A viewing of Our Trip, a documentary produced by Vietnam veteran Tom Sibley, will be hosted by Marge’s Donut Den in Wyoming on Wednesday, July 10 at 2 p.m.
Our Trip follows 12 Vietnam veterans back to Vietnam in 1995. Using WKTV Community Media facilities, Sibley produced the 40-minute video under Mr. Sid’s Video Series with footage and photographs taken by the returning veterans and Grand Rapids Press staff that accompanied them. Recorded interviews with participants after the trip were also included.
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
The Our Trip experience
After a brief history of the United States involvement in Vietnam, the video combines the veterans’ wartime experiences via the various stages of the trip. Sibley said the trip was special and inspiring, but all veterans were “amazed by the warm welcome and friendliness of the people we met.”
The trip included a search for the helicopter crash site that killed pilot Floyd Olsen, a friend of one of the trip veterans. The crash site was located near the village of Hong Ha. Friends and relatives of Olsen later built a medical clinic at the village.
A visit to an orphanage found the veterans interacting with the children and then painting the orphanage. A year later, one of the veterans and his wife completed an adoption of two girls he met while at the orphanage.
Meaning, healing, and peace
“The video…says a lot about the Vietnam experience and what it means to be a veteran,” said James Smither, GVSU Veterans History Project Director, at a previous screening of Our Trip.
A discussion moderated by Smither will follow the Our Trip viewing.
From left: Lee Ly, Bieu Duong and Phillip Nguyen, standing in front of The Saigon Staircase exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum in Grand Rapids. (WKTV/Cris Greer)
West Michigan resident Phillip Nguyen was 15 years old when he crammed into a 25-by-6 wooden boat with 57 other “boat people” to start a wild journey to a new life away from Vietnam.
“We packed them on; that boat was barely an inch over water,” said Nguyen, who produces a show called “VietSong” at WKTV and is President of Digital Marketing Solutions LLC.
Nguyen traveled by boat to small Chinese islands and learned English and American culture while in Hong Kong before making his way to the United States two years later.
He was fortunate to survive the very dangerous boat trips. Many Vietnamese people risked their lives to escape their war-torn country and seek a better life elsewhere, but did not survive the high seas.
“This isn’t a fiction novel, this is real,” Nguyen explained. “My brother-in-law told me his mother sent him and his two brothers on separate boats every couple of months because she feared if their boat would be lost, they would all die. His brothers never made it; they were completely gone. He was the only one to survive.”
From left: Lee Ly, Bieu Duong and Phil Nguyen at the Saigon Staircase exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum in Grand Rapids. This year marks the 49th anniversary of The Fall of Saigon. (WKTV/Cris Greer)
The Fall of Saigon, which occurred on April 30, 1975, marked the end of the Vietnam War and a pivotal moment in world history. The event not only signaled the collapse of South Vietnam’s government, but also triggered one of the most significant waves of mass emigration in modern history. This year marks the 49th anniversary of The Fall of Saigon.
On April 28, 1975, U.S. President Gerald R. Ford called for the emergency evacuation of American civilians and military from Saigon. Two days later North Vietnamese forces advanced into Saigon, leading to the collapse of the South Vietnamese government. The sight of helicopters lifting off from the U.S. Embassy in Saigon became an iconic image, symbolizing the end of the war.
According to borgenproject.org, in the aftermath of the fall of Saigon, South Vietnamese feared persecution under the new communist government. This fear led to a mass exodus, with many seeking asylum in other countries. Over 1.5 million South Vietnamese attempted their perilous escape by boat. Drowning, piracy, dehydration and failed vessels that would never make landfall would wipe out an estimated 10 percent of refugees.
According to borgenproject.org, over 1.5 million South Vietnamese attempted their perilous escape by boat. (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Under the cover of night
Before Nguyen fled Vietnam in 1982, he noticed people in his village disappearing overnight.
“I lived in a village … almost every day you wake up a family was gone over night,” Nguyen said. “Every day you wake up you hear neighbors say he’s gone, she’s gone, the family is all gone. It seems like everyone was trying to run to get to a better future.”
Vietnamese emigration to the United States
For Vietnamese who fled in 1975, most were received at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and settled in southern California, according to Michigan State Associate Professor of History Charles Keith. The initial wave of refugees consisted mainly of individuals with ties to the U.S. government, military and other South Vietnamese institutions.
“The conditions of diaspora really differentiated Vietnamese experiences from those of other Asian migrants,” Keith explained. “Vietnamese were the only Asian-Americans who were virtually all war refugees when they came.
“Those who came throughout the 1980s relocated to many parts of the country. But many had a second, internal migration within the U.S. for various reasons: better weather, occupations they were familiar with, and to be part of larger Vietnamese communities, which intensified the size of the community in southern California into the largest Vietnamese community in the U.S.”
