(Baonghean.vn) - For ethnic minority groups in western Nghe An province, such as the Mong and Thai, a house is not only a place to shelter from the sun and rain but also reflects the unique traditional culture passed down through generations. Houses with roofs made of cypress and pine wood are both adapted to the environmental conditions and, according to the beliefs of the local people, protect against evil spirits and demons.
 |
| Due to their living habits, the natural environment, and the geographical isolation, ethnic minority communities have chosen to use wood for building and roofing their houses. (Photo: Wooden roofs in Huồi Giảng village, Tây Sơn commune, Kỳ Sơn district) |
 |
| Nowadays, houses built entirely of wood like this are becoming increasingly rare. (Photo: A stilt house of the Thai people in Nam Giai commune, Que Phong district) |
 |
| The types of wood used by the local people to make roof tiles are cypress, pine, and fir. |
 |
| These types of wood contain many essential oils, are less prone to warping, and are highly durable. Besides giving the house a pleasant scent, they are also believed to repel insects and ward off evil spirits, according to local beliefs. |
 |
| Under wooden roofs built on earthen foundations, the people have lived a peaceful life for generations. In the photo: A Hmong woman in Huoi Giang 1 village, Tay Son commune (Ky Son district) makes traditional paper offerings on the porch of her house. |
 |
| Orchid plants grow on the wooden roof of a house in Nam Giai commune (Que Phong). |
 |
 | Young men and women of the Mong ethnic group in Huoi Giang 1 village, Tay Son commune (Ky Son district) go to the festival.
|
|
 |
| A chicken perches under the thatched roof of a house in Piêng Pèn village, Mỹ Lý commune (Kỳ Sơn district). |
 |
| Young Hmong children before leaving their village to go to the fields. Photo taken in Huoi Giang 1 village, Tay Son commune (Ky Son district). |
 |
| A wooden "house" for native chickens... |
 |
| ...and the rice granaries of the Hmong people. |
 |
| A simple scene at Yen Son village, Tri Le commune (Que Phong district). |
Ho Phuong
