CHAPTER3

MyChildhoodFunintheMekongDelta

AirViewofMekongDeltawith9estuaries

TheMekongDeltaalsoknownastheWesternRegion,viewedfromtheair,is a very flat country with lowland rice fields and brown alluvium water. ItincludesCầnThơcapitaloftheWestand12provinces:LongAn,TiềnGiang,Bếntre,VĩnhLong,TràVinh,HậuGiang,ĐồngTháp,AnGiang,KiênGiang,SócTrăng,ạcLi uandCàMau.B ê

MapoftheMekongdeltawithprovincenames

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Villageroadinthedeltafullofexotic,tropicalplants

My recollections of the Mekong Delta are still quite vivid in my mind. Irememberwell thekindof lifeandthe inhabitantsthere,mostof themhavingahardexistenceasfarmers,artisansandfishermen.Lifeclusteredalongthebanksof the rivers or canals with simple dwellingsof various structures built fromhatevermaterialstheycouldfind.Consequently,thearchitectureintheMekongeltaofferedalargevarietyoflandscapefromplacetoplace.

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My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 81

Typicalhousesinthedelta

Typicalhouseshavingwaterpalmleavesforroofingandmooringsampans

atthesidetoserveasameansoftransportand“woodengarages”forstorageaswell.LifeonthebanksoftheriversmeantsomehousesbuilthalfonlandandhalfabovetherivertokeepcoolyearroundandalsotohavetheGodgiven"runningater forbathingandotherhouseholduses!w

"

Housebuilthalfonlandandhalfabovetheriver

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VillagesalongtheMekongRive withricefieldsandfishpondsr

Typicalrivertrafficinthedelta

I havea greatmanymemories as souvenirsofmy childhood funwithmy

fatherintheMekongdelta.I feel luckytohavehadasfather,anoutdoorpersonwho really loved nature.Most of theweekends, he tookme to the countrysidewithitsattractivericefields,colorfultropicalorchardsandanimatedcanalsandwaterways. The photos show those beautiful places with their interestingactivities.

My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 83

RiceMillvisit

One of our family businesses was a rice milling factory in the suburb ofMỹThocity.Myearlyengineeringcuriositystartedbyobservinghowthecomplexequipmenttransformedpaddytobrownrice.Thenapolishingmachineconvertedbrown rice into white rice. The by‐product was bran used to feed pigs. Iremembermy father askingmy Sister Four to prepare puddingwith bran andchocolate for dessert. I realize now that it took theWestmany years to beginmarketing bran as a high quality nutrition product in the supermarkets. I alsolearned that another by product of ricemillingwas husk to beused as fuel forcooking and for industrial kilns. It was also most helpful to the farmers asrtilizersfortheirvegetablesgardens.fe

Villageminiricemill

BrickFactoryvisit

Myfathershowedmevariousfactoriestoguidemetomyfuture,especiallytomy career inengineering lateron. I lovedtogooutwithhimtovisit theclaybrickfactorynearourricemill.

Brickfactory

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Junkfullofricehusk

Ricehuskisusedasfuelforlocalfactories asbrickkilnsorcopracoconutdryerssuch

Workercarryingricehusktobrickfactoryasfuel

My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 85

Thevisit to abrickkilnwasmore funbecause I could takehomea lot ofgoodclaytomakemyowntoyslikecars,motorbikes,miniatureshomes,cookingutensils, houses for fighting crickets… I learned howpeasants used clay and awoodenmoldtomakebricksbyhandatafastrate.Afterdryingthoseclaybricksin the sun, they baked them in the red brick conical kilns shown in the photosbove.Thefuelusedwaseitherwoodorricehuskfromnearbyricemills.a

My father’s program of showing me how people worked in the villagecontinued with the processing of coconut copra and the production of “Nướcmắm,” “thenational sauce”madeof fresh fish/saltandused forcooking.By theway,“Nướcmắm,”istheVietnamesecounterpartofsoysauceofChina,JapanandKorea, the so called “Chopstick group.” Please note that among two hundredcountriesoftheworld,onlyfoureatwithchopsticks.

