A Japanese girl has a fate with Vietnamese culture
Specific cultural characteristics of Vietnamese ethnic groups attracted Japanese researcher on Asian and African culture, Ysuda Masako.
“I am very interested when researching ethnic minority groups in Vietnam. The more I study the more excellent I find,” said Masako.
At first sight, few people do not think that Masako is Japan and she can climb up mountains, wade across stream and enjoy daily dishes of ethnic minority people. But Masako were present at mountainous areas to study ethnic minority groups.
According to Nguyen Tien Dung, a teacher from Hop Thanh primary school in the central province of Nghe An, Masako was conquered by house on stilts in mountainous areas, dances of Thai ethnic minority groups, sounds of special musical instrument of Tay ethnic minority group as well as their special clothes.
Her indulgence started in 1989 during a 37-day visit to Vietnam, after three year graduating from Tokyo University and working as a lecturer of Department for Asian and African Culture Study.
Returning Japan, memories about the visit to Vietnam made Masako decide to come back this country to do research. Being able to speak Vietnamese, she tramped by herself to Central Highlands provinces, the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang, Lang Son, Lao Cai and Yen Bai, and the central province of Nghe An.
Masako successfully defended her PhD thesis on cultures of Tay and Nung ethnic minority groups in 2002 in Japan.
“I return Vietnam because of not only my indulgence but also a fate. I love Vietnamese land and people as my second homeland,” said Masako.
She went to Nghe An province to research O Du tribe in the mountainous district of Tuong Duong, where 22 houses with 64 people were living along the banks of Nam Non river.
She said that if there were no measure to preserve identity of O Du tribe, it would be lost. Therefore, she handed in proposals to local authorities. When coming back Tuong Duong district in June 2008, she was happy to see that the district did many things for O Du people.
“Festivals and courses on the O Du language have been held. Houses for O Du people have been built. This is an excellent thing,’ said Masako.
Explaining about what she did, she said she wanted to preserve traditional beauty and build a better lifestyle.
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