MEMORY OF THE WORLD REGISTER
Collection of pre-1950s photos on Vietnam and Indochina
(Viet Nam)
REF N° 2008-38
Part A - Essential Information
1. Summary
The “Collection of Pre-1950s Photos on Vietnam and Indochina” is being preserved, stored
and exploited by the Social Sciences Library of the Institute of Social Sciences Information, at 26 Ly
Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
The collection consists of about 30,000 photos taken by French historians, architects,
archaeologists and ethnologists of the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient (EFEO) in the early twentieth
century. A part of the collection was provided by colonial administration agencies. Most of the photos
are of 13x18cm size. They were taken from 1870s to 1950s in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and very few
was taken (or collected) in China and Japan. The collection mainly deals with the following subjects:
- Ethnic people with their own cultural and custom features;
- Production and daily life activities of the ethnic groups;
- Localities, beautiful landscapes and Oriental traditional architectures.
Actually, the collection comprised of 40,000 photos. However in 1957, nearly 10,000 photos
had been brought to Paris before the collection was handed over to Vietnam.
These documents are considered much valuable by researchers and political, cultural and
social activists.
2. Nominator
2.1. Name of nominator: Institute of Social Sciences Information
2.2. Relationship to the nominated documentary heritage: Documentary heritage management
organization
2.3. Contact person: Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thuy Nga
2.4. Contact details:
Name of contact person: Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thuy Nga
Address:
Institute of Social Sciences Information
Tel:
84.4.8264243/109
Mobile phone:
84.0912319585
E-mail:
nguyenthuyngaissi@yahoo.com
3. Details of the Nominated Collection
3.1. Title of documentary heritage
Collection of pre-1950s photos on Vietnam and Indochina
3.2. Description:
30,000 black and white photos, 13x18cm size
Taken by the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient (EFEO) between 1870s and 1950s. Before
1957, the Collection was stored at the EFEO Library. In 1957, it was handed over to the Vietnamese
Government.
4. Justification for Inclusion
4.1. Is authenticity established?
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Many photos have codes registered by the General Governor of Indochina’s Office and some
are still stored in the form of negative films or glass films. The collection had been surveyed and
confirmed the original by some French historians of EFEO Vietnam.
4.2. World significance:
The photo collection was the result of more than fifty years of gathering and on-site surveying
by the French researchers of EFEO Indochina since the research institute was established in Sai Gon in
1901 and then handed over to Vietnam Government in the year 1957.
It is evaluated as the largest and most diverse photo collection in the region about culture,
history, people, architecture and archaeology of Indochinese ethnic groups under the French colony
with such major themes as religions and faiths, cultural activities, kings and mandarins, historical
relics and remains, archaeological exhibits, traditional architecture, arts, handicrafts, farming,
countryside areas, provinces, trading activities, urban development, process of road expansion and
industrial development, building cultural works, etc.
Most of photos in this collection had been taken by EFEO researchers, including H.
Parmentier, L. Fomberteaux, J. Manikus, O. Jansé, P. Dupont, L. Bezacier, J. Commaille, Jean-Yves
Claeys, M. Durant, H. Mauger, L. Malleret, etc. Remaining photos were gathered from the archives
store of General Governor of Indochina’s Office or duplicated from the collection of the French
famous photographer P. Dieulefls.
Such photos give us an objective and true sight about many things and phenomenon, daily life
of Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian people in the early years of the last century. Among which,
many things and customs of the time had been changed or not available for the being time. For
instance, fabrication of Dó paper by hand in Buoi village of Hanoi, religious rituals of Hue Royal
under the Nguyen dynasty, blackening the teeth of Tonkin femals, etc do not exist any more. Other
rites, customs and community activities of ethnic groups in highlands of Vietnam such as hecatomb,
custom of funeral and burial, wedding custom, worshiping of expelling evil spirits, religious festivals
in regions and areas through Vietnam have been much changed.
In the previous time, this collection was a material source for research activities of EFEO
about Indochina. Many photos of the collection were used by French experts for studying restoration
and preservation of cultural heritages in Indochina such as restoring some temples and pagodas in
Vietnam and Laos, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom… in Cambodia in the early twentieth century.