Into the jungle
Loan Pham was five years old when the invading North Vietnamese took her hometown of Saigon, forcing her family and many more to the jungles of Vietnam.
“The new government warned people to go live in the jungle,” explained Pham, who’s from Wyoming. “I went to the jungle with my mom and three siblings, we were city people now living in the jungle.”
Pham’s mother was injured by a falling tree while trying to build a shelter for her small family during their months in the jungle. Once they returned to city life they would remain homeless for the next 11 years.
Loan Pham was five years old when she and her family escaped to the jungle when North Vietnam took Saigon. (Photo Courtesy, Loan Pham)
“We had a rough life”
“We had a rough life,” Pham said. “I had to start working at seven years old because my mom was sick. I would work odd jobs. I would sell stuff, people would ask me to do some small jobs. I would give the money to my mom so she could buy rice to feed us.”
Coming to America
Pham found a different way to the United States that most Vietnamese people including Nguyen could not take advantage of. Her father was an American soldier.
In 1983, Pham used her status as an American kid to start the process of emigrating to the United States.
“When I was 13 years old I saw on the TV news … it said if you have American children, you fill out paperwork to get to the United States,” Pham explained. “Five years later, when I was 18, I finally had my papers. I went to the Philippines for eight months to learn English and American culture.
“They taught us the peace sign, the middle finger, and not to ask people their age, all the stuff we might need to get along in the U.S.”
Part of the Saigon Staircase exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. (WKTV/Cris Greer)
Part of the Saigon Staircase exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. (WKTV/Cris Greer)
Part of the Saigon Staircase exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. (WKTV/Cris Greer)
Part of the Saigon Staircase exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. (WKTV/Cris Greer)
Part of the Saigon Staircase exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. (WKTV/Cris Greer)
Part of the Saigon Staircase exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. (WKTV/Cris Greer)
Nguyen came to America via Bethany Christian Services
Also in 1983, Nguyen made his way to Michigan through Bethany Christian Services. Nguyen was orphaned when he was five years old. His father was killed in the war, and his mother died a couple of years later.
“I was under the minors program sponsored by Bethany Christian Services,” Nguyen said. “I lived with my foster parents until I was 18.”
Nguyen had a typical American life of working small jobs and graduating from South Christian High School while living with his foster parents. Nguyen completed his bachelor’s degree at Western Michigan University where he met his wife.
Nguyen gives back; has fostered 17 children
Nguyen and his wife have three adult children and have helped foster 17 others through Bethany Christian Services.
“I owe them one and paid back with 17,” Nguyen proudly said.
His household is still home to five foster children.
“We have three from Afghanistan, one from Guatemala and one from Honduras.”
Upon arrival in the United States, Pham was helped out by the U.S. government, but that assistance would not be long-term, and soon she was looking for work in a foreign country.
“My first job was sewing baby clothes for $2 an hour,” Pham said.
Fortunately for Nguyen and Pham, they were able to avoid harsh racism and persecution that many of their fellow Vietnamese refugees had to endure.
“When I came to Michigan I didn’t see any racism against me, nothing like I saw when I lived in Vietnam,” Pham said. “South Vietnam was racist towards North Vietnam.”
And Nguyen said he was more fortunate than most.
“I’ve seen it happen to other people and I’ve heard horror stories, but me personally have never really felt it,” said Nguyen, who served as the president of the Vietnamese American Community of Grand Rapids Michigan for six years.
(VACGRM) is a non-profit community organization established to serve Vietnamese Americans in the city of Grand Rapids and its surrounding areas with charity and cultural work.
Events include: Remembering the Fall of Saigon, Lunar New Year celebrations and other cultural events throughout the year. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the VACGRM was able to supply food and medicine to those in need in the Vietnamese community in West Michigan.
The fall of Saigon created new beginnings for countless Vietnamese refugees who found hope and a new home in the United States.
Viet Benevolence Foundation
Nyguyn is Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Viet Benevolence Foundation.
“In July 2022, I went to Việtnam to work with the U.S. Consulate Office and with the Vietnamese government in an effort to preserve the former Vietnamese National Cemetery known as Nghia Trang Quan Doi Bien Hoa (now renamed Nghia Trang Nhan Dan) where over 16,000 former South Vietnamese soldiers rest. During this trip I learned that there are thousands and thousands of former South Vietnamese soldiers’ remains that still need help to bring home to their families, especially those who died in re-education camps after 1975.”
