Blue, red, pink and green lanterns handcrafted by artisans in Vietnam swayed beneath Montreal’s blue sky, carrying a piece of the culture thousands of kilometres from home.
On Thursday afternoon, the excitement was palpable as vendors, performers and volunteers were preparing to open the fourth edition of the Chợ Đêm festival — running from July 16 to 19 — ready to share parts of their heritage with Montrealers through food, music and cultural performances.
White tents lined the Bassin Peel along the Lachine Canal, evoking the open-air night markets found in some Asian countries.
Organizers say the festival sprung from a desire to bring together generations of Montrealers of Vietnamese descent — and to share the culture with people from other backgrounds.
Healing through connection
Over the years, festival co-founder Charles Nguyen has witnessed the event bridge generational gaps and barriers.
Nguyen and his fellow organizers wanted to create a space where people can focus on “all the positive things that are happening” and create opportunities for parents to pass on stories and life lessons.
PHOTOS | Day 1 of Chợ Đêm:
Many young volunteers join the festival because they want to reconnect with a culture they have learned to partially “repress,” Nguyen explained.
“It’s not an accusatory thing… Those were the tools [our parents] were provided back then,” he noted.
He added that some first-generation Vietnamese refugees continue to carry deep emotional scars — stemming from trauma — and that, as a result, many parents chose not to share some stories or pass on the language as “a way to protect” their children.
Healing, according to Nguyen, starts with moments of connection and “removing all of the differences, having an enjoyable time and explaining to each other what’s the ideal phở, for example,” he said, with a wide smile.
The strength ‘to live as who we are’
Doan Trang Pan, who came to Montreal in 1980 after fleeing Vietnam by boat, said she wanted her children to have the Vietnamese community she didn’t have when she first arrived. (Hénia Ould-Hammou/CBC)
Doan Trang Phan, invited to present books at the table of Vietnamese authors, understands the lasting impact of displacement on different generations firsthand.
In 1980, at only 15 years old, she fled Vietnam with her brother by boat, spending several months in Indonesian refugee camps before finally arriving in Montreal.
For years, Phan had little contact with the Montreal’s Vietnamese community. But when her children were born, she was determined to give them the community she didn’t have.
“A festival like this gives us back the strength and pride to live as who we are,” Phan said.
Phan’s mother left behind writings in Vietnamese, which Phan translated into French. They were later incorporated into a graphic novel written and drawn by her children that tells the story of multiple generations of their family. The novel will be on display at the festival.
Phan says the Chợ Đêm encourages people to embrace their heritage and speak the language openly.
“I’m 62 years old. I’m starting to prepare for the final leg of my journey… For me, that means doing things so that when I’m gone, the next generation and the one after that will be ready to carry on,” she said.
Building a ‘beautiful community’
Phuong Anh Nguyen, who arrived in Montreal 47 years ago, said she never would have imagined seeing a festival celebrating Vietnamese culture in the city. (Hénia Ould-Hammou/CBC)
Nearby, Phuong Anh Nguyen, performed on the đàn tranh, a traditional Vietnamese instrument, while a young DJ played alongside her — showcasing the festival’s blend of traditions and new expressions.
Arriving in Canada as a refugee in 1979, she said she never imagined she would one day see a festival celebrating her culture in Montreal.
Every year, she takes a week off work to attend the festival.
“I’m here to celebrate with them, to live this joyful moment,” Nguyen said.
“I’m very proud of the youth.”
For Annie Nguyen, 24, this festival has allowed her to build connections within the community and has given her more opportunities to speak Vietnamese outside her family home. (Hénia Ould-Hammou/CBC)
Before attending Chợ Đêm, 24-year-old Annie Nguyen was unaware of how large the city’s Vietnamese community was.
According to a 2021 Statistics Canada census, there are over 26,000 people of Vietnamese origin in Montreal.
Growing up, she said she had few opportunities to speak Vietnamese outside her home.
“I was losing the language. I was just speaking Vietnamese with my parents,” she said.
“Recently, I’ve started talking a little more because I’ve met a beautiful community, and that’s really helping me integrate into the culture.”