La Chi People in Ban Phung, Ha Giang: Revealing the Secrets of the Mountains and Forests.

Nestled in the majestic Hoang Lien Son mountain range, Ban Phung village in Sung Trang commune, Dong Van district, Ha Giang province is home to the La Chi people - one of Vietnam's unique and lesser-known indigenous ethnic groups. Amidst the rugged and magnificent natural scenery, the La Chi people's traditional way of life remains intact, reflecting their rich and distinctive cultural heritage. This article will introduce Phung village and the La Chi people, unveiling the secrets of a minority community striving to preserve their cultural identity amidst the mountains and forests of Ha Giang.

The Origin and Journey of the La Chi People.

Historical Origins.

The La Chi people

The La Chi people are one of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, with a population of only about 10,000 people. They mainly reside in Dong Van, Meo Vac, and Yen Minh districts in Ha Giang province. Historians and cultural researchers believe that the La Chi people originated from the Northwestern plateau, migrating to the high mountains of Ha Giang hundreds of years ago.

Choosing to live in the rugged highlands posed many difficulties and challenges for the La Chi people. However, through hard work, perseverance, and resilience, they cleared land, cultivated crops, hunted, domesticated animals, and established small villages hidden in the mountains and forests.

Journey to Ban Phung.

Ban Phung, located in Sung Trang commune, Dong Van district, is one of the final destinations for the La Chi people in their search for a settlement. Here, they found fertile land, abundant water sources, and pristine forests - all the necessary conditions to build a life.

Initial challenges:

• • Treacherous terrain
  • Harsh climate
  • Lack of infrastructure

Settlement and cultivation process:

• • Clearing forests for cultivation
  • Building houses from local materials
  • Forming a community and customs.

Traditional Way of Life and Production.

The La Chi people in Phung village rely on agriculture and activities close to nature for their livelihood:

Agriculture:

• • Growing rice on terraced fields
  • Cultivating corn, sweet potatoes, cassava on swidden fields
  • Raising livestock and poultry

Hunting and gathering:

• • Hunting wild animals like wild boars, jungle fowl
  • Fishing in streams
  • Gathering wild vegetables, bamboo shoots, mushrooms

Activity Season Meaning Rice cultivation Rainy season (May-August) Main source of food Corn, sweet potato cultivation Year-round  Supplementing foodLivestock farmingYear-round Food and trading Hunting Dry season (October-March ) Food and cultural value Gathering Year-round Nutritional supplement and medicinal purposes

Unique Cultural Characteristics of the La Chi People...

Language and Oral Tradition.

The language of the La Chi people belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family, with its own distinctive characteristics that set it apart from other languages in Vietnam. The La Chi language is divided into various dialects, creating linguistic diversity within the community.

Due to the lack of a writing system, the transmission and preservation of culture mainly rely on oral tradition. This creates a unique charm of traditional culture:

• Folk tales and legends are passed down through generations
• Agricultural and livestock production experiences are handed down from fathers to sons
• Customs and traditions are preserved and respected within the community.

Clothing and the Art of Weaving

The attire of the La Chi people is simple, rustic, yet deeply characteristic of the highland region:

Women's attire:

• • Short dresses with intricate embroidery
  • Short tops with long sleeves
  • Headscarves

Men's attire:

• • White pants
  • Short-sleeved shirts
  • Conical hats

The predominant colors are black, white, and indigo blue, reflecting harmony with nature. The art of weaving and tailoring among the La Chi people is an important part of their culture:

• Weaving fabrics from cotton and silk threads
• Patterns carrying spiritual and abundant meanings
• Weaving techniques passed down from mothers to daughters.

Culinary Delights and Mountainous Identities.

The cuisine of the La Chi people is closely tied to nature, relying on what the mountains and forests provide:

Main ingredients:

• • Wild game meat, chicken, pork, fish
  • Wild vegetables, tubers, bamboo shoots

Signature dishes:

• • Grilled wild boar meat
  • Steamed wild chicken
  • Stream fish cooked with banana
  • Stir-fried wild bamboo shoots

The unique and flavorful way of cooking reflects the culinary talent of the La Chi people. Meals are not just for survival, but also a time to bond as a community and show gratitude towards nature.

Beliefs and Traditional Festivals.

Polytheistic Beliefs and Ancestor Worship.

