Vietnamese tradition at TU

By: Adiya Perkinson, Contributing Writer

Towson alum Ly Huynh started her Friday night by giving her audience an overview of all things Vietnamese: traditional foods, dances, holidays and pastimes. 

“We want to promote the Vietnamese culture, let everyone know on campus we have a Vietnamese community here, share our traditions, language [and] food,” Huynh, who helped to found Towson’s Vietnamese Student Association, said.

On Dec. 5, VSA held their third annual Vietnamese Culture Night. The event, sponsored by Student Affairs’ Friday Night Live, brought together VSA members and nonmembers alike in Paws for the night.

The evening began with a buffet of traditional Vietnamese food, followed by a rap performance by Towson senior Emmanuel Duru, also known as EMan The Heartbreak. Duru delivered lyrics in both English and Vietnamese, and spoke about the elements of finals week—something relatable to all students regardless of background.

The customary lion dance was next, which involved two dancers dressed in one extravagant costume. Their synchronized movements brought the lion to life as it moved throughout the audience, allowing a few members to place squares of red foil into its mouth for good luck. Karaoke concluded the event, and a few brave ones took a step up to the mic to show off their vocal skills.

Junior Je’nee Hawkins, who attended the event, said that he enjoyed learning about the lion dance and other Vietnamese cultures.

“It opens your eyes to information about various cultures and allows you to compare them to your own,” Hawkins said.

Coordinator for VSA Ly Huynh, who happens to share the name with the association’s founder, first got involved with VSA through Facebook.

Before transferring to Towson from a university in Vietnam, Huynh contributed her ideas via cyberspace.

To stay up to date on the latest from the VSA, she suggests for students to like their Facebook page and look out for event announcements in the Towson Tigers Today newsletter. Next semester, VSA hopes to hold more social events ranging from ice-skating to game nights.

“Everyone’s welcome, you don’t have to be Vietnamese, don’t have to be Asian,” Huynh said. “[Come out if] you want to have fun, make new friends and learn about a new culture.”