CHAPTER2

PeacefulLifealongtheMekongDelta

CalmandRomantic,asmallvillageoftheMekongRiver

ThePlacidMekongDelta

Aman is, inpart, thesumofhis lifeexperiences,andhaving lived thoughthemosttumultuoustimeinthehistoryofVietnam,thoseeventshavebeenkeyinmoldingmeintothepersonIamtoday.It isworthpointingout,however, thatIwas equally impacted by the tranquil and happy days ofmy youth growing up

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alongtheMekongDelta.Inthischapter,Iwouldliketosetthestageofmyearlyhildhoodandexplainwhatlifewaslikeatthattime.c

WhataPeacefulLifeintheMekongDelta

TofullyunderstandthenatureoftheVietnamesepeople,andthelifestyleofthoselivingintheMekongDelta,itisworthtakingalookbackatthemigrationoftheir ancestors into this area. In the7th century, the small kingdomofChampawas formed along the coastline of central Vietnamwhere its people spoke theMalayo‐Polynesianlanguage.Startinginthe9thcentury,Cambodia,withitsworldrenownedKhmercivilization,dominatedSoutheastAsia.Eventually,bytheearly1800’s,bothChampaandwhatwasformerlythesouthernpartofCambodiaalongtheMekongDelta,wereconqueredbytheVietnamesefromtheRedRiverDeltainheNorth.ThemigrationofpeoplemovingfromnorthtosouthinVietnamcanbeomparedtothewestwardmovementofsettlersintheUnitedStates.tc

MapshowingtheconquestofVietnamfromNorthtoSouth

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The phrase “Go west, young man” came to symbolize the migration ofpeopleintheUnitedStatesmovingwestwardinthehopeofstakingoutaplotoffertile farmland, where they could build themselves a new life away from thehardships and poverty fromwhich they came. Similarly, in Vietnam, one of theprincipal motivations for the "March to the South" was the frequentanduncontrollable flooding of the Red River in North Vietnam.Political rivalryand unrest between various factions in the region also drove people to seek abetter life in the south. Remarkably, the proud people of Vietnamwere able tomaintaintheiridentityandnationalcharacteristicsovertheperiodofathousandyears of foreign domination spanningfour Chinese dynasties. Eventually,theVietnamesewereable toovercometheChinese invasionandtheVietnameserulersrewarded theirfighting men with farmlands inthe south. Behind theseaggressive pioneers came other settlers, meeting the resistance of the nativeChamswhograduallyyieldedtheirground.Thelong"MarchtotheSouth"couldnotbestopped.Itcontinuedfromthe11thcenturytothemid‐18thcentury.Afternearly700years,Vietnam'sterritorygraduallyincreasedbythreetimesfromitsoriginalheartlandintheRedRiverDeltatobecomethesizeandshapeitistoday.The Mekong Delta, with its Khmer Krom inhabitants of Cambodian descent,formally became part of South Vietnam as an outright French colony with thename Cochinchine by the mid 19th century. This history of the Mekong Deltaxplains the interracialblendingofChams,Melanesians,KhmersandTiềuChâuhineseC ethatmakeupthepopulationofmoderndayVietnam.

Thegradualmigrationofpeople towards the south led to theblendingofcultures,racesandphilosophies.Thisalsobroughtaboutatransformationintheoutlook and character of the people in the south. Overall, one can describe theSouth Vietnamese as more liberal, easy‐going and open‐minded than theirbrethren in theNorth.Whenyou think about it, thepeoplemoving southwereforcedtobemoreacceptingofnewideasandcustomsinordertogetalongwiththerestof thepopulation.On the flipside, thepeople in thenorth,havingbeendominated by the Chinese for a thousand years, had to secretly cling to theireliefs.Theybecameaccustomedtohidingtheirthoughtsandfeelingsasawaytourvivbs e,andhenceforthbecamemorereservedandintrovertedbynature.

Asinmosthybridcultures,theideasandstrengthsofeachpopulationinthenewfrontierlandwereincorporatedtoeveryone’sbenefit.ForexampletheTiềuChâu Chinese, well known for their agricultural skills,used their knowledge toproduce a bountiful food supply from the rich, fertile delta, thus enablingthepeople in South Vietnam to enjoy a richer life,different from that oftheircountrymen in North and Central Vietnam. And hence, the abundant Mekong

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Delta ecame a rich agricultural area with a peaceful and slow‐paced lifestyle.Thisis

btheareawhereallofmyhappychildhoodmemorieswereformed.

