Dao San country fair is held every Wednesday and Sunday in the central of Dao San Commune, Phong Tho District. This is a typical fair in Lai Chau and the whole Northwest region.
Dao san country fair full of local citizens
From
early morning, all the roads from 8 communes are filled with the sounds of
people, horses, and motorcycles. All the mountains and forests wake from their
sleep and is in an eager bustle. Groups of Mong, Ha Nhi, Dao, Thai people in colorful
dresses stream to the market like patches of beautiful flowers on the green
mountains.
The
Dao San country fair is not simply a place to exchange specialties such as
cardamom (a forest product of high economic value), other forest or traditional
hand-made products, but it is also a place to exchange unique cultures from many
ethnic groups. People are going to the fair as if going to a festival. We can catch the moment of Mong men with
pan-pipe in one hand, the other hand leading the horse, and a cassette on the
shoulder playing Mong folk songs. They sometimes take a pan-pipe dance contest or
singing in groups, flirting at each other. One can also watch groups of young
men and girls of Thai, Ha Nhi people sing and chat up each other. Mong women
often go to the fair with a baby on the back, sitting on rocks and working on their
embroidery or holding the umbrella for their sleeping husbands. Mong girls sit
in groups to chat with each other and watch the men playing tickle game,
pan-pipe, or Thai people playing “to mac le”, etc.
Going
to Dao San Country Fair, tourists have many chances to enjoy the beauty of
mountain ranges, sparkling waterfalls, terraces, streams, suspension bridges,
the villages in the foggy clouds on the winding 40km road from the center of
the district center.
Phương Liên
Translator: Thu Phương