Prosperity in Dao Village today

Dao people in Dam Rong 1 have high income from coffee trees.

Mr. Au Van Nghi - Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Dam Rong 1 Commune said that the villages of Pang Dung, Pang Pa and Da Bin (old Da K'Nang Commune) are areas where the Dao people and other ethnic groups from the northern mountainous region live. There are about 600 households with about 3,300 people here.

Thanks to hard work, the Dao people have gradually stabilized their lives and developed their economy , many households have high incomes. Besides, they still preserve and promote the traditional culture of their people.

Locals call this area Dao Village. We had the opportunity to visit Dao Village on the 14th day of the 7th lunar month, the atmosphere of the 7th lunar month full moon festival was bustling in every house. Mr. Dang Phuoc Toan, Pang Dung village, Dam Rong 1 commune said that the 7th lunar month full moon festival is one of the biggest festivals of the year for the Dao people.

This year, Mr. Toan’s family also organized several feasts to invite relatives, friends, and neighbors to join in the fun. In the stories of Mr. Toan and the people, a joy and excitement were evident through the questions and stories about the changes in the lives of each person here.

More than 20 years ago, Mr. Toan and his small family of four traveled thousands of kilometers from Lang Son to start getting used to a new life. “Life is different but completely more favorable than in my hometown. The land is flatter and more fertile. The climate is not harsh. The important thing is that no matter where you are, you have to work hard,” said Mr. Toan.

According to Mr. Toan, the first Dao people came to live in Dam Rong 1 around the early 1990s. At that time, not only was there a cultural difference, but the daily life and agricultural practices of the people here were also strange to him. “We were only used to growing rice and corn on high hillsides. When we first came here, we saw that the land was fertile and flat, and the climate was mild, everyone liked it and started dreaming of a new life,” Mr. Toan recalled.

Then, with diligence and willingness to learn, the people quickly became familiar with the crops of the plateau such as: coffee, macadamia, mulberry. Last year's coffee crop, on an area of more than 3 hectares, Mr. Toan's family earned more than 1 billion VND, a number that he and his family had never dared to think of before.

Not only Mr. Toan, many households here have also boldly changed their crop structure according to the government's instructions, thanks to which, their lives have become more prosperous than before. From a place with only a few houses, Lang Dao hamlet is now crowded, many families have built spacious stilt houses and bought cars.

Mr. Ban Nguyen Vien, Pang Dung village shared: “At first, I only intended to come here to do business, but seeing the potential, I brought my whole family here to settle down. My children are raised in a safe environment and receive a full education. What I have today is thanks to the guidance and help of those who came before me.”

According to the leaders of Dam Rong 1 commune, the lives of the Dao people and other northern ethnic groups in the locality are increasingly stable. Many families are quick to develop their economies and strive to become rich; the ethnic communities are united and support each other, creating a culture rich in identity and actively contributing to socio-economic development.

After 30 years of living in the highlands, a prosperous life is evident in the typical stilt houses. Many rituals, beliefs, and traditional dishes are still preserved; people still speak Dao language every day and wear traditional costumes on important occasions.

Walking along Dao Village, it is easy to see the image of bunches of golden corn tied into small bundles, hanging tightly on the porch. Not only to preserve food, those bunches of corn also convey the hope for a bountiful harvest, a prosperous and happy life.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/am-no-o-xom-lang-dao-hom-nay-390688.html