Lifewas simple then. Itwaspeaceful in the city, andevenmore so in thecountryside.OnecoulddriveortakethetrainfromthecapitalcityofSaigontoMỹTho, thegateway to theMekongDelta,and then travelbyboaton thecountlesslittlerivers tovisit the tropical fruitgardens, see thepeasants'houseson islets,andadmireallthevastpaddyfields.LikemostpeoplelivingintheMekongDelta,Iwasraisedonthewater.ThehousewhereIgrewupwasactuallyinthepeacefulvillageofRạch‐MiếuthatwasseparatedfromthebigcityofMỹThobythemilewide Mekong River. My father built a 12x20 meter home near a ferry boatlanding.Likemanyhomes inthearea,ourhousewashalfon landandhalfoverhewater,supportedbyconcretepiers.Theroofwasmadeofwaterpalmleaves,imilats rtothatchroof,whichkeptthehousecoolyearround.

Back then, no one was stressed. No one was in a hurry. With the slowmoving sampans on the rivers there was no rush hour. The people were notexposedtoortemptedbyconsumergoodsandtheirbasicneedsforfood,clothingandshelterwereprovidedbythe fertilesoilandtheyearroundmildclimateofhedelta. InstarkcontrasttothebigU.S.citiesthatIwouldlaterfindmyself in,herett wasnopollutionfromnoise,dust,andcarexhaustintheMekongDelta.

To cross the many waterways slim “monkey bridges” were built at aminimum cost with the abundant bamboo available in any village. The name“monkeybridge”probablycame fromtheassumption thatpeoplemustbeagilelike monkeys in order to cross without difficulty. Some did not even haveandrails.h

Villagesceneswithcute“monkeybridges”

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“Monkeybridges”

Despitebeingapredominantly rural region, theMekongDeltawasoneofthe most densely populated areas in Vietnam with most of the land underultivation.Inadditiontorice,thedeltaalsoproducedanabundanceofcoconut,ugarcane,tropicalfruits,flowersandfish.cs

Peaceful Life along the Mekong Delta 55

Workinginth ricepaddiese

Kidstakingcareoftheir amilies’waterbuffaloesf

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Duckfarmforeggproduction

VariousJunks

SampansandWaterTaxis

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VariousJunks

Floatingmarketswerecommon,andtrulyformanintegralpartofthedailylife and culture of the Mekong Delta. The markets were busy, bustling andcrowdedlikeafloatingcityofferingabroadvarietyofgoods.Amongstthefloatingendors,weresmallboatssellingdrinksandotherproductssothattouristsandhopp o dvs ers alike could enjoy a bowl f steaming hot noo le soup or a sweet‐smellingcupofmorningcoffeewhiletheyshoppedfromtheirboats.

Our familywould frequent the largeCáiBè floatingmarket,nearMỹTho,which served asthe hub for transporting local products to many regions inVietnam.Hospitablelocalsellersatthemarketofferedsurprisinglycheappricesforfreshanddeliciousproducts.AttheCáiBè,andotherfloatingmarketsinthedelta, sellers did not cry out to invite guests to buy their goods. Instead, theyattractedshopperswithstringsofhangingsampleshungabovetheir junks.Thearger floatingmarketsoperated24hoursaday.Atsunset, themarketsparkledith l

lw ights from the junks and other boatswith business activities carrying onuntildawn.

VietnamimportedabundantlivefishfromtheimmenseTonleSapLakeinCambodia.Thelivefishweretransporteddownstreamusinghugewoodenbargesithscreenedsidesandbigfloatsateitherend.AllthebargesstoppedattheportfMỹThowherethefishwouldbeloadedontodeliverytruckstotransportthemo Saigonearlyeachmorning.

wot

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MFloating arkets

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Floating arketsM

Passengerboatforlongerdistancetrips

FloatingFreighters

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Differentsampanandboatdesigns

Watertaxis

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Ferryboat Localtraffic

Typicaldeltatownwithanembarcadero

MapoftheMekongDeltawithprovincenames

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Farmer’shouse

Harvestinglotusf owersandseedsl

Duringmychildhood, the fertileMekongDeltawasfamous for its tropicalfruitsand flowers, and it remains so today. In theprovinceofBếnTre, coconutplantations and orchards were so densethat sunlightcould hardly reach theground.Asaresult,thegirlsgrowingupinthisareawereknownfortheirdelicateair skin. In those days,Vietnamese girls did everything possible to avoid auntanfs ,andmanycoveredtheirbodiescompletelyfromheadtotoe.