FishSauceFactoryvis

it

Fish sauce is an amber‐colored liquid extracted from the fermentation offishwithseasalt.Fishisfermentedbyalternatingalayeroffishandalayerofsaltincylindricalwoodencontainersshownbelow.Thebestqualityof fishsauce inVietnamcomesfromPhúQuốcIslandandPhánThiếtbecausethosetworegionshave excellent anchovies as an ingredient. In theMekongDelta only softwaterfish“Cálinh”and“Cácơm”areavailableforproducingfishsauceandthequalityis not ashigh as anchovies. For “Nướcmắm” containers, originally peopleusedbaked clay containers (See photo below) but nowadays, glass or plastic bottleshavebecomemorepopular.

“Nướcmắm”orfishsaucefactorywithcylindricalwoodencontainersandsmallclaypots

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RicePaper(bánhtráng)Factoryvisit

Rice paper is made from steamed rice batter which is then sun dried.

Vietnamesericepaperforwrappingfoodiscomparabletoflatbreadtortillasusedforthousandsofyearsinnorth,northwestandnortheastMexicowheretheyareastaple,aswellbymanysouthwesternUSNativeAmericantribes.

Ricegrinding:Soakedrawriceisgroundwithwaterintoslurrybythisvery

simplemachine.Farmersuseacylindricalhandoperatedstonegrindertomakeflourthemainingredientofricepaper.(Photoofstonegrinderandmaking“bánhráng”)t

Stonem

ill

Ma

kingricepaper

My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 87

Makingthin“bánhtráng”ricesheets:the“bánhtráng”makersitsonalowstooltospreadthebatterontoacloththat'sstretchedoverawidepotofboilingwater.Afterthebatterhasbeenthinlyspread,alidisusedtocoverthericesheet.The resulting sheet is steamed forprobably about30 to45 seconds.The roundheetsaretakenoutsideandspreadoutonbambooplatformstodryinthesun.ncet

sO heyareready,thesheetslooklikeapieceofopaquepaper.

Dryingthericepaper:Asstated,todrythecookedricesheets,theracksarebroughtoutsideandplacedunderthehotsunforaday.Thewovenpatternoftheracksgivesthericepaperstheirdistinctiveappearance,whichfactory‐madeonesimic.Thedried,finishedricepapersarestackedup,thentiedintosmallerstacksndtakentomarket.ma

Ricepaperbeingdryinthesunonbambooplatforms

ThisricepaperisusedextensivelyinVietnamesecuisineforwrappingtheamous“ChảGiò”or“ImperialRolls”and“GỏiCuốn”or“SaladRolls(Seephotos)f

The“GỏiCuốn”(SaladRolls) “ChảGiò”(ImperialRolls)

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CoconutCopraFactoryvisit

Copraisthedriedmeat,orkernelofthecoconutusedtoextractcoconutoil.It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock. Almosteverywhere in the delta you could see coconut trees either in plantations orgrownwithotherfruittreesaroundthehouse.Normallyfarmerstransporttheircoconuts to theprocessing factoryby junksbecause it is themost efficient andinexpensiveway.(Seephotobelow)

Coconutcoprafactory

TheMekongDelta is the landof thecoconut.CoconutsEVERYWHEREandthepeopleofthedeltadependonthecoconutforEVERYTHING.It’susedforfuel,candy,liquor,roofing,bags/purses,carvedintocheesylookingsouvenirs,brooms,rushes,treatinginsectbites…younameitandtheywillturnthecoconutintoaseforit.bu

