Preserving the ancient houses of the Hmong people in Ky Son.
(Baonghean.vn) - Houses with thatched roofs are closely associated with year-round life in the high mountains and represent the distinctive and typical ancient culture of the Hmong people. However, these centuries-old houses are in danger of disappearing.
With their distinctive ethnic cultural characteristics, the Hmong community has made a significant contribution to creating a diverse culture that blends harmoniously with other ethnic minorities in western Nghe An province.
Currently, this community is most concentrated in Ky Son district. Upon arriving at the Mong villages, the most noticeable sight is the image of houses roofed with cypress wood, nestled closely together on the slopes of high mountain peaks. Over time, these cypress roofs have taken on a mossy green color, ancient and solemn amidst the vast forest.
According to the Hmong elders, the houses of this community were previously roofed with oil-rich wood like fir, which helped retain heat. Fir wood allowed them to withstand the cold winters in the high mountains and maintain a cool atmosphere during the hot summers. Furthermore, this type of wood can last for decades, even centuries. This has been a tradition of the Hmong people since ancient times, when they first migrated to the high mountains of Ky Son district.
Currently, Ky Son district has 25,932 Mong people, accounting for 32.46% of the total ethnic minority population.
In this area, during the process of development, the Hmong people have preserved their cultural heritage.
This includes indigenous knowledge, customs and traditions, and material culture. Of particular note is the material culture of houses made of cypress wood.
According to surveys, the Hmong people currently live in 73 villages/12 communes in Ky Son district. However, only 23 villages/6 communes still preserve hundreds of ancient houses made from cypress wood, dating back hundreds of years. This is an extremely valuable heritage of significant importance to the locality. However, this heritage is facing the risk of disappearing and requires appropriate restoration and preservation plans.
Mr. Vu Chong Di, residing in Huoi Giang 2 village (Tay Son commune), used to live with his children and grandchildren in a cozy house with a thatched roof, passed down from his ancestors. However, as his children grew up and built their own houses nearby, wooden houses were constructed, but instead of thatched roof, they used fiber cement sheets. His nearly century-old thatched roof was also replaced by his children.
“Seeing the thatched roof altered made me feel like I had lost something sacred. But thinking about it, my children were right; wood shouldn't be harvested anymore, and an old roof is bound to get damaged and leak sooner or later,” Mr. Chống Dì shared.
Unlike Mr. Vu Chong Di, Mr. Vu Lau Phong in Huoi Giang 1 village did not choose to replace the roof, because for him, it is a precious gift that his ancestors left for future generations. Mr. Phong said that during many rainy and windy times, the roof leaks. He had to buy transparent plastic roofing sheets to insert under the thatched roof. This helps prevent leaks while preserving the ancient charm of the house.
Previously, houses with thatched roofs were mainly concentrated in Huoi Giang 1, 2, and 3 villages, with about 200 households, and some in Lu Thanh village. However, currently, only about 60% of the thatched houses remain in Huoi Giang 1 village, and only 20% in Huoi Giang 2 and 3... Some households have tried to preserve them by covering the thatched roofs with transparent plastic sheets to maintain the nostalgic appearance of the houses. However, in the long term, the intervention of higher authorities is needed to preserve these houses.
Meanwhile, in Nam Can commune, where all six Mong villages are located, the traditional wooden roofs of the houses are disappearing completely. According to our observations, most houses here have been replaced with new roofs made of corrugated iron or tiles due to development. Only a handful of houses with traditional wooden roofs remain in this border commune.
In the past, all the houses were roofed with cypress wood. However, since 2006, with the construction of the paved road connecting from Luu Kien commune (Tuong Duong district), people have been rushing to rebuild their houses or replace their roofs as a trend. Now, it's impossible to find the wood to restore them. This is truly regrettable.
This is truly an alarming situation as Ky Son district is trying to develop its tourism industry based on the natural strengths and cultural identity of its ethnic minority communities. Many people also express concern that the disappearance of houses with thatched roofs made of sa mu wood means that the culture of the Hmong community is gradually fading into oblivion...
The district is also very interested in this issue, as it is not only about the ethnic cultural identity but also a direction for developing ecotourism and community tourism. In March 2024, the district sent a document to the Department of Science and Technology proposing a plan to restore and preserve the ancient houses of the Hmong people in 23 villages belonging to 6 communes in the district, with a total budget of 500 million VND. It is hoped that with the involvement of all levels and sectors, the restored houses with thatched roofs will become an attractive destination for many tourists from within and outside the district.