Withwatereverywhere,houseboatswerecommon,andruralpeasantshadarelativelyeasylife.Theyusedtheabundantwaterpalmsthatlinedthecanalsformaking shelters. Rice was plentiful and cheap, and the numerous waterwaysprovidedanendlesssupplyof fishandshrimp.Theycouldplantvegetablesand

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fpruittreesneartheirhouses,andeachfamilycouldraisechickensandoneortwoigs.Simpleshirtsandshortssufficedforclothinginthemildyearroundweather.

Visitors to the region could take a cruise on the roof of a boat at sunset,lookingatthedistantandendlesslinesofcoconuttrees,withoillampsflickeringhere and there,while listening to the cacophony of night birds, crickets, toads,andbarkingdogs.Ihavemanyhappymemoriesofdoingthatwithmyfamily.

Palm‐linedCanal LowCostShelterfrompalm

FamilyCompound

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Fishing

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MekongDeltahouseboat

Tropicalfruitsontheirwaytomarket

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Mangoustan

Cashewnuts(insidetheblackseedsattheendofthecashewfruits)

Jackf uitsr

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Dragonfruits

TamarindBananawithitspurpleblossomPapaya

Durian

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Milkybreastfruits

Starfruits Tráicócor“frogfruits”

Lecumafruit Custardapple.“MãngCầufruit”

Chamoya Pineapple“Chùmruột”fruit

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Lycheefruit

Chamoya

Hairyfruits Sapotilla

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Tropicalplums

Tropicalplums

Villagefruitcart

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Smallquantitiesoffruitweresoldinthelocalvillagemarkets,butmostfruitproducedintheMekongDeltawasconsumedinotherpartsofVietnam.Thefruitwasbroughttothewholesalers’warehousesbyboat,andthenitwouldtravelby

hecapitalcityofSaigon,orbyrailtoMỹTho.trucktot

Rice ieldf

TheDelta,madeupoflowlyingalluvialdepositsneartheendofthe4,500kmlongMekongRiver,wasthericebowlofVietnam–producingthreeharvestsper year. During my youth, the rice was harvested by hand and sun dried.Manuallyoperatedwoodenequipmentwithcircularfanstoproduceairflowwascommonlyusedtoblowsand,dirtandstrawawayfromtherice.PriortoWorld

stheworld’sgreatestexporterofrice.WarII,Vietnamwa

Harvestingtherice

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Riceprocessingequipment

Dryingpaddy

Duringthe30’sand40’s,Chinawaspoorandunderdeveloped,andtheyhadnomeanstobuilddamsontheupperreachesoftheMekongRiver.Therefore,the

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alluviumsfromthehighmountainsofTibet,andthethousandsofmilesupstreamof Vietnam provided natural organic fertilizers for the whole region. Later,however, communistChinabuilt somanydamsupstreamof Indochina that thewater flow in the Mekong was radically reduced, creating panic downstreamecausesaltwaterbegantoflowbackintotheMekongDelta.Asaresult,fish,fruitndri o eba ceproducti nall suff red.

The Delta was not a primary battle ground during the Vietnam War.However,afterthecommuniststookovertheSouthandimposedtheirruleoverthe entire country they created great hardships including acute food shortages.Thiswasnotmitigateduntil1985whentheHanoiadministrationintroducedits“renovation” policy. The people in the Mekong Delta area were then able toultivate their fertile land tobecomethegreat ricebowlofVietnamonceagain.ietnacV misnowtheworld’ssecondlargestexporterofrice.

Lifeinthecitiesduringmyyouthwasalsounhurriedandcalm.InMỹTho,uch of the architecturewas French by design. Themost impressive buildingastheresidencebuiltforthechiefoftheprovince.

mw

ResidenceofFrenchProvinceChief

It faced our local “Champs Elysées” where the military parade was heldeach year on the 14 of July, Bastille Day. Other structures built by the French

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included the beautiful Catholic Church, the court house, an administrativebuilding,thebarrack,thematernityhospitalandthestadium,plusatallreservoirtosupplythecitywithagravityfedwaterdistributionsystem.TherewasalsoanmpressiveclubhousebuiltovertheMekongRiverwhereFrenchofficialswouldotoeig njoyhappyhours.