Coconutsupplytofactorybyjunks

My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 89

Workerseparatesfiberfromnut

Workers use asimple metal tool to separate the fiber from the hard

spherical nut. When the nut is split in half, the juice is collected for makingcaramel used in cooking. The white meatis solidly attached to the hard shell.Copraisproducedbyremovingthewhitemeatfromtheshell,breakingitupanddryingit.Differentmethodslikesmokedrying,sundryingorkilndryingareusedtodrythecopra.Sundryingrequireslittlemorethanracksandsufficientsunlight.Halvednutsaredrainedofjuice,andleftwiththemeatfacingthesky.Whenthehitemeat is heated in a dryer or kiln, it shrinks, loosens itself from the hardhellandbecomesdarkmeat.w

s

Whitemeatinsidethecoconutshell

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Drybrowncopra

When the nut is split in half, the juice is collected for making gourmet

caramel by boiling and concentrating it in a bigwok. The hard shell is used inindustry to produce activated carbon.Under French colonial rule, VietnamwasknownforitsexportofcopratoMarseillesfortheproductionofthefamoussoapat72%coconutoil.

ArtisanSugarFactoryvisit

SugarcanebeingharvestedintheDelta

My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 91

SugarCaneTrucks,neatlystackedfortriptosugarmill

Aloadofsugarcaneonacanaltriptoasugarmill

Inthevillageanartisansugarmilljuiceextractoriseitherhandoperatedor

onabiggerscale,drivenbyoxen,waterbuffaloorasmallengine.Juiceisboiledtoevaporate into very thick syrup and then poured into molds. After cooling itecomesasolidsugarcaketobecutintotablets.b

Smallsugarmill

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MyOtherKindsofKid’sFunintheMekongDelta

Allofthepreviousfuncamefrommyfather’sideasofeducatingmethroughhisguidedtoursoflifeactivitiesinthevillages.Byobservinghowpeopleworkedor a living, Iwas exposed to themeaning of the positive purpose in life.WhatrmofcontributionswouldIchooseformyfuture?

ffoMyrubberslingshotgunItwasaveryinterestingtoybecauseitallowedmetogobirdhuntingwithkidsofmyage.Welookedfordoves,wildpigeonsandalotofothertropicalwildbirdswhosenamesIdidn'tknow.WiththisrubberpropelledtoyIusedtoshootdownsweettamarindandmangoesalongthetree‐linedstreetsofmyhometown.Notall thetreeshadsweetfruitsandthatwasanotherchallengeformysearch.orbullets,Itookwetclayfromthebrickfactory,madesphericalballsandbakedeminthekitchencharcoalfire.

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Rubberslinggun

Cricket

Catchingcricketsinthericefields,feedingthemandmatchingthemupfora

goodfightwasanotherinterestingpastime.Thekidsfromtheneighborhoodgot

My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 93

together with their collection of crickets and organized exciting matches. Theritica pointwashowtochooseequalandfairopponentsforthematches.c

l

PairingforequalsizeGlassjarwasourfightingring

Fightingcricketsinaglassjar

Cricketsfight

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I did not forget tomatemywarriorswith female crickets as I believed ithelpedthemalefightersrelaxbeforethefight.Aftermydailyroutineof feedingthem,Ispentalotofmytimeobservingandselectingthebestonesbylookingattheir color, listening to their chirping and watching their movements. In afightingcontainer,handlersstimulatedtheircricket’swhiskersusingastrawsticktomaketheinsectsannoyedandaggressiveuntiltheyrevealedtheirtoughteethshapedlikehooks.Whenbothcricketswereinthemoodforafight,asmallpanelseparatingthe insectswas liftedandtheir fierce fightbegan.The fighting lastedjust a few seconds andwinner and loserswere determined by the cricket thatstartedtorunawayfromthebattleorstoppedchirping.Whenafightbeganandthe crickets rubbed their wings singing their fighting song to challenge theiropponent,IfeltlikeImyselfwasgoingintotheboxingring.

