Hello and welcome to VOV’s Letter Box, a weekly feature dedicated to our listeners around the world. We are Mai Phuong and Kim Chi.
A: First on our show today, we’d like to thank VOV Spectators’ Association in Bangladesh for your beautiful New Year greeting cards with pictures of Vietnamese Tet delicacies. We have also forwarded your greeting card to our Director. He loved it so much and thanked for your greetings.
Hanoians visit flower village during Tet |
B: Greetings for Vietnam’s Lunar New Year continued to pour into our office for several days after it ended. From China’s Fujian province, Li Ming sent us New Year greetings and a reception report on VOV’s program on January 7th on the frequency of 9550 from 16:00 to 16:20 UTC.
A: Thank you, Li Ming. It has been such a long time since we last heard from you. We’ll send you verification card to confirm your report.
B: We’re so happy to know that VOV’s New Year calendars have reached our listeners around the world. Richard Nowak of the US and Hans Verner Lollike of Denmark sent us emails to confirm the delivery. Mr. Lollike asked us about weddings in Vietnam and whether or not they are a family or village celebration.
A: The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important ceremonies in Vietnamese culture with influences from Confucian and Buddhist ideology. It is a significant day not only for the couple involved but also for their entire families and it usually includes quite a few formal ritual observances.
B: Getting married involves various steps and procedures which vary between different ethnic groups and regions, but in general, there are two main ceremonies: the engagement and the wedding ceremony.
A: According to the customs of the Kinh majority people, the bride and groom or their parents go to a fortuneteller to find out what date and time is best for the wedding. They strongly believe in this date and time so the groom's family and relatives must come to the wedding on time.
B: Some days before the wedding, they visit the bride and her family carrying round lacquered boxes containing betrothal presents which consist of areca nuts and betel leaves, tea, cake, fruits, wines and other delicacies covered with a red cloth and carried by unmarried young people.
A: On the wedding day, the groom's family and relatives return to the bride's house. The women dress in traditional long dresses. Men wear suits or traditional gowns. The procession is usually led by the wealthiest, most successful couple in the groom’s family to symbolize their hopes and wishes for the future life of the new couple.
B: The groom's family stops in front of the bride's house to allow the leading couple to enter the house first with a tray with wine. They invite the bride's parents to take a sip. By accepting the toast, the bride's family agrees to let the groom’s family enter their house.
A: The groom's family introduce themselves and ask permission for their son to marry the bride. The master of the ceremony, usually a respected person among the bride's relatives, instructs the bride's parents to present their daughter. The bride in her wedding gown then follows her parents out, followed by her bride maids. The couple pray before an altar and ask their ancestors to bless their marriage, then express their gratitude to their parents for raising and protecting them.
B: Then, they bow their head to each other to show their gratitude and respect for their soon-to-be husband or wife. The master of the ceremony gives the wedding couple some advice on starting a new family. The parents take turns sharing their own experience and giving their blessing. After that, the groom and the bride exchange wedding rings and receive gifts from their parents, such as gold bracelets, ear rings, necklaces or other jewelry. The ceremony ends with a round of enthusiastic applause.
Young couple take wedding photo in flower village |
A: When the wedding ceremony is over, there is a party at the groom's house or in a restaurant. This day is the culmination of many wishes, day dreams, hopes and anxieties. Guests are free to take the stage and sing a song to wish luck to the bride and groom while the guests eat and drink, the couple goes around to each table to receive good wishes, congratulations, and money.
B: This week Richard Lemke of Canada sent us an email reporting on the VOV broadcast on January 17 from 0000 to 0028 and complaining about difficulties in hearing VOV on 7315 khz. Roger Roussel of Canada rated SINPO all 5s for our program on January 3rd from 0100 to 0127 UTC. We’ll confirm your reports with QSL cards and send you our updated frequency list.
A: Also commenting on VOV’s broadcast on 7315 khz, Richard Nowak of the US reported great reception for the program on January 16 from 0000 to 0027 UTC. Mr, Nowak particularly liked the Sunday show segment on Maturity Rituals. He wrote: “Tonight’s show was informative, educational and fun. Thanks for the show, the beautiful gift and your support of shortwave.”
B: In a letter to VOV this week, Ian Stagg of the UK wrote: “I was very pleased to receive the impressive New Year Calendar that you sent me. I listened to your station and I’m very pleased that you use shortwave. I have looked back in my verification box and found that my first contact with VOV was in June 1969. I send you best wishes for the New Year and thank you for your fine programs.”
A: Thank you very much, Mr. Ian Stagg, for having been with us for such a long time. Besides shortwave, our programs are also available on the internet at www.vovworld.vn. We look forward to hearing more from you.
B: We’d like to acknowledge emails and letters from Reginaldo Aninciacao of Brazil, Fumito Hokamura, Toshiya Nishimura, Masaru Sekimoto, and Koji Nalayama of Japan, and Peter Ng of Malaysia. We’ll send you QSL cards to confirm your reception reports.
A: We welcome your feedback at English Section, VOVworld, Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Our email address is englishsection@vov.org.vn. Thank you for listening to VOV on shortwave and following us online. Good bye until next time.