Showing what it means to be Vietnames
Elegant music and live singing echoed across the Cannon Activities Center, and five-color flags waved as the performers ran accross the stage, showcasing Vietnamese culture.
Club President Minh Ngoc Chu, a sophomore in business management from Vietnam, hoped audiences found the club’s performance entertaining and educational. “I hope [the audience] can learn about Vietnamese culture, and [take away] something new about it.” He also hoped the audience could share the joyous feeling and upbeat energy the performers brought on stage.
The club performed its famous traditional folk song “Trong Com,” a piece named after the traditional percussion instrument, Chu said. He described it as “praise to the Vietnamese culture, the nature and the people.”
The performers dressed in traditional clothing and cultural artifacts to create a more authentic viewing experience. A notable attire worn by the performers was the “Ao Dai,” a traditional long-sleeved tunic popular in the culture. Five-color flags were also incorporated throughout the choreography. They are traditional artifacts “unique for festivals in Vietnam,” Chu said. The performance then shifted from traditional songs to modern rap. Chu hoped it was a memorable climax, one where audiences “stood up and danced with them,” he shared.
Performer Vuong Nguyen, a 2021 BYU–Hawaii alumni from Vietnam, wished Vietnam club will gain greater recognition following their performance. He said, “Vietnam club is more than just pho. … There are a lot more [cultural] things you can learn.” One such example is the performance. “It represents love, it represents unification between people, and it represents such deep-rooted traditions that we still keep to this day,” he stated.
Club member Melfrank Lugod II, a senior majoring in psychology and accounting from the Philippines, described the Vietnamese as warm and welcoming, and he encouraged others to join the club. “Learn their language, try their food and you’ll know much more about people, … and more of yourself.”