To learn more about Nyugen’s Viet Benevolence Foundation, who’s mission is “Healing the past and empowering the future through charitable causes,” check out VIETBENEVOLENCE.ORG
In November 2023, ten Vietnam veterans embarked on a journey they never thought possible. Returning to Vietnam, the veterans explored locations and memories that have held deep significance for each of them for the last 49 years.
Mission Veteran Expedition, a collaborative venture between CDLLife, FASTPORT, and nonprofits Waypoint Vets and Wreaths Across America, made this journey possible. Together, they released a documentary of the trip, “Mission Veteran Expedition: Honoring Vietnam Veterans in the Transportation Industry.”
The documentary, captured and produced by U.S. Army veteran Nicholas Mott, owner of Seven Five Media, is available at no cost on Wreaths Across America’s YouTube channel.
Mission Veteran Expedition will also air on WKTV Government Channel Comcast 26 and AT&T U-verse Wyoming & Kentwood Government Channel 99 on Tuesday, April 30 at 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 1 at 8:15 p.m. and Saturday, May 4 at 12 p.m.
Click here to view a short preview of the documentary.
A profound journey evokes healing
“The documentary offers an intimate and compelling look at the journey of these veterans,” said videographer Nicholas Mott. “Capturing the essence of their experiences and the profound impact of the Mission Veteran Expedition was truly an honor. I hope other Vietnam veterans will watch it and find it healing.”
Quang Tri, Vietnam (Courtesy, Lance Cpl. Francisco Diaz U.S. Navy)
The trip offered ten veterans, each of whom has made a living in the transportation industry, an extraordinary opportunity to revisit Vietnam and reflect on their service there. The documentary explores this impactful journey, which combines travel, camaraderie and history.
Waypoint Vets, a non-profit organization dedicated to uniting and empowering veterans through camaraderie and adventure, led the expedition, ensuring each participant experienced a meaningful and lasting journey.
The itinerary included a variety of experiences, including:
Grounds Tour of the Former Saigon Embassy
Walking Street Food Tour through Ho Chi Minh City
Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta Luxury Tour
War Remnants Museum
Halong Bay Cruise
Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency Tour
A ‘Welcome Home’ ceremony hosted at Sirius XM studios in Hollywood, with interviews on Radio Nemo
Redefining memories
Vietnam War Memorial Dedication Ceremony in Rota, Spain (Courtesy, Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Barton U.S. Navy)
“The Mission Veteran Expedition successfully commemorated these veterans’ valiant contributions while allowing them to experience the beauty of Vietnam’s landscapes and the richness of its culture,” said Sarah Lee, Army combat veteran and founder of Waypoint Vets. “For many veterans, the memories associated with Vietnam are often intertwined with the challenges of war.
“This expedition redefined these associations and replaced them with new, healing memories. By engaging with Vietnam on a deep, personal level, the trip forged lasting connections and helped veterans find solace in the beauty of a nation at peace.”
“I feel the trip’s culmination was an important piece of closure for the participant’s journey,” said Brad Bentley, President of FASTPORT, who traveled to Vietnam with the group.
“These men returned to the United States to a hero’s welcome, and for millions who never received this show of gratitude for answering the call of duty, it was truly an honor to say, ‘Welcome Home.’”
Our Trip follows 12 Vietnam veterans back to Vietnam in 1995. Using WKTV Community Media facilities, Vietnam veteran Tom Sibley produced the 40-minute video with footage and photographs taken by the returning veterans and Grand Rapids Press staff that accompanied them. Recorded interviews with participants after the trip were also included.
The Our Trip experience
(Courtesy, Tom Sibley)
After a brief history of the United States involvement in Vietnam, the video combines the veterans’ wartime experiences via the various stages of the trip. Sibley said the trip was special and inspiring, but all veterans were “amazed by the warm welcome and friendliness of the people we met.”
The trip included a search for the helicopter crash site that killed pilot Floyd Olsen, a friend of one of the trip veterans. The crash site was located near the village of Hong Ha. Friends and relatives of Olsen later built a medical clinic at the village.
A visit to an orphanage found the veterans interacting with the children and then painting the orphanage. A year later, one of the veterans and his wife completed an adoption of two girls he met while at the orphanage.
Meaning, healing, and peace
Approximately 90 were in attendance for the video showing. James Smither, GVSU Veterans History Project Director, provided historical background and invited those in attendance to share their stories.
(Courtesy, Tom Sibley)
“Several of the veterans discussed how their faith had helped them get through their war experiences and make peace with them,” Smither told WKTV.
Showing the video at the MVH allowed residents to participate, Sibley said. Smither added that it brought an audience of people who had not seen it before.
“Many of them were Vietnam veterans, and two of them were in the video and had never seen it,” said Smither. “The video also says a lot about the Vietnam experience and what it means to be a veteran, so it was an appropriate venue. We drew a good crowd, and they clearly appreciated the video.”