The belief of the La Chi people combines polytheism and ancestor worship:

Worship of deities:

• • Mountain deity: protects the village
  • Forest deity: provides abundance in hunting
  • Water deity: ensures water source for agriculture
  • Fire deity: protects against disasters

Reverence for ancestors:

• • View ancestors as the root of the lineage
  • Worship at home and ancestral graves
  • Seek ancestors' opinions on important decisions.

Festivals and Rituals.

festivals are regularly organized to show gratitude, respect for nature, and ancestors:

Ancestor worship ceremony:

• • Time: beginning of the new year
  • Rituals: offering sacrifices, reciting prayers
  • Meaning: seeking protection and blessings

Harvest celebration:

• • Time: after the harvest
  • Rituals: offering newly harvested crops, feasting, singing
  • Meaning: giving thanks to the spirits, celebrating a bountiful harvest season

Safety prayer ceremony:

• • Time: before hunting, clearing land
  • Rituals: offering sacrifices, praying to the spirits
  • Meaning: seeking safety, good luck.

Folk Art in Religious

Beliefs.Folk art plays a significant role in religious life:

• Singing: hymns, praising deities
• Dancing: mimicking hunting movements, rain dances
• Musical instruments: bamboo flutes, mouth organs in ceremonies

Current Life And Challenges..

Economy and Agriculture.

Despite the historical ups and downs, the La Chi people in Phung village still maintain a lifestyle closely connected to the mountains and forests:

Agriculture:

• • Rice fields, corn fields: tended manually
  • Fruit orchards: provide additional income

Hunting and fishing:

• • Still practiced but limited
  • Aim: to protect the ecological environment

Community tourism:

• • New model, creating more job opportunities
  • Introducing culture, preserving traditions

Education and Healthcare.Access to modern education and healthcare is gradually improving:

Education:

• • Schools are built in the village
  • Bilingual teaching program: Vietnamese and La Chi languages
  • Challenge: high dropout rates still exist

Healthcare:

• • Commune health stations are equipped with basic facilities
  • Integration of modern medicine and traditional herbal medicine
  • Issue: access to specialized healthcare services remains difficult.

Infrastructure and Environment.

Infrastructure is being improved, but there are still many challenges:

Transportation:

• • Dirt and gravel roads are being widened
  • It is still difficult to travel during the rainy season

Electricity, water:

• • The national power grid has been extended to the village
  • Clean water is still lacking

Environment:

• • Primary forests are decreasing due to exploitation
  • Pollution from garbage and industrial waste

Analysis and Recommendations.

Observation.

The life of the La Chi people in Phung village is undergoing significant changes, with both positive developments and challenges:

Positive changes:

• • Progress in education, healthcare, and infrastructure
  • Community tourism bringing in new sources of income

Challenges:

• • Preserving traditional culture in a modern context
  • Protecting the environment and natural resources

Proposal.To preserve cultural identity and address development challenges, the following measures can be proposed:

Cultural preservation:

• • Organize cultural classes, teach traditional arts to children
  • Establish cultural centers, preserve cultural heritage

Sustainable development:

• • Encourage community tourism, create stable income sources
  • Provide guidance on environmental care, protect natural forests

Improve quality of life:

• • Invest in education, healthcare, infrastructure
  • Develop sustainable local economic models.

Conclusion.

In today's modern world, preserving and developing traditional culture is extremely important. The La Chi people in Phung village are not only the guardians of a unique cultural heritage but also demonstrate flexibility and creativity in integrating into modern society.

Handicrafts are a significant part of La Chi culture:

• Weaving fabric from cotton and silk
• Patterns with spiritual and natural meanings
• Weaving techniques passed down from mothers to daughters

La Chi cuisine is closely tied to nature, relying on what the mountains and forests provide:

Main ingredients:

• • Wild game meat, chicken, pork, fish
  • Wild vegetables, tubers, bamboo shoots

Signature dishes:

• • Grilled wild boar
  • Steamed wild chicken
  • Stream fish cooked with banana
  • Stir-fried bamboo shoots

The beliefs of the La Chi people combine animism and ancestor worship. Traditional festivals and rituals express gratitude and respect for nature and ancestors.

The current life of the La Chi people in Phung village faces various challenges, from economic issues, education, healthcare to infrastructure and environment. However, through flexibility and creativity, they are gradually overcoming difficulties for sustainable development.

Preserving traditional culture while integrating into modern society is a big challenge, but also an opportunity for the La Chi people in Phung village to thrive. Only through unity, effort, and support from the community can they preserve and develop their culture, contributing to the cultural diversity of the Vietnamese ethnic groups.