Sữa means milk in Vietnamese.
As most Viet folks can agree, our language isn't considered very attractive. It has been mocked for decades in the media as the stereotypical Asian accent. Some of this mockery comes from our own brothers and sisters, who use humor as a method of assimilation and projection. Additionally, people are more gravitated towards other Asian languages like Japanese and Chinese not only due to their aesthetic value (which is inappropriate and fetishizing) but also because of their prevalence in pop culture. These languages and their histories are taught in universities and high schools, while a Vietnamese language, history, or heritage classes that extends beyond the scope of the Vietnam War rare to find.
"Sữa" is part of a long-term project intended to bring awareness and appreciation of the Vietnamese language by incorporating it into familiar imagery inspired by other Asian countries. The goal of this project is to contribute to the movement of empowerment among young Vietnamese Americans and inspire a revival of the language among the people who have lost the ability to speak it.
My "sữa" milk box design is a take on Asian people's common inability to consume dairy products.
"100% NOT MILK" means that it is safe to drink.
The design was printed on cotton shirts and tote bags at Daily's Workshop with the help of my partner, Koy Suntichotinun.
"sữa" everywhere they go. I've been told that the sticker has prompted questions from non-Vietnamese strangers about what "sữa" means.
Vietnamese, as a written language, usages the Latin script more than it does an Asian script. Simply put, the current alphabet Quốc Ngữ replaced the Chinese based alphabet, Chữ Nôm, when the French made it mandatory in 1910 as an attempt to gain more control over the Vietnamese people. My goal for this project is to spark a deeper investigation into Vietnam's history of colonization, of both its language and culture.