F

ishFighting

C

Fightingfishwerebredtobringouttheirviolentcharacters

ockfighting

Children’sfuninthevillageMatchingequalpairofminisizefightingcock

My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 95

Ihave lived in theU.S.almosthalfacenturyand Iunderstandthatin theWest,cock fighting is illegal and considered cruel.However,this deeprootedVietnamese custommay make me look like a monsterchildifin mymemoir I consider cock fighting asakid's fun. "Other land, other custom"and Irecall RudyardKipling’s famous quote: "Oh, East is East andWest isWest, andnever thetwainshallmeet."In thewest,childrenhavemanysophisticatedtoys.AsakidinaFrenchcolonyinSoutheastAsiainthe30's,mytoyswereprimitive.They came fromnature like fighting crickets, fighting fish, fighting cocks.Othertoys were made of clay. By the way, crickets, fish and cocks do fightamongthemselvesandbythemselvesvoluntarily innature.I justwanttomentionherethekindsoffunthatIwasabletoenjoyduringmychildhoodintheMekongDeltaand was not at all affected by the accusation of cruelty against animals.In allfairness,ImustsaythatIammuchhorrifiedbywhatIcanseeeverydayonTVinhe US showing terrible bloody fights between human beings in boxing andrestl

tw ing! Living in the Mekong Delta, I was able to discover that cockfighting wascommonthereasitwasthroughoutallofVietnam.Kidslovedtohavetheirowncocks and enjoyed taking care of them.In the early stage, the younger roosterswouldbattle for a victory with their blunt natural spurs or lack thereof. Realfightsstartonlyafterthecockshavereachedmaturityandtheyattackeachothersing their full grownnatural spurswhichcouldhavebecomequitepointedbyen.(Seephotosoffightingcocks)

uth

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Spuroffightingcocks

Thespurscouldbeaverydeadlyweapon.Ilovedtoraisethefightingcocks

om the egg stage to chicks and kept the oneswith the best colored feathers.eforefrB thefightIsharpenedthespurwithaverysharpknife.

Onemoreexcitingkidfunwastogobirdhuntingwithmyfather.Duringthericeharvest season,wehunteddoves thatwere feeding in thepaddy fields.Butthemostprizedbirdforhuntingwastheeagle.Itwasmostchallengingbecauseaneagle always stayedon the topof the tallest treeof thearea.Under colonialtimemy fatherwas authorized to ownonly air gunswith one typeof tiny leadbullets. Itwasverydifficult tohitaneaglewithsuchshort‐rangeairguns.Withthe eagle’s long feathers on the wings, my grandfather used tomake beautifulhandfans.Forlunchinthecountryside,therewasalsotheexcellentvillage“BánhCanhCáLóc”or“SnakeHeadFishNoodleSoup”.Thiswasatopchoicefishintheeltaonaccountofitsdelicateflesh.Manytimes,afterlunch,myfathercutafewrgebananaleavesandletmehavemysiestaonthosegreensheets.

dal

VerySpecialKid’sFun

Ihadmyunforgettable,uniquesouvenirwhilevisitingmycousin’sricefieldinVĩnhLong,an important townin theMekongDelta.Heowned50hectaresofwellmaintained rice fields.Typically, therewas adikearound theperimeteroftheproperty to control the level ofwaterduring the riceplanting season.WildfishandcrustaceancouldcomeinfromtheMekongRiverwiththehightidebut

My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 97

could not get out of the rice field because therewas a oneway butterfly valvelockingtheminside.Theygrewupnaturallyinthericefieldforthewholeyear.Anetwork of small canals crisscrossed the property. There was the once a yearruralf stivalcalled“ChắcĐập”or“EmptytheDike”daywhenallhisfarmhandsgottogethertocelebrate.

e

50hectaresofricefieldscrisscrossedbyirrigationcanals

Onlyonedeepercanallefttoretainallthefishofthevastricefield

Asyoucanvisualize fromthe twophotosabove,whenall thewater from

thecrisscrossingcanalswasdrained,fishandcrustaceanwerecaughtintheonly

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muddycanalleft.Thewaterofthiscanalfinallyflewoutviaascreenedgate.Ourfunwashowtogetridofthemudonthetopofthefishandlobstersleftbehind!Thesolutionwasrathersimple.Wemadeathreefootdiametercylindricalrollofricest awthewidthofthecanal.Fiveofuskidsstoodbehindthestrawrollandushe itforwardtodisplacethemud.

