Observing how people react to their surrounding environment and its physical objects is one way to learn about the culture of a community. Vietnam is a culturally diverse country that is home to 54 ethnic groups, making it a magnet for many foreigners including Mark Rapoport, an American antique researcher and collector. Rather than being just beautiful objects to look at, each antique holds a historical or cultural story behind it and collecting antiques can be a great way to learn about history and culture, says Mark.
During his 20 years living in Vietnam, Mark Rapoport has cultivated a love for Vietnamese ethnic cultures. He has amassed a huge collection of more than 10, items of the ethnic minorities in the northern and the Central Highlands of Vietnam.
After that visit in Vietnam as a medical volunteer, Mark returned to New York to work as a pediatrician. Having lived in Manhattan for dozens of years, Mark and his wife, Jane Hughes wanted a change of pace. They decided to travel around the world to break away from their daily routine. So far, they have visited more than 70 countries worldwide. When she went to check on her programs, I and sometimes our two children would go as well.
And we would learn a bit about the cultures doing a little sightseeing when she finished her work. They give you an insight into the people who made and used them.
After obtaining initial objects in Quang Ngai, he continued his journey to do research and collect more. We have things from the Northern mountains, things from the Central Highlands region, but very few from the South. These are masks that they wear on their forehead to call down the spirit of a particular god.
