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Baguette as a symbol of French culture in Indochina
Submitted by Somkiethtisack Kingsada

Background

French colonialism made an exit from Indochina in 1954, but a trace of French cultural influence remains, Apart from a number of buildings and paintings produced during the colonial period. Though France considers it part of the Franco-Phonie, few people there speak French now. However, one trace of French culture, perhaps the most unlikely one, can still be found, that is the culture of eating baguette, people in former French colonial countries, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam still eat baguette .Why is it that this culture has been adopted, and how has it been adapted to the way of life of the people in Indochina? This is a puzzle that should be explored in depth.

During the period of French colonial rule from 1893 to 1954 (Laos), the French baguette was introduced into Indochina (Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia). It became very popular among Laotian, Vietnamese and Cambodian nowadays .That time the eating baguette was found only in the main cities, but not in the countryside because most people who ate baguette were from the middle class and worked with colonial government. This research will be conducted through a review of relevant literature on the subject, including a study of the history of French Indochina, French colonialism, and French cultural policy on colonial countries.

The Objective of research

1. To examine the process of adaptation of French culture in Indochina through the eating of baguette.

2. To study how the ways of eating baguette represents the differences between social classes?

3. To examine to what extent the culture of eating baguette symbolizes French influence on Indochinese civilization?

Research Questions

1. Why does the culture of eating French baguette still remain in Indochina at the present time?

2. To what extent does the eating baguette represent French culture, what does a baguette mean to people in Indochina?

3. Are the ways of people in Indochina eating baguette the same or different from each other? How could we explain this similarity or difference?
4. Are the adoption and adaptation of baguette related to social and economic aspects?

5. Is the eating baguette the combination of French cultural influence or the local civilization?

Methodology

A historical approach is adopted for this study. A sociological perspective is also relied upon to shed light on themes like cultural adaptation and the relationship between culture and social class differences.

In order to trace history of baguette and study how and why people eat baguette, a field work and interview with people together with the data collection and documentary studies will be carried out in the capital cities of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

In order to find out how much the eating of French baguette existing and how it has been adapted to local people’s life in their home countries, making an observation and get some interaction with certain group of people who deal with baguette such as: owner of bakeries, bakers, flour company, baguette distributors, baguette vendors, together with senior ranking officers who served in French administration during the Colonial periods.

The study will include the influence of baguette shown in media, such as: magazines, newspaper, fictions, cartoons, TV commercials/advertisements newspapers (English, French, Lao and other languages)

Time Frame of Project

The field work and research would be schedule from 7^th March to 7^th May 2008 within 4 main cities in three counties of Indochina: Vientiane, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh.

Hypothesis

The baguette is a cultural dimension that can explain the process of adaptation and localization of French culture in Indochina.

Significance of the research

This research will provide a fundamental knowledge on French cultural influence on Indochina through food. Its findings will serve as a crucial basis for further study on other aspects of cultural colonialism in Indochina and elsewhere. This is part of Lao history, Lao Habit on food and Lao culture, the information help to better understand on each other, its contribution to researchers and scholars, mainly who are interested in Lao culture heritage.

The research result should come with a book printing, seminar and joint corpus with cultural research institutes.

Scope of research

This research will focus on the ways of eating baguette in former French Indochina mainly in the capital city of Laos and compare Laotian ways of eating baguette with those in Vietnam and Cambodia.