After the video, all were invited for a social time with cake and coffee prepared by Connie Ceton and MVH staff.
MVH Volunteer Coordinator Gretchen Muir and Activity Director Becky Smit organized the event.
The 60th anniversary memorial event that took place on 2022. (Wreath Across America)
Sixty-one years ago on March 16, 1962, Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 (FTLF 739) and its crew, departed on a secret mission sanctioned by the President John F. Kennedy, to fly to Vietnam. This secret Vietnam reconnaissance mission went missing with no trace of the plane or its passengers ever found. Onboard were 93 United States Army soldiers and 11 civilian crewmembers.
On Thursday, March 16, 2023, at 12pm ET, national nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA) will be holding a special live ceremony to remember all those lost that day and honor their families.
Very little is known about what happened to FTLF 739, its crew and passengers, and due to the circumstance surrounding this mission, the names of those lost have not yet been added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. However, today many families and loved ones of these heroes still fight to have their loved ones recognized for their contributions to our freedom and shared history.
Of the 93 soldiers who were on the flight, two were from Michigan: Specialist James Taylor from Olive Branch and Private Stanley McEntee from Detroit.
Presently, the only monument that bears the names of these American heroes was erected by a private citizen, Wreaths Across America founder Morrill Worcester, on his balsam tip land in Columbia Falls, Maine.
“When I first heard the story about this mission, I was shocked to learn that nothing has been done for these families,” said Morrill Worcester. “I said that day, that we would do something to make sure these people are honored and remembered, and to hopefully give some closure to these families.”
The inscription on the FTLF 739 monument in Maine reads:
“Missing in action; Presumed dead. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation mysteries out of the Vietnam War era.
“The names of those who gave their lives and who remain missing are inscribed here so the they will be said aloud and their memory will live on.”
James Smither of the GVSU Veterans History Project interviews David “Goldie” Goldsboro and Sid Lenger. (WKTV)
By Anna Johns WKTV Contributing Writer
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are 19 million U.S veterans as of this year. In Michigan alone, there are 634,000 veterans, making up 8.8 percent of the state’s population.
In 2006, Professor James Smither founded the Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project. Since the project began, Smither estimates that he has completed more than a thousand interviews. Smither works alongside a team of student interns, research assistants, and community volunteers and partners. Together they have conducted numerous interviews with military veterans of all eras. In addition, they also have interviewed civilians of foreign nations who had experiences with Americans during the wartime.
The program is in partnership with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. The team creates videos and archives oral interviews focusing on the experiences of military veterans. Over the years, the team has collected a wide range of interviews with veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East. The project has worked to create documentary films, book projects, and live presentations.
On Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m., Smither will be presenting his findings to the public. During the presentation, Smither will describe the project and include excerpts of interviews that have been conducted over the years. Participating in his presentation are veterans Ron Oakes and Bob Huizenga and Rick Jakubczak.
Huizenga served as a marine in Vietnam. He joined the marines shortly after he graduated high school and was deployed to Vietnam. During his time in the Marines, he served as a machine gunner, assistant driver, and helped transport men and supplies during the Tet Offensive in 1986.
Oakes served as a marine in Vietnam as well and with the Army National Guard in Iraq. During his time in the Guard he helped provide security for the 1996 Summer Olympic games in Atlanta and spent eleven months in Iraq in 2005. He served with his unit until March of 2009 when he retired at the age of sixty.
Jakubczak, a retired Navy corpsman, has spoken at a number of veteran events, sharing his stories and perspective of the Vietnam War.
The public is invited to join Dr. Smithers for his presentation on the Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project. The presentation will be held in the Paul Collins Room at Marge’s Donut Den at 1751 28th St. SW. The program is part of the Mr. Sid’s Video Series event that is held at Marge’s Donut Den.
When Duc Nguyen Abrahamson was an infant in 1975 Saigon, her father came home and told his wife, “Pack up the kids. We’re going!”
In the frantic hours that followed, Abrahamson’s mother was trampled in the rush to a waiting escape vessel, nearly drowning her baby daughter in the process. The family made it to the boat, was rescued by Denmark, and eventually resettled in East Michigan beginning the all-too-familiar challenges of refugees; adapting to language, work and culture of a strange new homeland.
Duc Nguyen Abrahamson (From Video))
Abrahamson would be the first in her family to graduate from college, Wayne State University, where she discovered the Asian American Professional Network. It was with this organization, she found that her two worlds of Vietnam and America could come together and she felt “for the first time I was home.”
Today, Abrahamson is the executive director of the Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce, based in Farmington Hills. Through APACC, Abrahamson works to bring that same feeling of home as she builds relationships with U.S. and Asian companies. APACC is looking to expand with a second office in Grand Rapids.
