Viet Soul 3 celebrates Vietnamese cultural heritage in Australia

The Bryan Brown Theatre in Sydney was packed on the evening of October 17 as Vietnamese Australians and local audiences with an interest in Vietnam gathered for Viet Soul 3: Imprints of Alluvial Fertility.

Organised by the non-profit Vietnam-Australia Cultural Exchange Organisation (VACEO), the annual programme aims to bring the Vietnamese community together through music and cultural experiences. This year’s theme evoked the fertile alluvial plains of the Mekong Delta, using the imagery of rivers and sediment to reflect how individual contributions enrich a shared cultural identity.

My Thi, VACEO’s marketing director, explained that the theme represented people of Vietnamese origin from different backgrounds coming together to contribute their own distinctive experiences as well as embracing Australian society without losing touch with their heritage.

The programme featured 22 performances showcasing the musical traditions and cultural imagery of the Mekong Delta and southern Vietnam. Traditional instruments such as the đàn tranh zither, đàn bầu monochord, bamboo flute and drums featured alongside folk songs, dances and an Áo dài (traditional long dress) presentation.

Familiar pieces, including Ru con Nam Bộ (Southern Vietnamese Lullaby), Vọng Kim Lang and Dạ cổ Hoài Lang, helped recreate the atmosphere of the southern river region, bringing its melodies and cultural memories to audiences far from home.

Music and language keep cultural roots alive

For many Vietnamese Australians, such performances offer more than entertainment. They provide a sense of familiarity and belonging, particularly for those who have grown up far from Vietnam or want to pass their heritage on to the next generation.

Nguyen The Duong, director of the Yêu Tiếng Việt Vietnamese language school, said the programme evoked powerful memories of his homeland and highlighted the importance of preserving both culture and language among overseas Vietnamese communities.

He described the event as an opportunity for audiences to immerse themselves in Vietnamese music and language, likening the cultural experience to alluvial sediment continually enriching a river delta.

Duong was particularly moved by the participation of children from three Vietnamese language schools in Sydney — Yêu Tiếng Việt, Viet School and Inner West Vietnamese Language School. Their performances, which included folk songs and traditional drumming, demonstrated how children born and raised in Australia could maintain a meaningful connection with Vietnam.

“When children continue to speak Vietnamese and preserve Vietnamese culture, that culture will continue to spread,” he said.

For families in which only one parent is Vietnamese, maintaining this connection can be especially important in helping children understand their heritage and feel confident communicating with relatives in Vietnam.

Ngoc Tuyet, who lives on the Central Coast, drove around 80 kilometres to Sydney with her two children to attend the programme and collect an award. She said she wanted her children, one of whom has Vietnamese heritage through one parent, to understand their roots and feel more at ease when visiting Vietnam.

Both children study Vietnamese, with one having learnt the language for four years. Tuyet hoped they would eventually be able to communicate independently with family members and relatives rather than rely on her interpretation.

Bringing the Vietnamese community together

Beyond its artistic programme, Viet Soul 3 also highlighted the role of community organisations and cultural initiatives in maintaining ties between overseas Vietnamese and their homeland.

Nguyen Thanh Tung, Consul General of Vietnam in Sydney, welcomed initiatives that help preserve the Vietnamese language, cultural identity and community solidarity. He said events such as Viet Soul 3 supported the broader goal of encouraging overseas Vietnamese to stay connected with one another and with Vietnam.

Referring to Politburo Resolution No. 23, which follows the spirit of Resolution No. 36 on overseas Vietnamese affairs, he expressed hope that similar programmes would take place more frequently, not only in Sydney but also in other Australian cities.

The Consulate General would continue to work with and support organisations such as VACEO in bringing the community together and helping sustain its cultural heritage, he said.

For Vietnamese Australians, particularly younger generations, the enduring value of Viet Soul lies in the connections it nurtures, through a familiar melody, a song in their mother tongue or a child taking to the stage to perform a traditional piece. By bringing these experiences into a shared space, the programme helps ensure that Vietnamese culture remains a living part of community life in Australia, linking new generations with the heritage of their families and the country of their roots.

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