Focus: Explore your parent’s birthplace, childhood, family tree, and ancestral roots.
Questions
GATHERINGS
Can you recall your first community event or local gathering and the impact it had on you?
What was the nature of the event and your role or participation in it?
How did this event reflect the values or traditions of your community?
Did this event change your perception or involvement in your community?
FESTIVALS
How did you engage with traditional festivals and what significance did they hold for your family and community?
Which festival was most important to you and why?
How did your family and neighbours come together to celebrate these festivals?
What are your fondest memories associated with these communal celebrations?
CHALLENGE
Can you describe a time when your community faced a challenge and how people worked together to overcome it?
What was the challenge and how did it impact the community?
How did you and other community members contribute to addressing the issue?
What lessons about community strength and resilience did you learn from this experience?
INVOLVEMENT
In what ways were you involved in local community organisations or groups, and how did this involvement shape your social life?
What organisations or groups were you a part of and what motivated you to join them?
How did your involvement impact your relationship with others in your community?
Can you share a particularly memorable experience or accomplishment from your time in these groups?
TRADITION VS MODERNITY
How did you maintain a balance between preserving Vietnamese cultural traditions and embracing modern societal changes?
Were there any particular traditions you or your community worked hard to preserve?
How did you adapt traditional practices to align with contemporary life?
What challenges did you face in maintaining cultural heritage in a changing society?
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Can you share your experiences with community-led initiatives or projects that aimed to improve local life?
What kind of initiatives were you involved in, and what roles did you play?
How did these initiatives impact the community?
What were the outcomes or benefits of your community's collective efforts?
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
How did you and your community celebrate national holidays, and what did these celebrations signify?
Which holidays did you celebrate most fervently, and how?
What did these holidays represent for you, your family, and your community?
How did these celebrations foster a sense of national pride and unity?
GAMES
What traditional games or activities did you participate in, and how did they foster community bonding?
What were your favourite traditional games or activities, and why?
How did these activities bring your community together?
What values or lessons did you learn through these communal games and activities?
COMMUNAL DINING
How did communal dining or shared meals play a role in your social and family life?
Can you describe the significance of shared meals in your community or family traditions?
How did these gatherings strengthen relationships within your community or family?
Were there any specific dishes or foods that were particularly meaningful during these communal meals?
ELDERS
Can you discuss the role of community elders and the respect accorded to them in social and communal activities?
How were elders involved in community decisions or events?
What traditions or practices ensured respect and care for elders in your community?
Can you share a lesson or piece of wisdom you received from an elder that has stayed with you?
CONFLICTS
How did your community handle conflicts or disagreements, and what strategies were effective in resolving them?
Can you recall a particular conflict and the methods used to resolve it?
What role did community leaders or mediators play in these situations?
How did these experiences of conflict resolution strengthen or change community dynamics?
SUPPORT
In what ways did your community come together to support members in times of personal crisis or need?
Can you describe a time when the community supported someone in need?
What forms of support or assistance were most common or valued?
How did this collective support reflect the values and cohesion of your community?
FAMILY MILESTONES
How were marriages, births, and other family milestones celebrated within your community, and what traditions surrounded these events?
Can you describe the customs associated with one of these life events?
How did these celebrations bring the community together?
What role did you or your family typically play in these communal celebrations?
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Can you share experiences of participating in or organising community cultural or arts events, and their impact on community life?
What types of cultural or arts events were you involved in?
How did these events contribute to the cultural richness and unity of your community?
Can you share a particularly successful or memorable cultural event and its significance?
EDUCATION
How did you witness or contribute to community education or literacy programs, and what impact did these have on communal development?
Were there any community education initiatives or programs you were part of?
How did these programs improve the community or individual lives?
What personal satisfaction or growth did you experience through your involvement in community education?
COMMUNITY HEALTH
What traditional healing practices or communal health initiatives were present in your community, and how did they impact overall well-being?
Were there traditional healers or practices that played a significant role in your community's health?
How did the community come together to promote health and well-being?
Can you share a story where communal health initiatives or practices made a noticeable difference?
LEADERSHIP
How did you engage with local governance or community leadership to voice concerns or contribute to local decision-making?
Were you involved in any community councils, meetings, or leadership roles?
How did these platforms enable you to contribute to community decisions or initiatives?
What changes or improvements were you able to witness or contribute to through this engagement?
SPIRITUALITY
How did community religious or spiritual practices shape social life and community bonds in your locality?
What role did religious or spiritual practices play in your community?
How did these practices bring the community together or support individuals during challenging times?
Were there any particular rituals, ceremonies, or places of worship that held special significance for you and your community?
SPORTS
Can you discuss the impact of community sports, tournaments, or physical activities on social cohesion and community spirit?
What community sports or physical activities were popular, and how did you participate?
How did these activities foster a sense of teamwork, health, and community pride?
Can you share a memorable sports event or activity and its impact on the community?
ENVIRONMENT
How did your community address environmental concerns or initiatives, and what role did you play in these efforts?
Were there any particular environmental issues or projects that your community focused on?
How did you contribute to or support environmental sustainability in your community?
What outcomes or benefits did you observe from community-led environmental initiatives?
VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE
How did community traditions or practices help in preserving the Vietnamese language and dialects among members, especially the younger generation?
Were there specific community efforts or programs focused on language preservation?
How did you and your family participate in these language-focused traditions or activities?
What significance do you believe language preservation holds for maintaining cultural identity?
MARKETS
Can you share how local community markets or gatherings influenced social interactions and economic life in your area?