rdp

CáLóc“Snakeheadfish”

Cárô“Gourami”

My Childhood Fun in the Mekong Delta 99

Mekongfreshwaterlobsters

Rightunder the layerofmudyoucouldseenothingbut lobstersand fish.Nowwhattodowiththisdeliciousharvest?Thequickestandbestwaywastolineupthelobstersandfishontheground,coverthemallwithricestrawtogrillthemandwait fortheblue lobsters to turn into theredcoloranddinnerwasserved!hatamostdeliciousmealofmychildhoodinthevillageoftheMekongDeltainemi

Wth ddleofthericefield.

Due to lackof refrigeration,all the farmhandsworkedwent full speed torocessthetotalharvestusingsaltaspreservativesandhugebakedclay jarstoontai pc nall thefish.

The exceptionally plentiful and beautiful life in the Mekong Delta had toshareeventuallythesadfateoftheentireVietnamesenationinwar.Itcanbesaidthat life in theMekongDeltaand inVietnamfromnorth tosouthwasrelativelypeaceful under French colonial rule including even the short periodof thepro‐GermanVichygovernmentofMarshalPétain.WorldWarIIdidnottouchVietnammuch until the arrival of the Japanese troops. Compared to the former Frenchcolonial administrators, the Japanese occupiers were more violent and cruelalthoughhavingtheyellowskinliketheVietnamese!TheendofWorldWarIIin1945wasthebeginningofthemosttragicpagesinthehistoryoftheVietnamesepeoplewhohadtoendurewidespreaddeathanddevastationwiththereturnoftheFrenchexpeditionaryforces.Thisso‐calledFirstIndochineseWarendedaftertheFrenchdefeatatĐiệnBiênPhủ in1954and thepartitionofVietnamat the17thParallelbytheGenevaAccordsintoacommunistNorthVietnamandanon‐communistSouthVietnam.Inthefollowingfiveyears,therewasrelativepeaceinSouthVietnambutbyDecember1959thecommunistleadersinHanoidecidedto"liberate" South Vietnam by both political and military means. That was the

100 EAST meets WEST

beginningofanotherlongwarinvolvingthegradualintensificationofUSmilitaryintervention in the defense of South Vietnam against this armed aggression byNorthVietnam.TheVietnamWar,whichendedonApril30,1975withthefallofSaigon to the invading North Vietnamese troops, was the first of its kind as aombinationofconventionalwarfareandguerrillawarfaretoincludesystematicctsofca terrorismonalargescale.

Throughout the VietnamWar from1960 to 1975, theMekongDelta areawas not subject to the great battles up to divisional levels between the regularunitsof theNVA(NorthVietnameseArmy)andtheARVN(ArmedForcesof theRepublicofVietnam).Still,thecommunistrulewhichwasimposedontheentirecountry immediately after their takeover in 1975, created great hardshipthroughout,includinganacuteshortageoffoodstuffs.Thiswasnotmitigateduntil985,whentheHanoiadministrationhadtointroduceitssocalled“renovation”1(đổimới)policy.

ThepeopleintheMekongDeltaareawerethenabletocultivatetheirfertilelandtobecomeagainthegreatricebowlofVietnamwhichhashelpedVietnamtobe nowadays the world’s second largest rice exporter. That rich and beautifulMekongDeltawastheoneIusedtoknowandhavecherishedfromthetimeofmychildhood.Ifyoulookatitfromabird'sviewhighabove,theMekongDeltaislikeanenormous flatpancake lacedwith countless smallwaterwaysand,of course,withthewideandlongMekongRiveroriginatingfromthemountainsofTibetandthrowing itself finally into the vast Pacific Ocean in South Vietnam to reach itsAmericanshoresinCaliforniawhereIamnow.VerymuchlikemylongjourneyfovereightdecadesfrommyhometownofMỹThointheMekongDeltatoSanranciscoBay!oF