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Samu roof - A hundred-year heritage in Ky Son

Thanh Phuc - Khanh Ly • May 3, 2025 06:30

In the villages of Ky Son (Nghe An) covered in clouds all year round, the samu wooden roofs covered with green moss still silently embrace the village like a quiet song. Amidst the whirlpool of change, the people and the government here are carefully preserving each samu roof as if preserving the soul of the mountains and forests.

1 thay — Halfway up the mountain, halfway up the pass, the mossy samu roofs are like quiet accents in the middle of the forest. In the photo: The road to Buoc Mu 2 village (Na Ngoi commune, Ky Son) has samu roofs looming. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Những tấm gỗ samu bền chắc, qua cả trăm năm vẫn vững chãi, rêu phủ xanh, nhuốm màu thời gian và hằn in sự khắc nghiệt của thiên nhiên. Ảnh: Khánh Ly — The samu wood panels are durable and sturdy, even after hundreds of years, covered with moss, stained by time and imprinted with the harshness of nature. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Each samu plank is hand-carved and interwoven, embracing the sunny and rainy seasons of the border region. Photo: Khanh Ly

bờ rào đá — The skillfully arranged stone fences, also stained by time, add to the ancient beauty of each Mong house. Photo: Thanh Phuc

ghép 5 — The patterns and carvings highlight the unique features of Mong architecture. Photo: Thanh Phuc

The space inside the ancient house, where all the furniture still retains the rustic, original features of the Mong people. Photo: Khanh Ly

"This house, this samu roof, has been there since my grandfather's and father's time. It's been there for hundreds of years. The samu roof is like a close friend, witnessing many generations in this house" - Mr. Lau Y Ia (96 years old, Huoi Giang 1 village, Tay Son commune) said. Photo: Thanh Phuc

nhà ông già xái phia — Through many generations, the old roof has remained a warm home, the origin of simple dreams. In the photo: The half-century-old samu-roofed house of Mr. Gia Phai Chia's family, in Buoc Mu 2 village, Na Ngoi commune. Photo: Khanh Ly

samu 21 — Up to now, the whole Ky Son district has nearly 100 samu-roofed houses. Of which, the most concentrated are in Tay Son commune. Mr. Vu Ba Re - Vice Chairman of Tay Son Commune People's Committee said: "Tay Son has 6 villages, 100% of which are inhabited by Mong people. Currently, people still preserve 85% of the traditional house structure. However, over time, many houses hundreds of years old, roofed with samu wood are at risk of being lost due to many factors. We hope that specialized agencies will have a plan to support people in preserving traditional houses in the commune, to maintain the architecture of Mong houses, and at the same time serve tourism". Photo: Thanh Phuc

nhà anh Vừ Bá Phử ở bản tây sơn lợp nhựa phía dưới để bảo tồn mái samu — In the whirl of time, the samu tile roofs gradually disappear. Besides households using cold corrugated iron and baked tiles for convenience, there are people who still try their best to preserve the old houses, as if to keep the memories of the village. In the photo: Due to being too old, the samu wood panels are cracked and leaking, Vu Ba Phu's family has to use clear plastic sheets to cover under the samu wood panels. Photo: Khanh Ly

giữ ngói — Mr. Gia Xai Phia's household (Buoc Mu 2 village, Na Ngoi commune) reserves samu wood planks to replace cracked and leaky ones. Photo: Khanh Ly

ghép 3 — In addition to the efforts of the people, the Ky Son district government actively supports and accompanies the people in preserving the heritage of ancient houses. In the photo: The samu roofs are numbered to serve the work of inventory and preservation. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Implementing the Project to Preserve, Promote and Maintain the Cultural Identity of Ethnic Minorities in Ky Son District, the local government is initially continuing to mobilize and propagate people to preserve cultural identity, especially houses made of samu wood. In the photo: Officers of the mass mobilization team, Na Ngoi Border Guard Station (Nghe An Border Guard) visit and mobilize people of Buoc Mu village to preserve the traditional houses. Photo: Khanh Ly

Clip: Thanh Phuc - Khanh Ly

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