Family values of Vietnamese living in Vietnam and Poland

Abstract

This study used Vietnamese traditional family values as basic contents to compare between two participant groups. The traditional family values of Vietnamese always emphasized and praised the parents who are hard-working, and making sacrifice for their children; offspring have to practice filial piety, take care of by parents conscientiously when parents become older to reply the parents’ kindness. A feature of a social patriarchy is son preference. It is expressed in a desire to have at least one son to continue family lineage, worship ancestors etc. In relation of husband – wife, Vietnamese traditional family values expressed clearly beliefs in benevolence and righteousness, faithfulness; the wife, the mother had to serve, be long-suffering the husband and child. Respondents of the study were 196 Vietnamese living in Vietnam (100 persons) and Poland (96 persons). Methods of the study included: the purposely designed questionnaire administered to all 196 respondents and the intensive interview conducted with 15 Vietnamese who got married with Poles. The results of the study confirmed that Vietnamese immigrant participants could be flexible in relation with their offspring, but they also have the trend to protect, take care of their offspring more than other participants. Preference for a son can be expressed subtly; group of participants living in Poland expressed less son preference than participants living in Vietnam. The results of the study also showed the tendencies of keeping Vietnamese traditional values even while living far from their homeland. They confirm basic values such benevolence and righteousness, support each spouses in work, in life; they also accepted the phenomena called extramarital, cohabitation. The differences can be related to the process of acquirement Polish culture of Vietnamese immigrants and also to adapt to the life and work far from homeland.