Nowadays, given the aspect of cultural study, this collection is a historical material source in photos
attached an importance to experts of different fields such as history, ethnology, architecture, art
performance and cinematography, etc. This photo collection has been popular both at home and
abroad and highly appreciated for its unique cultural and historical values. Also, its unique and
precious features may be that no existing photo collection about this phase of Indochinese people has
the equivalent value, topics and size compared with the preserved collection at Institute of Social
Sciences Information. On the other extreme, subjects in such photos (tangible and intangible cultural
subjects) can have been alternated or not available to date.
This collection is arranged in a closely laid-out, logic and comprehensive structure with high
quality because it was established intentionally and carefully selected by the EFEO experts and stored
by EFEO’s library for ages prior the delivery. That is, any loss or decrease of items in this collection
shall cause damages to it’s humanitarian values.
Since the year 1998 up to now, the number of domestic and foreign readers in need of
exploiting this material has been on the rise when a part of the collection (about 18,000 photos) are
photocopied on paper for looking-up and in avoidance of direct contact to the originals. The material
source of photos shall be used for various purposes such as researches about culture and history of
Indochinese people by Vietnamese and French scholars, published in the forms of album, postcard,
etc, exhibited and introduced in seminars to be held by EFEO and Institute of Social Sciences
Information in Hanoi. To date, many photos of the material source have been employed for restoring
cultural and historical works and local traditional festivals, etc.
Currently, these photos get mouldy or smeared because of poor preservation conditions in the
war. So, it’s an urgent task to protect the collection.
4.3. Assessment against criteria
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Time: The collection is the richest visual document on the societies, peoples and cultures of Indochina
over 100 years ago.
Information about each photo might not full. In case the collection is recognized as Memory of
the World, users in the world shall join hand in supplementing information.
Research on each photo has not been done yet. In case the collection is recognized as Memory
of the World, researchers in the world could have data to discover and invent.
People: The collection provides us with vivid information about social life of people in Indochina in
the past. It has great values in terms of culture, people, politics and society.
Each person with their activity in a photo has their own destiny that has not been clarified yet.
In case the collection is recognized as Memory of the World, users in the world would have data to
decode each image.
Subject and theme:
- Ethnic people with their own cultural and custom features;
- Production and daily life activities of the ethnic groups;
- Localities, beautiful landscapes and Oriental traditional architectures.
Form and style: Black and white photos taken from different angles with rather high techniques.
4.4. Are there issues of rarity, integrity, threat and management that relate to this nomination?
4.4.1. Rarity: The photos were taken by some French scientific researchers in the period that the
Vietnamese and Indochinese people had no proper equipment or techniques to do that. Therefore, they
are very rare.
4.4. 2. Integrity: The collection remains quite intact.
4.4.3. Risk: It can be destroyed by fungus or getting mouldy, smeared or aged.
5. Legal Information
5.1. Owner of the documentary heritage (names and contact details):
Name of Organization: Institute of Social Sciences Information
Address:
26 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Tel:
84.4.8253074
Fax:
04.8253074
E-mail:
vienthongtinkhxh@viettel.vn
5.2. Legal status
The Institute of Social Sciences Information has authorized to preserve this collection.
5.3. Accessibility
Individuals or organizations can find pictures through the marks on each photo in catalogues
classified according to their subjects and register to exploit the documents.
Access restrictions: no access to the originals.
5.4. Copyright status
Copyright under the Berne Convention. Photos’ life exceeds the Berne Convention’s
regulations on time limitations.
6. Preservation and Access Management Plan
There is a management plan in existence for this collection done by the Institute of Social Sciences
Information as follows:
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- Reinforce the preservation work in order to reduce the humidity and temperature of the
original photos to prolong their lives.
- Gradually scan the whole collection for readers to access and exploit.
7. Consultation
Details of consultation about this nomination with the owner of the heritage:
Institute of Social Sciences Information
Tel:
84.4.8246858
Fax:
04.8253074
Part B - Subsidiary Information
8. Assessment of Risk
Detail the nature and scope of threats to this documentary heritage:
The collection can be potentially destroyed by fungus or getting mouldy, smeared or aged.
9. Assessment of Preservation
Detail the preservation context of the documentary heritage:
The Institute of Social Sciences Information has applied many management and preservation
measures for the photo collection. However, technical conditions for the preservation are still
primitive, which doesn’t meet the requirements. It’s essential to improve the technical skills and
preservation sites to keep the collection in modern standard conditions.
Part C - Lodgement
This nomination is lodged by:
Institute of Social Sciences Information
Signature:
Date:
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