Iris Dinh demonstrates Vietology on March 14,
2008 at the opening of the traveling exhibition at
San Jose City College. The flowers represent the
colors of the Heritage Flag; the drum a replica of
ancient Vietnamese culture.

The replicas of the drum (sometimes a gong)
which are on the table date back 2500 years in
Vietnamese culture. Vietologist Ms. Dinh called
attention to an article in National Geographic in
March, 1971, by Wilhelm G. Solheim ("A New
Light on a Forgotten Past").  The author, at the
University of Hawaii at the time, suggests that  
evidence shows the advance of  civilization
marked by agricultural development and symbolic
art began in Southeast Asia and spread to China
and to Indonesia and the Philippines.  The Dong
Son drum portrays spirit boats (like the later Lac
Viet boat) taking the dead to a holy place for
everlasting life -- heaven.  The bronze drum was
found somewhat south of Hanoi.

The photograph was taken by Jean Libby, editor
of VietAm Review and graphically rendered by
Peter Bui of Cali Foto Media.  Peter is a graduate
of San Jose City College in Professional
Photography in 1997 and San Jose State
University.  His studio is at 970 Story Road -- in
the new "Little Saigon."  

Jean Libby is a retired adjunct instructor in
History and Ethnic Studies at SJCC and the first
woman graduate in Professional Photography at
De Anza College in 1978.  

(at left)  SJCC student and family attending the
"Exit Saigon -- Enter Little Saigon" traveling
exhibit from Smithsonian Institution on March 14.
Asian American Studies Professors
Celebrate Opening

Dr. Vu H. Pham, curator of the original
Smithsonian Institution exhibit on Vietnamese
Americans in 2007, attended the grand opening
of the exhibit at San Jose City on March 14, 2008.

Professor Kieu Linh Valverde of the University of
California, Davis, Asian American Studies
Department also attended.  She is an authority
on Vietnamese textiles, historic and
contemporary, and curated an exhibit on the ao
dai cultural dress at the San Jose Textile
Museum in 2007.  Her extensive published work
study of Amerasians who settled in Australia,
accomplished with a Fulbright Fellowship.  
Books by Vietnamese American
authors from the original
Smithsonian Institution exhibit
are at the History San Jose
bookstore in Kelley Park,
San Jose California.

Quang X. Pham,
Andrew Lam,
Nguyen Chi Thien