Huu Tran
Huu Tran is an artist involved in theatre production with the Vietnamese Community Australia, Victoria Chapter (VCAVC). He grew up in South Vietnam on the island of Tan-Thoi, part of the Nine Dragon Rivers. “The rivers were dangerous to swim in,” Huu recalls. “They had very strong currents and were quite muddy. I wanted to swim but I was scared. Where I grew up they said that if you swam well, you swam like an eel.”
Huu learnt to swim in a time-honoured way. When he was about eight, a few of his friends playfully pushed him into the water. He quickly learnt to swim. Like an eel!
He first set eyes upon the Maribyrnong River a few days after arriving in Australia in 1989. His home then was in Footscray, close to the river. “My father took me for a walk along the water at Footscray Park. The water looked cleaner to me than the muddy water of the tropical islands I’d known. My first question to my father was ‘Can we drink this water?’ He said, ‘Don’t be so stupid! It’s salty water!’”
Huu was 16 years old when he migrated to Australia. As a young adolescent, the transition was hard. He was especially heartbroken about leaving his girlfriend behind. “The water reminded me of my days in Vietnam. When I reminisced about times with my girlfriend, sometimes I wanted to drown myself. It’s stupid now, but as a young man the feelings were so strong.”
As Huu became accustomed to life in Australia, he remembers spending many hours by the Maribyrnong. “I enjoyed fishing; sitting by the river and taking it all in. I would be there every evening in summer. As an artist and a dreamer, it is a peaceful place to be.” Later on in his life, the river became the place of escape from all the chaos life had to throw at him. “The river is symbolic of my life. It has a connection to the place where I grew up. The time I spend there is never wasted.”
Huu has lived in North Sunshine for ten years and misses the river. Nowadays Huu, who is kept busy running a family business, working for VCAVIC and pursuing his creative interests in film, likes to cycle with friends along the river whenever he can. His favourite destination is The Boat House Café in Essendon. “They have
very good coffees there!” he says.
Huu’s work as a community artist has included working with young Vietnamese on The Flow Project, a series of artistic interpretations about the importance of the Maribyrnong to various cultures. He is interested in getting people involved with the river.
“I think ten years ago the water was clearer,” he recalls. “People and industries are polluting the Maribyrnong River. It’s our job to preserve it.”
Story by Pam Laguerta
Additional reporting by Vin Maskell
Photos by Vin Maskell
