THE PEOPLE OF TÂY BẮC

Tây Bắc (meaning “Northwest”) is one of the regions of Vietnam, located in the mountainous northwestern part of the country. It consists of six provinces, which include the province of Lào Cai.

The country has 54 ethnic groups, giving Vietnam the richest and most complex ethnic makeup of Southeast Asia. The majority of the ethnic minorities live in the hilly regions of the Northwest. The region is home to the Hmong, Zao, Nung, San Chay, Cao Lan, Giay, and Lolo, as well as the Tay, and Muong.

The photographs featured in this gallery were made in this region; predominantly in the weekly ethnic markets of Bac Ha, Coc Ly, and Can Cau, including a few in and near Sa Pa, the famous hill-station.

Most of the photographs were made using a Fuji X-T1 and a Zeiss 12mm lens, and with a Leica M9 and a Voigtlander 40mm lens.

All photographs are © 2014 Tewfic El-Sawy. All text and images appearing on this web site are protected by United States and international copyright laws

The H’mong are among the few people left in the world who, for the most part, still make their own clothes independently. In Sa Pa, many sell their handiwork to tourists.

The Hmong culture consists of a dominant hierarchy within the family. Males hold dominance over females, and fathers are heads of households.

In Sa Pa, the Black Hmong sub-groups have differentiated themselves by adopting different styles; those wearing a pillbox hat are Giay; those with a comb in their hair are Tao and those with a checked headscarf are Yao.

A Vietnamese bank clerk’s modern style contrasts with the Black H’mong traditional clothing.

Sa Pa (orginally Xa Pa in Chinese) is a small hill station and frontier town in the region, and is one of the main market towns in the area.

The weekly markets, such as those in Bac Ha and Coc Ly, attract the region’s ethnic minorities to trade and barter food, animals, clothes and household goods.

Aside from shopping and trading, the weekly markets offer traditional dishes ranging from thick noodle soups and thang co, blood porridge, a popular dish of the region.

The Flower H’mong colorful dresses are one of the favorite on women’s shopping lists.

Socializing is one of the big draws of these regional ethnic markets. Locals, young and old alike, come to socialize with friends.

Many of the products available for sale at these regional markets are mass produced, either in Vietnam or nearby China.

Some men are fond of Bac Ha’s famous and very potent alcoholic home-made brews (rice wine, cassava wine and corn liquor).

Flower H’mong matriarch having her lunch at Coc Ly market.

Entire families dressed in their finery will travel for miles to attend the weekly ethnic markets.

A Yao mother shares her ice cream with her infant.

An attractive Flower H’mong mother and child wait for a family member to buy condiments.

In the village of Ta Phin, Red Zao women exchange small talk after returning from Coc Ly.

More photographs (in color) of The People of Tây Bắc:

http://thetravelphotographer.wordpress.com/the-people-of-tay-bac/

All Photographs © 2014 Tewfic El-Sawy (travel photographer, photo-expeditions/workshop leader, multimedia teacher).