Learning About Lulu's Ancestry

We spent a good portion of the day at the Museum of Ethnology, in the "suburbs" of Hanoi. It was a very impressive museum. The interior exhibits gave an account of the many linguistic and cultural groups that make-up Vietnam. We believe Lulu is part of the Muong tradition due to (1) the province she came from and (2) it being the predominant cultural ancestry. The Muongs are/were very ritualistic and have a clearly-defined political structure. They are also known for their use of varying musical instruments.

The museum also included a number of artifacts and accounts from the post-war economy in Vietnam. I was a bit surprised to see no hostility expressed toward the French, Japanese, or U.S. (all previous 'occupiers'). Instead, the museum focused on the lives of the Vietnamese people and how the government's glasnost-esque reforms (Doi Moi) in the late 80s have led to Vietnam's current economic relative prosperity after the previous state-controlled system failed to adequately provide for the people. As expressed by this museum, the people of Vietnam have a clear sense of pride and identity, and a willingness to see other people and countries as friends first, despite prior hostilities.

The exterior exhibits of the museum were a collection of preserved, original homes of the various tribes/cultures. There were a number of points of interest. One included a multi-structure home from the Cham culture that included a house just for the daughter. Lulu insisted on pointing this out to me. Women are in charge of the house in that culture, as evidenced by the mother of the house having the only key to the family's chest of prized possessions, only to be opened at her discretion on an appropriately "lucky" day. Again, Lulu and Joni thought this all sounded quite impressive.

We learned that our first appointment with the U.S. Embassy for Lulu's visa will be on Tuesday afternoon. So, until then, the three of us will continue to tour Hanoi and learn more about Lulu and her homeland.

Take care,

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu