Reportage

New rhythm of lifeupstream of Nam Non

Tien Dong • January 8, 2025 06:38

For the past few months, every time we travel on National Highway 16 across the western part of Nghe An, passing through My Ly commune, we are surprised to see piles of miscellaneous wood and dry firewood neatly cut and stacked on the side of the road. When asked, we learned that these are "heavenly gifts" that people salvage from the Nam Non river after each flood...

The season of catching... "heaven's blessings"

We visited Hoa Ly village, My Ly commune on a day at the end of 2024, when recently, layers of firewood and miscellaneous wood from upstream, drifted here in long patches following the flood. It can be simply called... trash, but among these patches of trash are opportunities for local people to seek opportunities to make a living.

In fact, not just now, but since ancient times, the Nam Non River has been a guarantee for the survival and sustainable development of many generations of Ky Son and Tuong Duong people living along this river. From fishing, boating to take people across the river and even collecting firewood - a "heavenly gift" that flows from upstream to downstream after each rainy season.

Mr. Xi said that since September, when the flood from upstream began to pour in, the people of Hoa Ly village in particular and My Ly commune, where the Nam Non river meanders back and forth to the riverbank... have been watching for firewood. That is, watching for wood or firewood floating from upstream and then going out to collect it. Whenever they discover wood or firewood floating on the river surface, they quickly prepare boats, nails, and ropes to row out to collect it. After reaching the log, they nail it tightly and tie the rope to the shore. Wait until the floodwaters gradually recede and are no longer flowing rapidly, then cut it short and transport it to shore.

Mr. Xi and Ms. Xuyen shared that this activity brings in a considerable income. Since the beginning of the flood season, the couple has salvaged more than 50 blocks of wood, selling them for more than 40 million VND. That is a significant amount for the people here.

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After seeing wood or firewood floating back, take a boat, bring nails and rope to tie and anchor to the shore. Wait until the flood water gradually recedes and is no longer flowing rapidly, then cut it short and transport it to the shore...

Mr. Luong Van Xi - Hoa Ly village, My Ly commune

Not only Xi's family, many groups of people in the village also participate in collecting "heaven's blessings". The group of brothers Lo Van Duong, Lo Van Hoa, and Lo Van Ton have become a professional wood-collecting team. They bought chainsaws, knives, and axes to quickly process the wood after collecting. The wood is split into square blocks, neatly stacked along Highway 16 to sell to buyers from neighboring communes such as Muong Long and Huoi Tu. Each block of wood costs from 400,000 to 600,000 VND, depending on the quality.

Driftwood exploitation brings significant income to Hoa Ly people. In the context of local agriculture depending heavily on slash-and-burn cultivation, having additional income from collecting firewood helps people improve their lives and reduce economic pressure.

In particular, if you work hard, in just a few months, a family can earn from several million to tens of millions of dong. This not only helps people cover their daily living expenses but also supports the purchase of household items or investment in education for their children.

However, collecting "heaven's blessings" is not always easy. And not every year there is wood and firewood for people to collect. Sometimes the wood and firewood are gathered in other sections of the river, along Nhon Mai, Mai Son, sometimes down to Huu Khuong of Tuong Duong. Not to mention, people participating in collecting firewood also have to face many dangers, especially when rowing boats to the middle of the river to pull the wood. Strong flood waters can sweep away, capsize boats or cause unwanted accidents.

Nam Non source

The Nam Non River is 102km long, originating from Hua Phan province (Laos), then flowing into Vietnam at Keng Du commune, through My Ly (Ky Son), then down to Tuong Duong to join the Nam Mo river at Cua Rao (Xa Luong commune), "giving birth" to the Ca river (also known as Lam river).

During its journey, Nam Non has gathered small streams into itself, to become a strong river, flowing full of vitality. When flowing through the Vietnam - Laos border at Keng Du commune to the downstream, Nam Non river becomes a majestic natural symbol with hundreds of waterfalls and rapids, large and small, just like the Eight Trigrams formation on the river, testing the courage of the rowers.

Along Nam Non, most Thai men in Huu Khuong, My Ly, and Keng Du communes are proficient in water. Nam Non raised them. They can drive boats across rapids and fish because these are jobs related to their daily needs of travel and living. They also become familiar with rapids, channels, rocks, and whirlpools on the river.

I was lucky to take a boat across Nam Non in the early days of my career in journalism. At that time, the road from the center of Tuong Duong district to the highland communes such as Nhon Mai, Mai Son or to My Ly, Keng Du (Ky Son) was not as convenient as it is now, so the Nam Non river became the lifeline to take visitors from the lowlands to the border areas and vice versa.

When the Ban Ve hydroelectric reservoir was filled with water, many rapids and waterfalls on the Nam Non River gradually sank to the bottom of the lake. However, Nam Non still retains its wild beauty, especially the section from My Ly commune up to the Vietnam-Laos border. It flows silently, silently watering the Thai villages along the river. It has become a source of culture for the local people, witnessing many changes of the times.

Not far from Hoa Ly village, upstream of Nam Non, we stopped at Yen Hoa village. Right next to the river bank is the ancient Xop Lot tower, also known as Yen Hoa tower, an ancient architectural work.

No one knows exactly when this tower originated or who built it. It is only vaguely known that, among the myths and ghosts that our ancestors told their descendants after the night of the wine festival, there were many sacred stories about the ancient tower. Some people said it was built in the 7th century, others said it was built in the 12th century. But there are also people who hypothesize later, in the 16th century when the Theravada Buddhism from Thailand, through Laos, set foot here.

They say that their ancestors built it to guide the villagers to the values ​​of truth, goodness, and beauty. Sometimes it is rumored that it is a very sacred stupa, so much so that a cadre from the lowlands came to work and when he shot the “jade eye” placed on top of the tower, he was reprimanded by the gods and blinded…

This tower is 21.91m high, built from layers of bricks stacked on top of each other, bonded with a layer of durable mortar. Over the centuries, the beauty of the tower has remained the same, highlighted by sophisticated and artistic motifs such as lotus flowers, chrysanthemums, clouds and waves, Bodhi leaves and solemn Buddha statues.

Despite carrying many mysterious stories, the ancient Xop Lot tower cannot avoid the ravages of time and is at risk of collapsing at any time.

Despite carrying many mysterious stories, the ancient Xop Lot tower cannot avoid the ravages of time and is at risk of collapsing at any time.

Mr. Vi Van Son - Secretary of the Party Committee of My Ly commune said, on both sides of the Nam Non river, the section passing through My Ly commune, are Thai villages that have lived for generations. The river divides My Ly in two but cannot separate the cohesive relationship of the community.

The good news is that on May 16, 2024, in Decision No. 1188/QD-UBND, the Provincial People's Committee approved the list of urgent repairs of 15 historical relics in the province in 2024. In particular, the Provincial People's Committee requested to urgently develop a plan to urgently repair the architectural and artistic relic of Xop Lot tower, Ky Son district. Currently, the restoration of this ancient tower is starting to be carried out. This is an opportunity that can help this tower revive, and can last forever.

Leaving My Ly, I left behind the green patches of mountain shadows, imprinted on the Nam Non River. Looking at the river, both gentle and fierce, I understood that Nam Non is not only a river, but also the soul of this land - a place that holds many memories, and is an immortal symbol of the Western region of Nghe An.