- A la rencontre des tribus
du Nord Vietnam.
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 In the north west of the country, near
the Laos border, live the ethnic minorities called Hmong, Zao,
Thaï and Muong... We went in search of them on foot, in
the heart of the impenetrable montains...
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- Text and photography by Jean-François
Vibert
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- For the last five hours we have
been driving north east on a windy mountain road that looks more
like a dirt track than a national road. We drive through the
province of Son La stuned by the beauty of the tortured landscape
and the luxuriant vegetation.
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- A region still completely
isolated - Just a few
miles down the road, we can't help wondering at the incredible
isolation of Diên Biên Phu's famous camp... But that's
another story, and anyway we're not going that far, we abandon
the car in the village of Yên Châu, and go on foot
into the mountain.
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- This is where the adventure
begins - Tonight we bivouac
in Napa, a village of black Thaïs situated four hours away
up in the mountain. The air is much better than in the plain
and walking in this luxuriant forest is a real pleasure, we are
hardly even bothered by the odd mosquito thanks to some very
efficient cream.
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- In the land of the black
Thaïs - The Thaïs
settled in these mountains over 2000 years B.C., and their decendants
are the first people we meet on our 7 day trip. They live in
long houses built on stilts, cultivate rice on terraces and the
women wear short jackets fastened by silver buttons.
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- In the land of the Hmongs
- The Hmongs arrived
from China only two centuries ago and are the poorest population.
They live higher up in the mountain and cultivate maize on burnt
land... the women wear tight shirts with embroided sleeves.
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- Traditional life-styles -
The Hmong's homes are
rudimentary : bamboo shacks on the ground covered with elephant
grass or palms...
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- Ancestral traditions es traditions
ancestrales - Unlike
the Thaïs or Zaos societies, the Hmongs is a patriarcal
society, The women give birth in a squating position and the
placenta is burried under the mothers bed...
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- An autarcic economy - Here, families live on the fringes of
Vietnamese society and are self sufficient, they don't have money
but barter with neighbouring tribes.
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- A lesson in hospitality - The arrival of a small band of walkers
to the tribe once or twice a year is always an event. In all
the villages, the hospitality and pride of the chief is equalled
by the friendliness and curiosity of the rest of the population.
And this will always be the case as long as walkers are as respectfull
of their hosts as their hosts are of them...
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- Comment s'y rendre ?
- For futher Information contact
Michel, Agence Découvrir à Ho Chi Minh City (Saïgon).
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- 236, Nguyen Trong Tuyen - Phu
Nhuan Dist. - Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam
- Tél. +84 (8) 845 80 96
- Fax : +84 (8) 844 02 05
- decouvrir@fmail.vnn.vn
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- © Jean François
VIBERT - Journalist and photographer - Paris -
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- Specialised in travels, extrems
sports, leisure activities, adventure trips, outdoor sports,
deserts and mountains... Trekking, ski, snowboard, mountain,
bike, sailing, scuba diving, hiking, in line skating... Texts
and pictures for the press and the web, illustration, digital
photography, reportages...
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- Journaliste photographe - Spécialiste
des voyages, des sports de glisse, des loisirs, de l'aventure,
de l'outdoor, des déserts, des montagnes. VTT, trekking,
ski, snowboard, parapente, voile, plongée sous marine,
randonnées, roller in line... Textes et photos pour la
presse et internet, illustrations, photographie numérique,
reportages...
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