Family Meals, the culture of Dalat people

In Dalat, in both the center and suburbs, most families still keep family meals, which is considered as unstated convention in daily life. Family meals are the time for all family members to show their love to each other. Besides keeping happiness in this busy life, family meals play an important role in society, such as promoting role of women in society as well as family, role of housekeeper, role of “family teacher” in kid educating, ect.

Many Dalat’s women think that family meals are not only a habit but also a traditional lifestyle

Ms Thi Minh Tan Vu, (a 68 year-old woman living at No.287B Phan Dinh Phung str, ward 2, Dalat) expressed her opinion about family tradition: There are four generations in her family who have lived together for many years; her sons and daughters, her sons- and daughters-in-law, her nieces and nephews always gather together for daily meals. It is her family’s tradition.

Dalat is a beautiful land which is also the hometown of many people from many areas in the country

However, the most valuable characteristic that has lasted for over a hundred years is that all Dalat people keep the warm space of family meals, which is an extremely good time for the older to talk to their children about things in their day life, to take care of, or simply to show their love to their kids. Therefore, family is absolutely “ a lovely cradle to hold us tight, to warm us up, and to help us be good men”. Family is the most important element of the relationship in families, at schools, and in society in educating human beings.

It can be said that in modern life, society should pay more attention to preserving and promoting traditional culture elements of family, including family meals which play a very important role in developing the beauty of family culture. It is time for us to take care of “the smallest cells of society” with smallest activities, such as everyday meals of Vietnamese families.

By Thanh Duong Hong

 

local people