About the valley of the Tay Poong people
Thanks to the support of Project 135, many households have been able to build new houses located near the Vietnam border...
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| Thanks to the support of Project 135, many households have been able to build new houses. |
Covered in a cloud of dust, and it took us more than an hour from... National Highway 7 swaying on the Nghe An Border Guard's vehicle to reach Tam Hop commune. From Xop Nam village - the commune center - we were "escorted" by the soldiers at Border Guard Station 551 to Phong village - the "capital" of the Tay Poong people. We were "driven" by Lieutenant Vu Ba Re - a mass mobilization officer, who often "stayed undercover" in Phong village. Contrary to the predictions of a "remote and remote" place, it only took us ten minutes by motorbike along the mountainside trails to reach Phong village. Seen from afar, amidst the mist of an early spring morning, Phong village lies peacefully and beautifully in the valley. Stretching at the foot of the mountain are lush green rice fields in the sowing period. Sitting behind Vu Ba Re's motorbike and following his hand, I learned that mobilizing 37/114 households in Phong village to switch from slash-and-burn farming to wet rice cultivation was a difficult process. The people here have limited awareness and live a self-sufficient life, so the conversion of farming and crops requires a long period of testing. Previously, because of rudimentary production tools and improperly fertilized crops, the harvest of upland rice and upland rice was not much, and the rice was gone at the end of the season. Now, thanks to wet rice cultivation and knowing how to raise livestock, many families have escaped hunger and hardship. The whole village has 107 houses made of straw, 16 motorbikes, 4 grinders, 228 pigs, 170 cows and 20 buffaloes.
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| Mr. Vi Van Loi is telling a story about the early days of the village |
Arriving at Phong village, the first house we visited was the family of Mr. Vi Van Minh and Mrs. Vi Thi Dao. In the middle of the afternoon, the TV was showing a TV series so many people in the village came to watch the show. On the porch, the old man and old woman were nimbly and rhythmically weaving bamboo pieces to weave sticky rice. Weaving is one of the identities of the Tay Poong people. They have the ability to weave household items with many beautiful patterns and most of the household utensils are made of bamboo. Going to the house of the village chief Vieng Van Do - a man under 40 years old but has been a "village chief" for more than 10 years, sitting next to the fire in the cozy kitchen, the story that everyone talks about the most is still the "identity" of the Tay Poong people. Mr. Do told us about many of his people's customs, especially during Tet and holidays: "On Tet, no matter how difficult it is, every family must have salt, rice, and chicken to offer at the altar. All the best food of the family is used to worship the parents. In the engagement ceremony, all offerings must go together, such as 4 fish, 2 pigs, 6 chickens... Mr. Do's wife, Ms. Vi Thi Sen, was very excited to show us her skirt. She was very happy because "in the past, only the richest family in the village had one to wear" but she was also sad because "these are not the same dresses as before". I felt a little sad when looking down at her colorful skirt, I saw that it was no different from the brocade skirts sold a lot in the town market. In the whole Phong village, there is only one person who knows the language of the Tay Poong people, that is Mr. Vi Van Loi. This spring, Mr. Vi Van Loi turned 101 years old. Due to old age, his eyesight has become dim. But it seems he is still very clear-headed. He currently has a son who is the Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Council, has grandchildren studying in the province and his family is one of the five most well-off families in the village. In 1954, his family was one of the first 10 families to move from Khe Khang, Mon Son commune (Con Cuong) to live here. He remembers very clearly the difficult days of having to live a nomadic life and being oppressed by the invading French army. "Nowadays, with the help of the State, our people have food and clothes, and life has changed a lot" - he said.
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| Border Guard Station 5551 always stands side by side with the Tay Poong people. |
Yes, over the past 50 years, Phong village has changed as it is today, largely thanks to the help of the Party, the State and the local government. But because of that, the majority of people here still have an attitude of waiting and relying. The State is still having to support 100% of tree and animal seeds, and the whole village still has 77% of poor households. The situation of students studying in grades 7 and 8 dropping out of school is normal. The village currently has only 3 students studying at colleges, intermediate schools and vocational schools. To encourage all children to go to school, this school year all students who go to school will receive a set of clothes from the Border Guard Station. Talking about these difficulties, village chief Vieng Van Do pondered: "The village has now planted 50 hectares of hybrid acacia forest, the forest is very beautiful but I am afraid that buffaloes and cows will destroy it. I have worked hard and now I have to mobilize people to build barns to keep them."
There has not been a breakthrough development like the central villages and the lowland communes, but the peaceful life of more than 100 households here and the caring policies of the State have partly affirmed that the choice of this place to "settle down and make a living" of the Tay Poong people is completely correct. This Tet, along with the joy of the traditional Tet of the nation, 54 households of Phong village will have the joy of a new house. This is the house of project 134 supporting families who still live in leaky, temporary houses. Along with the sound of hammers and planes, the hopeful eyes of the Tay Poong people kept lingering in our footsteps when we left.
Article and photos: My Ha
