Documentary : Hmong in the NorthEast of Viet Nam - "The Rocky Highland"

Vietnamese Origin: Cao Nguyên Đá

txhais lus Hmoob

English interpretation

Click on the image to watch the documentary ( Flash required) - 20MB - 20minutes

* Ha Giang, the head pole of North Vietnam, where is highest and furthest to the North border,

* Ha Giang's area is 7,884.37Km square, with 1 main town and 10 districts, for 22 nations.

* Hmong is the largest group here, makes 30% the province's population. ( ~300,000 Hmong )

 

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+ Since 1900's, Indochine French government found out this outstanding variable zone over this tropical country. Sapa has various natural environment and ancient heritage; with the population of 43,600 2005 data), and 60% are Hmong ( majority is Black Hmong ). Sapa is one among the districts of Lao Cai province.

+ Sapa is 0.6 miles heigh compares to the sea level, down below the Hoang Lien Son mountains. These green mountains made the distinguish weather for Sapa. It's cool through the year, sometimes it even snows during winter. These snowing days attracts lots of tourists. + French used to refer Sapa as Indochine's Alpes. They then built it into a resort since early of 20th century. There're still many French old villas remained until today.
+ Sapa is famous for its various types of flowers and gardens. Even vegetables is also a peciality of this town. Vegetables are sold in the market along with others. From those villages underneath the mountain, people have headed to the market since midnight. Market is not only for trade, but also for meeting and rendezvous of local guys and girls.

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+ Located in the North East of Vietnam, where it's bordered with China in its North and contiguous with Ha Giang province in the East; Lao Cai has 570,000 people with 25 nations and Hmong is the majority.

+ Lao Cai is a province between the North East and North West of Vietnam; borders China for more than 124 miles.
+ The tropics with monsoon climate has two seasons, rain and dry. Due to its complex topography, Lao Cai often has temperature's convulsion. Sometimes it's below 0 Celcious degree with snow.
+ Lao Cai has two high range of mountains, Hoang Lien Son and Con Voi ( "the elephant"). Fan Si Pang (Phan Xi Pang) is the highest mountain in Indochina and also called "roof of the country's house"; It's 3,143 metres or 10,308 ft. The name Fan Si Pang originated from Chinese term "Hua Shi Pang" ( 化 石庞 ), properly means " a giant rock". This is the meeting place for climbers.
+Lao Cai is also where the Red River runs to Vietnam from China, with 80 miles's length. Perhaps this specification has made Lao Cai becoming an important trading and political center over this Red River's head since the old days.
+Nowadays, with the rail and the international entrance with China, the economic has been developed at the place.
+ Sapa is a popular resort town in Lao Cai, at the heigh of 5,300-6,500 ft to the sea level. During the colonial French time, Sapa was considered as "summer capital" of the North with its European figure. + Visiting Sapa, tourists can't miss the "Love rendezvous fair" every Saturday nights. Local guys and girls with various races, various musical instruments, come and look for a partner.
+There's another market name Bac Ha, the largest market in the place for local people. This market offers all highland goods. People come to the market not only for sell, but also for meeting and staying in touch.

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+ Cultural Festival for people in the North East of Vietnam, 20th August 2006. Also with the present of dancers from Malipo, China.

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+ Cultural activities are very important in Hmong community.
+ With a rich culture, Hmong people created many distinguish musical instruments such as, qeej, flute. Hmong love singing, they usually sing when they do the farming, collecting harvest, going along the way, or when they head to the markets. They do not only sing in a wedding but also in a funeral. All of that enrich the variety of Hmong songs.
+ There're 3 occasions for Hmong songs: Funeral, Wedding, songs for daily activities. All songs are just improvised and sung in specific occasions. ....

+ Until now, the Hmong still reserve their traditional songs and music. It's another specific cultural value which enriches the Hmong people culture and tradition.

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+ For 6 months now, these 34 Hmong families with 212 members have migrated to this area, deforest for planting ground. This area is beginning of the stream name Nam Xin. Along this stream, there are many Ha Nhi ethnic minority families live and use the water. Many times, local resident came to persuade migrant people move to another place, but thing's still the same. ....

- It just takes 5 working days of one migratory farmer, this area has been like this. And it's been 6 months now, only the frontier troops discover and report to the local administration. Anyway, there's still no solution to stop this. ....

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Xyooj A Dej ( Sùng A Đế ) ( lives in Suoi Hoc village, Trung Ly commune, Muong Lat district, Thanh Hoa province - middle North of Vietnam ), had 2 paralytic legs since he was small, and had to use 2 arms for moving.
Despite the poorness of family, he's very diligent in studying. After finish elementary school in the village, for 2 years now he has been 20 miles away from home, camping to attending his secondary school.

Mentioned about his dreams, Dej declared: "i will try my best studying, in order to be a doctor, bringing medical knowledge to my Hmong village, curing my people."

On the San May ( "cloud yard" ) Ridge

The San May ridge of the Ham Rong ( "dragon jaw" ) mountain ( Lao Cai province, NorthWest Viet Nam )
is always surmounted by clouds and mizzle thourgh the years. Tourists are stuffy easily just right after reaching the top of that "sky gate" ( 1,300 metre ~ 0.8 miles heigh )
However, 3 brothers Chen ( Tsheej-Hmong ethnic ) stay right there at the steeply ridge all day, waiting for tourists, in order to sell embroidered wristlets which are woven by local resident of Lao Chai - Ta Van village.

After selling to the tourists, Chen ( Tsheej ) always remember to say goodbye in unaccently Vietnamese :
"Don't forget to come back San May ridge ! "