It was not an easy decision for Huynh Tran to put down his architect’s dream in order to remold himself as a healer. The young Vietnamese refugee worked long hours to put himself, first, through architecture training, then, through medical training. Committed to giving back to the community that embraced him, Dr. Tran formed a medical philanthropy that ministers to under-served community and trains overseas physicians to improve their care-giving skills.
After the fall of Saigon in 1975, hundreds of thousands of refugees poured out of their native Vietnam, fleeing persecution, imprisonment, torture, execution, poverty, and alienation. Those who settled in the United States number 1.8 million, almost half of the 4 million members of the Vietnamese diaspora.
Greater Grand Rapids is home to the fourth largest Vietnamese community in the Midwest. With such numbers of ethnic Vietnamese in the area, the West Michigan Asian American Association undertook a special documentary project.
“Newcomer Legacy: A Vietnamese-American Story” focuses on nine individuals from the West Michigan area, ranging from ages 30 to 70, said Alan Headbloom, who was the project manager.
From a recent screening at Grand Valley State University
“What united the communist party was to get the foreigners (in the 1950s, it was the French Colonists and then later, the Americans) out of the country,” Headbloom said. “They talk about moving their families from the north to the south because they couldn’t live with the communists and then fleeing the country all together when Saigon fell in 1975.”
The nine interviewees share their personal stories of how they came to the United States, restarting in a new country, and what now makes West Michigan home.
The last two public screens of the documentary are Thursday, May 4, at 5:30 p.m. at Grand Rapids Community Center’s Calkins Science Center Auditorium 348, 226 Bostwick Ave. NE., and Thursday, May 11, for the City of Grand Rapids Community Relations Commission at 5:30 p.m. at LINC UP Gallery, 341 Hall Street. Each screening includes a panel with an opportunity for a Q&A session.
Headbloom noted that the first four presentations – which have been at Davenport University, Herrick Library, Grand Valley State University’s and the Vietnamese community’s Black April event in remembrance of those who fought and died when Saigon fell on April 30, 1975 – have been very positive. From the documentary’s website, Karen Nelson wrote “I am very glad I had the chance to hear these stories. I was touched by the accounts of hard work and strong family ties. I only wish it were longer!” and Project Administrator Elizabeth MacLaughlan wrote “Today’s film and panel presentation was excellent. Such powerful stories from our West Michigan Vietnamese community that everyone should hear. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of such an important project.”
“What we didn’t anticipate were the comments from students – we have screed this at Davenport University and Grand Valley State University just last week – who said they really had no idea and found the movie incredibly local as these are people who they may have worked with or driven past everyday,” Headbloom said.
Under sponsorship of the Michigan Heritage Council, the project will be made free of charge to area teachers who wish to include it in their history lessons. For more information, on this, contact Headbloom at alan@headbloom.com.
The documentary also will be shown on WKTV and made available to other local stations.
The project sponsor is the Michigan Humanities Council 2016-2017 Heritage Grant Program and the underwriter is the Kellogg Foundation. Local liaison is the West Michigan Asian American Association with project advisers being Connie Dang, Kim McKee, Phillip Nguyen, and Anh Tran.
For more about “Newcomer Legacy: A Vietnamese-American Story,” visit the Facebook page Facebook.com/newcomerlegacy.
Bánh dầy and bánh chưng are the two kinds of cakes prepared by the Vietnamese folks predominantly during the time of the Lunar New Year that they call Tết. These offerings date back to the ancient times of the eighth generation of the first royal dynasty in the Vietnamese history. These two dishes are delicious; therefore they are popular and are still being made and offered to this date. Besides being palatable, bánh dầy and bánh chưng have historical values, and they have become a part of the Vietnamese tradition.
The Legend:
The Hùng Vương Dynasty was the first to start building the foundation for the country of Vietnam, nearly five thousand years ago. There were 18 generations or kingdoms in this dynasty. Each generation or kingdom would carry the common name of Hùng Vương, differentiated only by the sequential number, for example: The 5th Hùng Vương Kingdom. The king of each kingdom would pass it down to his heirs, usually the most talented or deserving prince in order to maintain the royal family name. It was a common belief that kings were godsends from heaven. Sometimes people addressed to their king as the Son of God. Therefore, the king’s family was very much like the “holy family” descended from heaven to help the people.
Toward the end of the 6th Hùng Vương Kingdom, it was time for the ruler to carefully select and assign a successor among his princes to rule over the country. All the princes were talented, so the king must come up with a way to decide who would be the next king to inherit the throne.
One day, the king called all of his princes into a solemn meeting so he could give them a common challenge or a “test” to fulfill, and the ultimate prize would be the throne to begin the next kingdom. All princes would have an equal chance in the competition. The king gave them a prescribed amount of time to present to him the most meaningful and delicious dish of prepared food.
