Summary
Red vinyl suitcase used by Cuc Lam on her journey from Vietnam to Melbourne in 1978. In it she carried the few possessions brought to Australia by herself and her husband. Cuc and her husband escaped from Vietnam in May 1978. They spent time in a refugee camp in Malaysia before being granted refugee status by the Australian Government.
Physical Description
"Camel" brand, red vinyl suitcase with zipper. Hand written cloth label tied to handle with string. Small Qantas tag attached to handle with string. Hand written inscriptions on the suitcase outlining name, destination, flight number, boat number and refugee camp. Interior lined with red material.
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.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Mrs Cuc Lam, 15 Oct 2001
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User
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User
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Inscriptions
Lid of suitcase - LAM HUU MINH/BOAT No: C.A.T. 0208/CAMP : E, Pulau Tengah./GO AUSTRALIA; Base of suitcase - FLIGHT:QF2/DESTINATION:MELBOURNE/ VICTORIA Hostel/LAM-HUU-MINH/BOAT No:CAT 0208/CAMP:E, PULAU TENGAH/GO TO AUSTRALIA; Side of case - L.H.MINH/GO TO AUSTRALIA (written twice) Cloth label - NAME:LAM-HUU-MINH/FLIGHT:QF2/DATE16/7/78/DESTINATION:MELBOURNE/ VICTORIA HOSTEL
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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overall dimensions
46 cm (Length), 15.5 cm (Width), 46 cm (Height)
height includes handle
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Exhibition Collection Management
460 mm (Length), 155 mm (Width), 460 mm (Height)
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References
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Keywords
Immigration, Migrant Hostels, Refugees, Vietnamese Communities, Vietnamese Culture, Vietnamese Immigration, Making History - Cuc Lam, Vietnam War Refugees