Vietnamese Boat People Bookmark

The Vietnamese Boat People Bookmark is inspired by one of the most powerful and painful chapters of modern Vietnamese history—the mass escape of refugees by sea following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.

This original illustration reflects the story of the boat people: hundreds of thousands of individuals who fled Vietnam on small, fragile boats, risking everything in search of safety and freedom. From the late 1970s through the 1980s, up to 1.5 million people attempted this journey, facing overcrowded vessels, storms, hunger, piracy, and immense uncertainty. Many did not survive. Those who did often passed through refugee camps in Thailand, Malaysia, or Indonesia before being resettled across the world, forming Vietnamese diaspora communities that exist today.

Visually inspired by The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai, the illustration uses the overwhelming force of the sea as a symbol of fear, loss, resilience, and survival. The wave represents both the violence of the journey and the strength of those who endured it—caught between destruction and hope.

Designed as a quiet but powerful companion for reading, this bookmark turns history into something personal and intimate. It serves as a tribute to memory, migration, and the human cost of displacement—reminding us that behind every journey is a story of courage.

Product details:

• Original illustration by Bao Quyen
• Size: 5 × 20 cm
• Printed on high-quality textured paper
• Includes 1 colourful string or tassel (colour and style may vary)
• Theme: Vietnamese history, migration, sea symbolism, diaspora, resilience