Vietnamesischer Kulturabend im Theater der Uni Bremen

Last Saturday I got to attend the Vietnamese Culture Evening, an event masterfully organized by the Vietnamese student community at Uni Bremen and the HSB. Under the three guiding meanings of the word Hội: Integration – Celebration – Togetherness, the event is divided into four artistic and easy-flowing sections that are conceived to give a generational glimpse of Vietnamese culture and people.

Here is a summary of the evening, for those who are still undecided whether to attend or not:

The doors of the Uni’s Theatersaal opened at 6:30 p.m., although the performance began at 7:30 p.m. You can buy the ticket at the entrance (7€ for students) and along with the performance brochure you will receive a lucky stick. The stick contains a proverbial message in the manner of a fortune cookie. Without a doubt, a beautiful welcoming gesture.

Ready for the show to start!

Also 1€ , shrimp flavored chips!

In the theater foyer, some little ornaments of Vietnamese culture can be purchased with cash or PayPal: keychains, bracelets, necklaces, and traditional figurines. Likewise, you can buy some typical snacks for a few euros: tapioca chips with shrimp flavor, rice snacks, cookies, coconut jelly. I would advise you to bring your own drink, though.

I spent 1€ on this delicious snacks (Vietnamese cookies)

The function started on time and I counted around 40 attendees. The first part presented the creation mythology of the people of Vietnam, referred to as The Land of the Dragon and the Fairy. This story is a central part of Vietnamese identity. The myth of Lac Long Quan (a dragon lord) and Au Co (a fairy) tells how the first Vietnamese ancestors had 100 sons, who became the founders of the Vietnamese people. This was beautifully presented through movement and sound.

First perfomance: the myth of the origins.

The second performance, called The Dream of Three Lives, presents an old nun who reflects on her past life in a stream of thoughts, a life made up of legends and reality. She reflects on the fate, suffering, love, and enlightenment of Vietnamese women through different generations. As Lady Triệu (226 248) expressed:

„I want to ride the strong wind, conquer the wild wave, slay the sword wall in the Baltic Sea. Why should I bow down and be someone’s wife?“

Second act: the story of a Vietnamese warrior.

The third part of the evening was a fun and interactive Bingo session. This was the first time I participated in something called “Sprichwort-Bingo”. The idea was to share the deeply rooted nature of literature and poetry in the culture through visual representations, comparisons and metaphors that make sense within a certain social structure. For this, they found proverbs with similar meanings in Germany and Vietnam. An example is:

Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold (Talking is silver, silence is gold). Which in Vietnamese would be: Lời nói là bạc, in lặng là vàng.

The two proverbs share the same profound meaning. Together they illustrate how cultural expressions are deeply embedded in their respective societies. They not only reflect cultural values, but also show that despite the great geographical and social differences between different societies, it is possible to find amazing parallels in literary representation.

Third part: Bingo. Three winners, I was not one of them.

The cultural evening ended with a beautiful fashion show, offering an insight into Vietnam’s traditional clothing from different historical eras. It was a tribute to the rich culture and traditions that the garments embody.

Closing with a flourish: the traditional fashion show.

In my opinion, the overall achievement of the evening was showing that Vietnamese and German cultures have indeed something in common. I guess anyone could see that this  group has really managed to integrate both worlds very well, and to teach something on the way while keeping it fun. 

Actress on stage.

The show is entirely in German, although it includes many fascinating elements from the presented culture. The mood of the event was absolutely festive. Bright colors prevail; the background music is solemn, and the public is engaged. This was the second function, with two more coming on the 26 and 27th of July. Highly recommended if you’re in the mood for something different! This is your chance to finally get immersed in the culture of Vietnam.