Matters of Interest

Tet Festival

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:25): I rise to speak about the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, known as Tết. This year the Lunar New Year fell on Wednesday 28 January 2025, and it is the Year of the Snake. For the Vietnamese community in South Australia we celebrated Tết festival at the Vietnamese Community Centre in Athol Park on the weekend of 1 and 2 February. I have spoken in this chamber previously about the meaning of Tết, and today I would like to speak about this year's Tết festival celebration in South Australia.

Tết is the most important festival in Vietnamese culture. I felt immense pride and joy as a Vietnamese Australian to celebrate Tết at the community centre. The celebration is a beautiful reminder of our rich heritage and the enduring spirit of our community. I am especially proud of our younger generation of Vietnamese Australians who took the lead in organising this event. Their dedication, creativity and hard work was truly inspiring. They have not only embraced our traditions but also infused them with new energy and ideas, ensuring that our culture remains vibrant and relevant.

This year's Tết festival held extra significance as we mark 50 years since the Fall of Saigon, as well as 50 years of Vietnamese settlement in Australia. A couple of performances at the Tết festival brought both joy and sadness to me as a boat person. The first performance was a song called Thank you Australia, composed and sung by Dorothy Nguyen. The song expresses the appreciation felt by many Vietnamese Australians, along with their love for this beautiful country. This song was first performed at the unveiling ceremony of the Vietnamese boat people monument in Adelaide four years ago.

The second performance told the story of the 50-year journey of Vietnamese people to Australia. It began with the peaceful and thriving Vietnam prior to 1975, to telling of the suffering of war and its after-effects, resulting in millions of Vietnamese boat people forced to escape their homeland to find peace and freedom in other countries like Australia.

Tết is a time for family, reflection and renewal. It is a time to honour our ancestors, celebrate our achievements and look forward to the future with hope and optimism. Through these celebrations we maintain a strong connection to our roots, passing on our values and traditions to the next generation. It is essential to preserve our cultural heritage, and events such as this play a crucial role in doing so. Festivals provide an opportunity for us to come together as a community to share our stories and to celebrate our identity. They remind us of the importance of unity, resilience and the enduring spirit of the Vietnamese people.

I want to thank all the volunteers, performers and sponsors who contributed in organising this year's Tết festival. Special thanks goes to Khuyen (Quin) Tran, the President of the Vietnamese Community in South Australia, as well as committee members Tony Pham, Tien Pham, Le Quan Chuong, Phan Holly Le and Nhung Jennifer Nguyen. I know I speak on behalf of many in saying that all your efforts are deeply appreciated and your commitment to our culture is truly commendable.

As we welcome the Year of the Snake let us continue to support and uplift each other, celebrate our achievements and look forward to a future filled with prosperity, happiness and success. In closing, I wish all honourable members and your families good health and much happiness for the New Year of the Snake. Chúc Mừng Năm Mới.