The princes set off in quest of the most delicious and meaningful food in hope to win over the throne. The older princes traveled to far places to hunt down what they thought would satisfy the king’s challenge. The youngest prince, unlike his brothers, would stay in his own country to seek what the local areas would provide. Time was running out. The older brothers already had returned with fancy provisions acquired from all over the world. All of the items consisted of precious, difficult to find, expensive ingredients. There were only a few days left; the youngest prince was still empty-handed. One night, in his dream, the youngest prince saw a genie who came to him and gave him advice of how to make his entry with his own two hands. He showed the prince how to use rice, an item that was abundant and grown by the people in the kingdom to make two kinds of cakes. The first cake will be called Bánh Chưng. It shall be made in a square-shaped block to represent the Earth. The outside was cooked rice; the stuffing was also prepared using locally raised ingredients such as beans and pork; the entire cake was then wrapped in green banana leaves which also grew in abundance locally.
Bánh Dầy
The other kind of cake was more like a dumpling, a base food such as bread to be used with other food. This was to be named Bánh Dầy. This dumpling shall take on a circular shape that was flattened. The whole circular dumpling would average about three inches in diameter and flattened to about three-quaters-inch thick. The dumplings were also wrapped in banana leaves, and they were typically wrapped in pairs. Each serving would have two Bánh Dầy wrapped together so the consumer could put any suitable stuffing in the middle, the like of a hamburger. Bánh Dầy was plain and simple, but the beauty lay in the way the rice powder was processed to give this dumpling an amazing sticky texture, a delicious taste, and such an alluring aroma. The round shape was meant to represent the blue dome over our heads, the sky or “the heavens.” The duo of Bánh dầy and Bánh Chưng are, to this day, referred to as the “Heaven and Earth” cakes. They honor and praise God, the creator of all things.
On the day King Hùng Vương the Sixth must judge the entrees, he was not impressed by the delicacies that the older princes brought. They were merely expensive, extravagant items that carried with them no meanings, and they were simply bought from other people around the world. There were no originality to them. King Hùng Vương the Sixth was delighted when he was presented with and tasted the Bánh dầy and Bánh Chưng, the Heaven and Earth cakes. They were delicious; they were meaningful, they were lovingly prepared by the youngest prince. And also, the ingredients were readily available locally, and the people could easily learn to make and enjoy Bánh dầy and Bánh Chưng. The king deemed that his youngest prince had his heart, his mind, and his spirit in the proper places in order to lead the people of the kingdom for the next generation.
The decription:
Bánh Chưng is about eight inches square on top as well as bottom. It is about three inches thick. Unopened, it is wrapped in green banana leaves with two strands of strings going around the cake in each direction from side to side to keep the whole package tightly wrapped. The cake feels solid and weighs approximately two pounds. When unwrapped, the outer layer looks green from being wrapped in banana leaves. It serves as a natural and healthy food coloring, and it does add to the flavor of the cake. The outer layer is sticky rice, about an inch thick, and it provides an aromatic flavor of sticky rice and banana leaves. The original stuffing is usually yellow beans and pork. This layer is normally an inch-to-inch and a half thick. It complements the outer layer that wraps around the cake. Those who can afford to will sometimes eat side items with Bánh Chưng such as shredded pork, meat loaf, leeks, or other items. But Bánh Chưng is plenty delicious by itself.
There is a derivative of Bánh Chưng in South Vietnam called Bánh Tét. It is, in essence, Bánh Chưng in cylindrical shape. People also make quite a few of these cakes for Tết
Bánh Dầy is much simpler as compared to Bánh Chưng. Typically, the consumer will find a pair of Bánh Dầy in each wrapped unit. It is like the two halves of a hamburger bun. The package is loosely contained by two squares of banana leaves, one on the bottom, and one over the top. These round-shaped dumplings are about three inches in diameter. The consumer peels off the banana leaves wrapper and uses the dumpling much like the halves of the hamburger buns. People eat Bánh Dầy mostly with meat loaf in the center. Sometimes good quality Bánh Dầy are eaten plain to enjoy the natural flavor that they offer. As mentioned above, the beauty of Bánh Dầy lies in the way the rice powder is processed to give it the proper texture, the natural aroma of sticky rice, and the amazing taste of fresh rice powder. Nothing fancy, but Bánh Dầy is amazingly delicious. The danger here is the over-consumption of Bánh dầy!
Try some Bánh Dầy and Bánh Chưng this Tết if you have not already done so!
