Dynamic Identity of the Global Vietnamese Community

Brent Sendayen
Section 3
Week 7 Blog

In her paper Creating Identity, Defining Culture, and Making History from an Art Exhibit, Professor Valverde discusses the evolution of the relationship between Vietnamese Americans and their home nation. I find it interesting how certain Vietnamese Americans, particularly the older generation as stated in the paper, have this conflicting duality of feelings toward Vietnam. The desire to connect with their home culture and family while vilifying the system that exists there must be difficult to endure. Parts of the global Vietnamese community appear split ideologically based on location and age. Particularly striking was the transition from the use of My Nguy for Vietnamese Americans to Kieu Bao. This seemed indicative of not just economic need on the part of Vietnam, but of time repairing the fractured relationship between the state and the diasporic community. With the US and Vietnam building rapport over the last 20 years toward tolerance and perhaps even amiability, does this signal that the global Vietnamese community is entering a turning point in their relationship with their home nation?