Summary

TELDA women's watch belonging to Cuc Lam, a Vietnamese refugee. The watch was given to her as a keepsake by her older sister when she passed her school exams. It was one of the few mementos Cuc brought with her to Australia. Cuc escaped from Vietnam in May 1978, with her husband. They spent time in a refugee camp in Malaysia before being granted refugee status by the Australian Government.

Physical Description

Small, round, golden ladies watch with stainless-steel back, black plastic wristband and metal clasp.

Significance

Statement of Historical Significance:
This collection demonstrates the risk and desperation involved in the refugee experience. It is extremely rare to acquire objects from refugees, as by the very nature of the experience, people carry little if anything with them, and what they do is usually lost or thrown away. It helps tell the story of Vietnamese immigration, which has played a significant part in the history of immigration to Australia, and assists in representing the period post 1975, when Australia's new political and social policies of multiculturalism were being implemented. This collection also provides further insights into life in one of Melbourne's principal migrant hostels - Midway in Maribyrnong. Finally the collection traces a life beyond the immediate refugee and settlement experience to demonstrate how migrants find their way in a new country, establish lives and assume leadership roles in their local communities.

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