Duringcolonial times, theomnipresentFrenchpoliceexercisedstrict localgun laws and other tight controls over the native population. I have vividemories of the French chief of police inspecting the town by bicycle in hismpremi ssivekhakiuniformwithhisbigrevolverinashinyleathercaseathisbelt.

Fromapracticalviewpoint,however,itcanbesaidthatpeoplethroughoutthecountrywereabletolivesafely,dayandnight.Myfather,forexample,awell‐knownbusinessman in town, couldapplyonly fora simple compressedairgunforbirdhunting.Asaresultofthistightsecurity,therewerealmostnogunsintheentireprovince.Norwerethereanyhoodlumsorstreetgangs.Oneofourfamily’susinesses,ajewelrystore,operatedfor50yearswithoutanysecurityproblems,revebo nasecurityguard.

EachweekmyfathertookatraintoSaigon,carryinganingotofgoldinhisleather briefcase that weighed several kilos. He would take the ingot to theIndochinaBankwhereitwastestedforgoldcontentandexchangedforcash.Thegoldcamefromusedjewelrysoldtoourfamilystorebypeoplefromallovertherovince.Foryearsmyfathertraveledaloneandneverworriedabouthissafety.twaspI veryadifferenttime.

Myfatherwouldgivemeabitofpocketmoneyforhelpinghimmeltalltheused jewelry.Wewouldusea furnaceheatedbymesquitecharcoal,andmy jobwastocrankahanddrivenhighspeedfanthatwouldkeepthefirehotenoughtomeltthegold.Theliquidgoldthatwouldendupinthecruciblewasthenpouredintoarectangularsteelmold.Theendproductwasaningotthatlookedlikeagoldbrick.ThisisthegoldthathewouldbringtoSaigoneachweek.Irememberthathetooktheearlytrain.Iwasallowedtowalkwithmyfathertothestation.WewouldstopatanearbyrestaurantforbreakfastwhereIwouldhavemyfavorite–caféaulait(coffeewithmilk)andadelicious“HủTiếuMỹTho,”MỹThoNoodleSoup,aspecialtyfamousinthewholeofCochinchinaevenintoday’sVietnameseommunities in America. After breakfast, I returned home for my schooling. Iould

cw thenwalkback tothestationtomeetmyfatherat6pm.

Everysooften,asa special treat,wewouldreturnafterdinner foraveryspecial trainride. Yousee,whenthetrainstoppedatMỹThostation, ithadno

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room to turn around for the return trip to Saigon. Therefore, the train had toback‐uptoanareaintheoutskirtsofthetownwhereitcouldmakea180degreeturn.Thenitwouldbackuponceagainintothestationtogetreadyfortheearlytripto Saigonthenextmorning.Thatshorttriptothecountrysidewasalwaysanxcitingrideforme!

e

MỹTho‐Saigontrain1938

IcangoonandonwiththenumerousandverypleasantrecollectionsofmyteenageyearsintheMekongDelta.IoftensaytomyselfthatIamquitefortunatebeingaVietnamesefromtheMekongDeltainsteadoffromNorthorCentralVietNam. It is well known that, compared to people from Hà Nội or Huế, the"Saigonese" are more open‐minded and tolerant. On the other hand, they arerather loudmouthed and at the ready for a brawl but also quick to forgive andorget. That could be an honest description of myself, a youngster from theekongDeltaandatypicalSaigonese!

fM

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LittledidIknowduringmyteenageyears inthe1930sand1940sthatthewaters of that greatMekong Riverwere running throughmy hometown ofMỹhoandthenacross thevastPacificOceantoreachtheshoresofSanFranciscoTBay,myfuturehometowninAmerica,myadoptedlandduringthe1970s.

Quiteajourney,Imustsay,butthishadtowaitfor"Điểu"‐thelittleMekongEagle ‐ to begin and complete its flight across the Pacific Ocean, my 80‐yearOdysseythatIhavebeentryinghardtorememberanddescribeinthefollowingchaptersofthisbook.Theyear2015markedexactlythe40thanniversaryofmyarrivalatCampPendletonasarefugeeandthebeginningofthesecondhalfofmylifeasanAmericancitizen.IstillsadlymisstheMekongDeltawiththepreciousemoriesofmybelovedparents,relativesandchildhoodfriendsthereinthelandfmyancestors.mo