The Hung Vuong Era, which spanned 28 generations, is officially recognized and accredited as the founding forefathers of Vietnam. Prehistoric Vietnam dates back much further. The Association of Senior Vietnamese-Americans in the Grand Rapids Metro Area is organizing a commemorative event to honor the founding forefathers of Vietnam. This year, the formal event will take place on April 16th, 2016 at the Little Saigon Plaza on 28th Street, beginning at 2:00 PM.
It is the most appropriate time to recite on the ancient history of Vietnam so we could have some basic understanding of another culture in our diverse community, and also to potentially share with our friends who have Vietnamese heritage the sentiments of one of their important days.
Prehistoric information, according to historians and archeologists, shows evidence of human dwelling and activities as early as the Paleolithic Age. Evidence of Homo Erectus presence dating back to 500,000 BC were found in caves around the Lạng Sơn and Nghệ An provinces of Northern Vietnam in 1965. There have also been human fossils from the middle and late Pleistocene Age discovered in other unfrequented caves in Vietnam. Fossilized homo-sapiens teeth help calculate the timeframe of the findings through archeological excavations.
Legend has it that the Vietnamese “breed” of people derived from an ancient couple – Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ – much like Adam and Eve of the Western world. The man was a descendant of the dragon, and the woman was a fairy. The legendary couple gave birth to a large sac of 100 eggs. The eggs hatched and gave life to 100 children. Fifty of the children went to live toward the ocean and explored the coastal areas while the other fifty offspring went toward the mountains to explore land. The developments and multiplications gave rise to the people of Vietnam, and later, their nation.
Vietnam has been recognized as a nation for about 4,900 years. This small country started in the Ɖộng Ɖình Hồ region among numerous other non-Chinese groups who inhabited in the southern part of China known as the Bach Viet group, where “Bach” means 100.
The first kings of Vietnam belonged to the Hùng Vương Era which lasted twenty-eight generations. This period is called the Hồng Bàng Period in history. During these generations, the kings and the people mostly kept adding richness to the Vietnamese culture in different facets. They also added population and expanded their homeland border southward. There were no specific recordings of the dynasty’s specific achievements or accomplishments, yet there were plenty legends told to explain of how certain customs and habits came about throughout the millenniums. But without the Hùng Vương Era, the country of Vietnam would not have started and become of what it is today.
The Vietnamese throughout the world commemorate the Hùng Vương’s day annually. This date falls on the 10th day of the 3rd month on the eastern lunar calendar. Since the lunar calendar does not coincide with the Julian-solar calendar, this historic celebration date changes from year to year. This year, per the solar calendar, the celebration occurs on April 16th.
After the Hùng Vương Era, the history has been recorded more accurately and completely. The country of Vietnam was monarchically ruled by several dynasties with the kingdom passed down from one king to another within the family names. The 6 main dynasties proceeded in order as: Ɖinh, Lê, Lý, Trần, Lê, Nguyễn. The Đinh dynasty started with Ɖinh Bộ Lĩnh who later became Ɖinh Tiên Hoàng, the founding monarch of the Ɖinh dynasty in 968 AD. He named the country Ɖại Cồ Việt and set up the capital in Hoa Lư. The name lasted through the Lê Dynasty until the second king of the Lý Dynasty, Lý Thánh Tông, changed it to Ɖại Việt in 1054. The first king under the Lý family name was Lý Thái Tổ, who then moved the capital of the country to Thăng Long from Hoa Lư, but he never changed the name of the nation. Thăng Long is now known as Hanoi, the current capital of Vietnam.
This little country in Southeast Asia underwent several name changes until king Gia Long (Nguyễn Phúc Ánh) of the Nguyễn Dynasty changed it to Việt Nam, and it stands to this date. It was also during the Nguyen Dynasty that the capital was moved to Huế for the entire duration under the ruling of the Nguyễns.
Vietnam is a relatively small country lining the southeastern coast of the South China Sea. Vietnam occupies approximately 331,211.6 square kilometers and has a population of 91,700,000 according to the 2015 official estimation. Although small in size, Vietnam has been targeted for invasion by other countries. Vietnam was under Chinese control for four different periods of time totaling about 1,000 years. The French made Vietnam one of its colonies for approximately 100 years starting in the mid 1800’s. The Japanese also dominated Vietnam in the 1940s. There were several other attempts to invade and seize Vietnam by other countries throughout history.
Why is it that this little country is always pestered by others?
Geographically, Vietnam’s whereabouts offers an advantage in military operations and trading. It is also rich in natural resources ranging from mines of precious metals to fertile land which yields bountiful harvests to rich sea resources off the reef that runs the length of the entire country. The Vietnamese people mostly are pleasant, amiable looking, intelligent, ambitious, and hard-working. Many nations wanted Vietnam to be a part of their own countries; perhaps, there exists some nations who still harbor these obsolete and morally wrong ideas.
