Overseas Vietnamese in Australia preserves the love of homeland

For many Vietnamese families living abroad, the concern of their children growing distant from their native language and cherished cultural heritage remains ever-present over time. Driven by a desire to preserve that connection, the Vietnam - Australia Cultural Exchange Organization (VACEO) established traditional music and dance classes, held every Saturday afternoon in Bankstown, Sydney.

On a sunny October afternoon, teachers and students were busily practicing new pieces for the Viet Soul 3 - "Dấu ấn Phù Sa" (Traces of Alluvium) program, scheduled to take place on October 17.

Outside the lobby of the Bryan Brown Theatre in Bankstown, the lively rhythms of the trống cơm (traditional drum) resounded. Inside the classroom, more than ten children lined up, watching intently as instructor Minh Ha Patmore demonstrated each technique. Their small hands tapped deftly on the drumheads, creating a steady, rhythmic pattern of sounds.

In the heart of Sydney, those sounds brought a sudden sense of familiarity, as if a corner of Vietnam were being preserved amid the tempo of life overseas.

During the break, Lexi Pham, one of the students, excitedly shared that although she only began learning to play the drum in early 2026, she quickly fell in love with the instrument.

"Playing the drum makes me feel very Vietnamese", Lexi said. "It's something I don't get to experience at regular school".

Notably, when chatting with us, Lexi actively spoke in Vietnamese. While English remains her primary language for school and daily life, the weekend classes provide an extra environment where she can listen, speak and better understand Vietnamese.

"Everyone here speaks to me in Vietnamese. Before, I wasn't very good at it, but after these practice sessions, I've started understanding more and speaking better", she shared.

Daniel Ngo shared a similar sentiment. Before joining the class, Daniel had never played the drum. After initial unfamiliar rhythms, he has gradually discovered a new personal capability and, more importantly, gained a deeper appreciation of Vietnamese music.

According to Daniel, whenever the teacher explains a song, an instrument, or the cultural background behind it, things that once seemed unfamiliar become much closer. For a child born and raised in Australia, this helps bring Vietnam a little closer.

Listening to her students talk, teacher Minh Ha could not hide her joy. Formerly a lead musician and founding member of the contemporary traditional band Mat Troi Do (Red Sun), she temporarily set aside her passion for folk music after settling in Australia. Yet, her yearning for homeland and her desire to continue working with Vietnamese music never truly faded.

"I've always felt I needed to do something to connect the community, so that Vietnamese children born in Australia will grow up knowing their roots and understanding how rich their culture is", Minh Ha said.

For her, the class is far more than just a place to teach children how to play an instrument. Behind every exercise are stories of their homeland, customs and sounds that many of the children might never encounter in their daily lives.

Dance artist Bach Van, formerly a soloist at the Bong Sen National Traditional Music and Dance Theatre and a lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City Dance School before moving to Australia, shares a similar sentiment.

When invited to collaborate with VACEO, she accepted almost instantly. According to Bach Van, teaching traditional dance to children born in Australia presents unique challenges. Many lack a clear concept of Vietnam's different regions or ethnic groups, so every dance lesson must start with stories about origins, costumes, props, and the cultural context behind each movement.

Driven by her students' enthusiasm, Bach Van plans to establish a dedicated dance class in Sydney with longer hours and a more systematic curriculum. She hopes the children will not only learn the steps but also gradually become acquainted with the diversity of Vietnamese culture from North to South. Ultimately, she envisions them confidently showcasing these traditional dances at multicultural festivals in Australia.

"At festivals hosted by other communities, I notice they always introduce their cultural identity. I hope Vietnamese culture can be represented more in that same way", she shared.

Remarkably, behind each lesson lies another form of perseverance - less visible, but equally essential: the dedication of the parents.

Nguyen Thi Quynh Van, the mother of a student in Minh Ha's music class, shared that her family lives quite far from Bankstown. Every week, she drives about 1.5 hours each way to bring her child to class, then spends another 2 to 4 hours waiting before returning home. Nevertheless, she considers it a worthwhile tradeoff. After about three months, she noticed her child eagerly looking forward to the weekends and enjoying speaking Vietnamese with the teacher and peers. Through the class chat group, the child's Vietnamese reading and writing skills have also gradually improved.

"The past three months have been a culturally and emotionally enriching journey for our whole family", Van said.

Teacher Minh Ha acknowledged that maintaining these classes is no easy task. Vietnamese families in Sydney live widely dispersed, travel distances are long, the children's Vietnamese proficiency varies and attendance can fluctuate from week to week. Consequently, teachers must constantly adapt their lesson plans, incorporating more visual aids, stories, and intuitive explanations to make the material more accessible.

Furthermore, there are practical hurdles regarding classroom space, funding and event expenses. Yet, every Saturday afternoon, the classroom lights remain on. The rhythmic sound of the trống cơm continues to echo. Dance steps are practiced over and over again. And words in Vietnamese - sometimes not yet perfectly pronounced - are earnestly spoken between teachers and students.

For Vietnamese families living far from home, preserving their heritage often begins with simple moments such as these.