|
Less than 30
km north of the white plateau
Bac Ha is the border land Si
Ma Cai, the road is like a silk band placed around the
hillside bring us to the land of holy horse and explore the
very special culture.
 The first characteristic of
Si Ma Cai is the weekend market,
not only it is where people exchange goods, but it also has
an important role in the spiritual life of the people here.
The market opens only once a week on Sundays, from morning
until afternoon, the place is where buying and selling
activities take place, sometimes market goers bring along
only 1 chicken, a geese, a small pig followed by a dog or
some food, fruits and vegetables as well as some pieces of
sugar canes or just a bird cage...Young
Hmong girls dress in colourful clothes with side spreading umbrelas in hands. The
market is also a chance for women of Si Ma Cai to show off
their skills of sewing, emproidery through their brocade
products. After selling their stuff they buy the items they
need and enjoy the food sold at the market. The market day
is where fellowship is exchanged, give a handshake and then
touch the cups over smelled pot of
Thang Co and share their
feelings.
Sunset, when the sun is going down on the purple side of the
mountains, somewhere can be heard the sound of buffalo bell
rings when the animals are going home, it's time to see
drunken men laid on the horse backs for the women to bring
home, it's a scene frequently seen after a market session.
If Bac Ha is famous for specialty wine Ban Pho, Si Ma Cai is
well known of Man Than, Sin Cheng wines which are ranked for
names. Si Ma Cai alcohol is cooked by traditional techniques
over generations of Hmong people make up the most exquisite
in taste of wine here. Coming to Si Ma Cai everybody wants
to enjoy the dishes made from black chicken, called by local
people as "OK". This chicken is easily distinguishable by
the black hair, the whole skin, meat and bones are black,
usually chicken are raised in the wild nature on the
hillside so very delicious. Smoked pork is also a specialty
of Si Ma Cai. This meat can be stored for a long time,
prepared with hot cabbage pickle is really delicious. Si Ma
Cai also attract diners by the delicious cuisine imbued with
national identity such as five coloured sticky rice, soya
been soup...
For Hmong people in Si Ma Cai, mentioning the ancient
architecture the house is also a culture still retained
values, the houses were plastered with soil suitable with
the characteristic of climate and topography here. The walls
of the houses in Si Ma Cai is made meticulously. According
to traditions, in October, November of Lunar calendar, after
the harvest season finishes Hmong people would embark on
building their houses. Earth houses in Si Ma Cai has unique
architectural designs, the columns are made from wood with
tiled roofs, walls made of earth so the summers are cooler,
winters are warm. When the work starts the whole village
come to help or change the labour, this is the spirit of
solidarity and community cohesion. Earth houses are vere
long lasting thanks to careful building process.
Traditional festivals
The ethnic groups in Si Ma Cai has many festivals reflecting
ethnic identity of its own such as Gau Tao, going to rice
fields and forest worshipping. In particular, forest
worshiping festival represents spiritual consciousness and
sense of respect and protection of nature. Forest
worshipping ritual in early spring is one of the important
rituals and it is very carefully prepared. According to the
ritual, 3 days after the ceremony people are not allowed to
break land, use knife, hoes, shovels to dig or cut any tree,
if not the violation will be punished very severely. This
thought comes from the notion that forest god is very sacred
and will bless, protect people with bright heart and protect
the nature. Coming to Si Ma Cai today, in the centre of the
district is the forest with green trees called "Forbidden
Forest", this is where the festival takes place in forest
offerings at the beginning of the year.
The Hmong people in Si Ma Cai also have the Gau Tao festival
also very characteristic, usually held after the traditional
Tet. The festivals often have the singing exchange songs
between men and women. In this festival the boys often
express the martial spirit through martial arts games. The
festival is held on the flat field in the villages and
hamlets.
Weddings
Weddings here follow the traditional customs over centuries.
According to the custom of dragging wife of Hmong people, 3
days after the girl is pulled to family of the boy, the
boy's family representative will come the the girl's family
and propose a marriage. If the girl's parents refuse to meet
it means a refusal to the proposal. When coming to the
girl's family, the boy family will bring a bottle of wine, a
pack of tobacco and pour wine themselves, prepare tobacco
for every member of the girl family. Engagement set by the
girl family usually include a pair of chicken, one male and
one female, wine. The wedding ceremony prepared by the boy
family include: cash (depending on the family), one pig and
an umbrella, this is customary characteristics of the Hmong
in Si Ma Cai kept to this day.
Time passes time, Si Ma Cai moves itself to catch up with
new lifestyle, but the people and the land here still retain
the culture imbued with its own nuances. |
