One of the most compelling experiences of Vietnam that any visitor will take home are the stories of resilience and fortitude in the face of overwhelming foreign aggression. Almost all the museums on the field school we visit rely on this national narrative in some way, a mechanism by which both local people and foreign visitors are reminded of the sacrifices made in the name of the country.
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| Photo from the new National Treasures exhibition |
Whilst we can all learn so much about the Vietnamese spirit, what I find so disappointing is the way in which this proud and significant history is simply neutralised in the history setting. The new display of National Treasures in the Vietnam National Museum of History is a good example. My sneak preview of a range of documents, antiquities, and other artefacts are displayed in ways that have the effect of dumbing down the acts of heroism and spirit of resistance that captivated the period.
I cannot help but think that a audience-focussed approach to this history would reclaim the vibrant nature of this period of heroism, and re-engage Vietnamese people with their own history. The country risks losing the important stories of the past through dogmatic instruction -- and a new growing population of young Vietnamese will no longer have access to their past.
Museums, I believe, have a great opportunity here to take a lead on this issue of inter-generation memory, and a responsibility for reclaiming national history for the people.
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