in_vietnam.html “Marriage in Vietnam.” Actively Exploring Hidden Lands. 2008. 10 Oct. 2010. I found information on marriage customs on this website. http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Vietnam.html “Vietnam: Culture of Vietnam.” Countries and Their Cultures. 2010. Advameg, Inc. 10 Oct. 2010. I found information about the Vietnamese cultures. http://www.vietspring.org/values/traditionalval.html Trinh, Ton Nu Luong. “Vietnamese Traditional Family Values.” 10 Oct. 2010. I found information about family values in the Vietnamese culture. http://www.vietnam-culture.com/articles-18-6/The-Vietnamese-Value-System.aspx I found information about the Vietnamese value system.
November 16, 2010
Page 56