Photograph, resin coated silver gelatin print

Black and white photograph by Howard J. Davies showing young refugees from Vietnam practising a dragon dance for the Chinese New Year at the Chinese Community School in Lewisham, 1987. The centre teaches Chinese and traditional folk dancing and offers a range of services to Chinese and Vietnamese people in south east London. After the Vietnam war many Vietnamese fled to Hong Kong and the countries bordering the South China Seas, where they were placed in refugee camps. Those who tried to emigrate on board ship were known as the 'Boat People'. As Britain had jurisdiction over Hong Kong at that time, the government eventually gave asylum to 22,000 Vietnamese.