What role did local markets or community gatherings play in your daily or weekly routine?
How did these markets or gatherings facilitate social bonding or economic exchange?
Were there any memorable experiences or traditions associated with these community spaces?
INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
How did you experience and contribute to intergenerational activities or programs within your community, fostering connections between different age groups?
Were there specific community activities or programs that encouraged intergenerational interaction?
How did you or your family get involved in these intergenerational initiatives?
What benefits or lessons did you observe from fostering these cross-generational connections?
STORYTELLING
Can you describe the role of storytelling, oral histories, or community narratives in preserving and sharing local heritage?
How were stories, histories, or narratives shared and preserved within your community?
Were you or your family involved in storytelling or listening to community narratives?
What importance do you attribute to oral traditions in maintaining and understanding community heritage?
LOSS AND GRIEF
How did your community assist individuals or families during times of personal loss or grief?
Were there communal customs in place to aid those experiencing loss or grief?
How did you participate in providing support or receiving it during such times?
What do you believe are the most important responsibilities of the community during challenging personal periods?
GARDENING
What traditional or communal gardening, farming, or food production practices were part of your community life, and how did you engage with them?
Were there community gardens, farming initiatives, or shared food production practices you were part of?
How did these practices contribute to community sustainability and cohesion?
What personal experiences or benefits did you gain from participating in these communal agricultural activities?
COMMEMORATIONS
How were important historical events or anniversaries commemorated in your community, and what role did these commemorations play in community life?
What significant historical events were commemorated in your community, and how?
How did you and your family participate in or observe these commemorations?
What impact did these events have on fostering a sense of history, identity, and unity within your community?
COMMUNITY CENTRES
Can you discuss the role of community centres or other public spaces in fostering learning, creativity, and social interaction?
Were there specific community centres or public spaces that you frequented?
How did these spaces contribute to your personal development, learning, or social life?
What activities or programs in these spaces did you find most beneficial or enjoyable?
TRADES
How did local craftsmanship, trades, or businesses shape the social and economic fabric of your community, and how did you interact with them?
Were there notable local crafts, trades, or businesses that were integral to your community?
How did you support or engage with these local enterprises?
What importance do you believe local craftsmanship and businesses hold for community identity and sustainability?
SECURITY
How did you engage with or contribute to community efforts focused on safety, security, or emergency preparedness?
Were there community initiatives or programs aimed at ensuring safety and preparedness?
How did you participate in or benefit from these community safety efforts?
What lessons or insights did you gain from being involved in community-based safety or emergency programs?
PERFORMANCES
Can you share experiences of community-led celebrations or events that showcased local arts, music, or performances?
What types of community arts events or performances were you involved in or attended?
How did these events highlight local talent or cultural expressions?
What impact did participation in or attendance at these events have on your appreciation for local arts and community spirit?
YOUTH
How were children and youth encouraged to participate in community life, and what initiatives or programs supported their involvement?
Were there specific community programs, clubs, or activities focused on engaging children and youth?
How did these initiatives contribute to the development, education, or socialisation of younger community members?
What role did you or your family play in supporting or facilitating youth involvement in community life?
DANCE
How have traditional dances or community dance events played a role in your social life and cultural engagement within the community?
Can you describe a memorable dance event you participated in and what made it special for you and your family?
How do traditional dances in your community reflect cultural stories or values?
Have you or your family members taken any dance classes to learn more about this aspect of your culture?
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Can you discuss the impact of community advocacy or social justice initiatives on promoting change or addressing local issues?
Were there community advocacy groups or social justice initiatives that you supported or were affected by?
How did these initiatives strive to bring about positive change or address local challenges?
What personal experiences or outcomes can you share about your involvement in or the impact of these community efforts?
INTEGRATING DIVERSITY
How did you experience and contribute to cultural or social integration initiatives aimed at welcoming and integrating diverse community members?
Were there specific integration initiatives or programs in your community that you were part of?
How did these initiatives promote cultural understanding, acceptance, and integration?
What personal satisfaction or community impact did you experience through your involvement in these integration efforts?
MENTORSHIP
Can you share how community mentorship or career guidance programs supported personal growth and professional development?
Were there mentorship programs or career guidance initiatives available in your community?
How did these programs assist you or others in personal or professional development?
What role do you believe mentorship and guidance play in fostering individual potential and community prosperity?
ADULT EDUCATION
In what ways have you engaged with adult education or learning opportunities within your community, and how has this impacted your personal development?
What kind of adult education classes or workshops have you participated in, and what new skills or knowledge did you gain?
Were these opportunities related to career advancement, personal hobbies, or cultural education?
Can you share a particularly impactful learning experience from these programs and how it has contributed to your life or career?
THE PANDEMIC
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect community involvement and social activities in your area, and what creative solutions were found?
What were the biggest challenges in maintaining community connections during the pandemic?
Can you describe any innovative ways your community stayed connected or supported each other during lockdowns?
How do you think these experiences will influence community activities in the future?
CLOTHING AND FASHION
How does clothing and fashion play a role in community identity and personal expression within your social circles?
Are there specific local styles or fashion trends that are popular in your community, and how do you engage with them?
Do these trends reflect broader cultural or historical influences?
Are there traditional garments or accessories that you wear on special occasions?
CRIME
How has the community come together to address issues of safety and crime, and what role have you played in these efforts?
What specific safety concerns or crime issues have been prevalent in your community, and how have residents responded?
Can you describe a successful community-led initiative to improve safety or reduce crime in your area?
What has influenced your views on community solidarity and personal responsibility for safety?