Tribasia Blog

We were back on our feet for a long trek yesterday, south of Sa Pa (Northern Vietnam). We first went to Lao Chai, a Black Hmong village located in a very scenic valley. Beyond the beautiful rice fields, we spotted vast areas of maize and hemp cultures.

Hemp was introduced following the interdiction of opium by the authorities. To which extent this is successful, we cannot really say as the lush greenery of the mountains is an easy hideout for plants of any kind...
Hemp is of course used for clothing. Many Black Hmong women can be seen with strands of hemp on their shoulders which they prepare for weaving. The typical weaving machine consists of a wooden wheel around which the threads of hemp are rolled. The wheel is actioned by foot, just like a bicycle.

We also came across lots of Red Dzao -whenever you see Black Hmong in Sa Pa area, there seems to be a Red Dzao village just nearby.

We continued our walk towards the village of Ta Van, the home of Dzay people, also called Giay.
Please have a look at our 'Ethnic Groups' section (http://www.tribasia.com/ethnic-groups.html) for further information about this group.

From Ta Van to Giang Ta Chai, a Dzao village further south, we were escorted by an unsolicited trio of Black Hmong women. One of them sported a red dot on her forehead. We had already spotted a few babies and women in the market with these marks and were curious about its meaning. Was it a sign of protection as in the Hindu religion?
The eldest of the three women told me that Black Hmong actually applied a freshly boiled cut buffalo horn on their forehead to cure them of diseases. The best placebo on earth no doubt. With medical means out of reach -either financially or logistically- for many minorities, many resort to traditional methods.

We trekked all the way back from Giang Ta Chai up to Sa Pa with the sunlight bathing the valley of its fading light. A beautiful sight!

All in all it was a sunny day full of wonderful views and without any hassle. What best!
After these 25 kms walk, we are ready to put our feet up :))

Labels: Black Hmong, Dzay, Lao Chai, northern Vietnam, Red Dzao, Sa Pa, Ta Van