Courtest of Vivi for Hung Vuong Commemoration
We touched slightly on a couple of the country name changes that Vietnam underwent. Actually, there were many more names that defined this country at one time or another. Some were significant, some were not, and sometimes certain names re-appeared at later times.
The main names Vietnam wore throughout history were: Xích Quỷ, Văn Lang, Âu Lạc, Nam Việt, Giao Chỉ, Lĩnh Nam, Giao Chỉ, Giao Châu, Vạn Xuân, Giao Châu/An Nam, An Nam, Trấn Nam, An Nam, Tĩnh Hải Quân, Ɖai Cồ Việt, Ɖại Việt, Ɖại Ngu, Giao Chỉ, Ɖại Việt, Việt Nam, Ɖại Nam, Việt Nam.
During the French domination, the French government strategically divided Vietnam into three parts with three different names that fell under different rules for easier control and management. The North was named Tonkin which was totally placed under French rules. The central part of Vietnam was named Annam which was – on the surface – left in the hands of the Vietnamese people and the Vietnamese king. In reality, it was under French supervision. The South was called Cochinchina, and it was French-cultured with the most freedom. The southern Vietnamese were most influenced by the French. Consequently, many of them were well-versed in the French language.
The French were driven out of Vietnam by the Việt Minh in the early 1950s resulting in the Geneva Conference that divided the country into two parts: Communist North Vietnam and the Republic of South Vietnam. The capital of North Vietnam became Hanoi and the capital of South Vietnam became Saigon. The civil war then began between the south and the north of Vietnam until 1975. It ended on April 30th of Year 1975.
Vietnam history in its entirety is in no way possible to present in the confinement of these pages and the limited knowledge of one person. The intention of this article was to present an abbreviated overview of the history of Vietnam through April 1975. And the author hopes that it helps ignite interest on the event that The Association of Senior Vietnamese-Americans in the Grand Rapids Metro Area is going to hold on Saturday April 16th, 2016. If you are curious and or have time, please do not hesitate to attend at 2:00 PM at the Little Saigon Plaza on 28th Street, just East of Division Street.
by Susan Lamos When you hear the word soldier does it bring a vision to your mind? Do you have someone you call, “my soldier?” It might be your grandfather Chet, whose wrinkled voice on rare occasion will offer the story of crawling on his belly with General McArthur’s Army during WWII. He might tell of the blaring momenthe realized those buddies who flanked his body there in the dirt were gone forever.
Your soldier might be Dick, your father perhaps, who left his unopened college books to battle on hill 812 in Korea. He moves tall through his life, telling many he meets, “Dog Company, 2nd battalion, 5th regiment…1st Marine Division sir,” as he rubs at the phantom pain in an empty shirt sleeve.
Perhaps your eyes see his brother Bob who 10 years post Korea was driven to continue his brother’s service. This war is Viet Nam. As a Navy Corpsman he aided many wounded. Knowing after he came home that there were more bodies in the fields awaiting rescue, he returned for a valiant second tour…this time going closer from the pilot’s seat of an Army helicopter.
Is your soldier Steve, a 44 yr. old Marine, who served his country in the Middle East? His intelligence work took him through many heart wrenching years both in his conscious psyche and meditating soul. Steve walked out the front door of his California home one February night. All contact ceased.
You might find your soldier in the face of someone at a Veterans Day parade. He could be the one standing next to you, who has quietly slipped away from his family to pay tribute with fellow comrades. Many who line the streets come alone with their story marinating in their hearts. A wiped tear from a lone serviceman, a tight but treasured uniform worn in the cavalcade or an American Legion hat carefully donned by an amputee in a chair, they are all there.
On November 11th our country remembers, honors and pays homage to our men and women in uniform. Search for your personal reason to support our troops and leaders today. Find it in those around you, knowing their sacrifices continue to give us our freedoms. Try and understand their passion and love of “Old Glory,” as she passes by. To some who have traveled further from the agonies in their mind than to where the original battle was fought…that beautiful flag stands more than their own life…it represents yours.
By: Adrian Ɖặng Bảo Oánh
The Vietnamese throughout the world commemorate the Hùng Vương’s day annually. This date falls on the 10th day of the 3rd month on the eastern lunar calendar. Since the lunar calendar does not coincide with the Julian-solar calendar, this historic celebration date changes from year to year. This year, per the solar calendar, the celebration occurs on April 16th.
This little country in Southeast Asia underwent several name changes until king Gia Long (Nguyễn Phúc Ánh) of the Nguyễn Dynasty changed it to Việt Nam, and it stands to this date. It was also during the Nguyen Dynasty that the capital was moved to Huế for the entire duration under the ruling of the Nguyễns.
