"Going to dig bamboo shoots" in Khe Nong

(Baonghean) - From the center of Chau Khe commune to Khe Nong, Chau Khe commune (Con Cuong), we counted 6 streams. During the rainy season, the water in these streams rises, separating Khe Nong from the outside areas. Along the rocky slope, we can see Dan Lai people carrying bamboo shoots to the district market to sell...

Dry bamboo shoots.

Previously, the Dan Lai ethnic group lived in Khe Nong, facing many difficulties and transportation difficulties. In 1979, they resettled in Chau Son village, Chau Khe commune. Due to lack of land for production, 30 households returned to the old area to live. Bamboo shoots and wild vegetables were still the main dishes. Difficulties piled on difficulties. The temporary houses were low and shabby, and during the rainy season, the people here always faced hunger and cold.

When we arrived at Khe Nong village, it was almost afternoon. All the doors were closed and locked, with only a few children and the elderly at home. Mrs. La Thi Thoa (81 years old) was holding a 2-year-old child in her arms. The child had a high fever, and her hands were burning. Mrs. Thoa went into the house to reheat a bowl of porridge for her grandchild. It was called porridge, but there was more bamboo shoots than rice. Mrs. Thoa said: “People here can pick bamboo shoots and get a few bags of rice a day, but because the road is far and isolated, they mainly eat bamboo shoots instead of rice. One person goes to the district market to buy rice, and several families ask each other to buy, taking turns. At most, a family can only get a few kilos of rice from the money from selling bamboo shoots.”

The small house is made of bamboo with four sides for ventilation, no bed, only an old mat for the family of 5. The kitchen has some old pots, bowls, and chopsticks. The child is asleep, old lady Thoa takes out the bamboo shoots to dry. “Like every other day, I went into the forest to collect bamboo shoots. For a long time, the villagers have been living off bamboo shoots from the one-member Forestry Company - Con Cuong. The company sympathizes with the poor, so they let them go into the forest to collect bamboo shoots, only the poor Dan Lai people go to collect bamboo shoots. The bamboo shoots are boiled, dried, and carried to the district market to sell. During the rainy season, we don’t dare go out for fear that the stream water will rise and we won’t be able to return...”.

Many elders are over 80 years old, still carrying bamboo shoots every day. Children under one year old also have to eat bamboo shoot porridge. Despite the poverty, when asked about education, the Dai Lai people here are very concerned. Mr. Thoa beamed with joy: "I can endure hunger, but I absolutely will not let my children starve for knowledge, journalist! There is a small headman who lets the Dan Lai people go to school, teachers and students are always close to each other...".

Con Cuong district is re-planning residential land, production land, and welfare works to bring 50 Khe Nong residents back to their old village. The difficulty is still the source of capital to build the resettlement area. Hopefully, the Khe Nong resettlement area will soon be stabilized so that 50 Dai Lai ethnic households will have land to grow rice and corn, and stabilize their lives...

Article and photos:An Ngoc