Mango seed cup Origin
The mango-shaped cup was carved by Nguyễn Ngọc Diệp’s father during his imprisonment at Trại K3 (K3 Camp) in Vĩnh Phú.
This cup was made from found materials and made into the shape of a mango seed by Nguyễn Ngọc Diệp's father while he was imprisoned in the K3 "re-education camp" in Vĩnh Phú, one of the northern “reeducation” camps where thousands of former South Vietnamese military officers were detained after 1975. A soaring phoenix is engraved on the back of the cup using only makeshift tools. At the time of his imprisonment, Diệp’s mother was one month pregnant. Diệp's father was imprisoned for a total of 7 years.
Object donated to the Vietnamese Heritage Museum by Nguyễn Ngọc Diệp
The mango-shaped cup was carved by Nguyễn Ngọc Diệp’s father during his imprisonment at Trại K3 (K3 Camp) in Vĩnh Phú.
Upon his release, Diệp’s father carefully preserved the mango seed cup as a personal relic from his years of imprisonment.
The cup was brought with the family to the U.S. where they resettled and was later donated to the Vietnamese Heritage Museum by Nguyễn Ngọc Diệp on behalf of her father.