Stories from the Nam Thia River

Nam Thia or Ngoi Thia is a small river originating from many streams in Tram Tau, flowing northeast, across Muong Lo - the second largest field in the Northwest. The gentle stream meanders through the rice fields, passing through Chao Ha 1,2 village, Cang Ha village, Xa village, then down to Sa Ren village in Nghia Loi commune, Nghia Lo town (old), now Trung Tam ward, Lao Cai province before joining other small rivers and streams and pouring into the Red River. Each river bend, each bank where the stream flows through is associated with the story of the journey to make a living and establish a village.

For a long time, I have heard that the Thai people's village establishment is not simply about building houses and clearing land, but contains a sacred legend. That story always urged me to see and hear it with my own eyes. And then, on my journey to Muong Lo land, I met folk artist Lo Tuyen Dung, who is considered by the locals as a "living treasure" preserving the epic about the first day of village establishment.

In the spacious stilt house, his deep voice resounded as he recounted old memories. Without having to open the books, Mr. Dung shared: Chao Ha, including Chao Ha 1 and Chao Ha 2, is an ancient version of the Thai people dating back to the 11th century, associated with the great migration from the North down the Red River to this area, led by two leaders, Tao Suong and Tao Ngan.

“Chao” in Thai means “reclamation”. In the early days of reclamation, Chao Ha village had only 7 houses, mainly the Lo, Dong and Hoang families. He sipped his tea and slowly added: According to the concept, when Thai people build their houses, they choose to live on wide, flat land with water, because “Thai lives on water”. The stilt houses always face the stream, the porch is placed towards the source. Previously, the Nam Thia river meandered in the village, but after the great flood in 1945, the river changed course, so it is located outside the village as it is today.

In each story told by artisan Lo Tuyen Dung, I imagine the image of the Thai ancestors opening up the land, bringing rice to Muong Lo, creating the vast fields of today. Because of the desire to preserve those memories, artisan Lo Tuyen Dung has collected dozens of ancient books, folk tales and opened Thai language classes for the young generation over the years...

Artisan Lo Tuyen Dung led us to a special room where hundreds of ancient books were carefully preserved and he continued to read enthusiastically:

According to historical records, since the 11th century, there have been epics written and passed down to the present day. Notable among them is the epic Quam To Muong, the original copy of which is currently kept at the Son La Museum, and Mr. Dung also keeps a handwritten copy.

If the memory of the village is the bridge between the past and the present, then the customs and habits in life are the way the Thai people preserve their identity. The Thai people have two main groups: the White Thai and the Black Thai. When a Black Thai girl grows up and gets married, there will be a ceremony called Tang Cau (high hair bun), presided over by a matchmaker, choosing a good date and time, singing songs to teach children and grandchildren before going to her husband's house. This is an educational and spiritual ceremony, which is still maintained today. Coming to the villages along the Nam Thia River, it is not difficult to see Thai women in Com shirts, long black skirts, and green belts, beautiful, gentle, graceful, and persistent in the Tang Cau ceremony.

For Ms. Bành, the bun is not a bondage, but a testament to family happiness. As for Ms. Đường Thị Phột, who is over 50 years old this year, the memory of the day she first got her bun is still intact: So happy! The day she got married, she got a bun, which meant she had a house, a door, would have children, and grandchildren. That bun reminds her to be loyal to her husband and children, gathering all the hairs into one as a reminder for the girl that from now on her life is completely tied to her family.

Ms. Phot also shared that Thai women in each region will have their own customs. Thai people in Dien Bien will put the hairpin in the middle of the bun and tie it high. Thai people in Son La will put it to one side, and Thai people in Muong Lo will put the hairpin across the bun. The stories are rustic and simple, but clearly show the Thai people's philosophy of life, which is loyalty, this custom has been passed down through many generations.

Leaving the story of village establishment and customs in Ban Chao Ha 2, we headed to Sa Ren. The stilt houses looming under the shade of bamboo and palm trees, next to rice fields, streams, rivers and people doing community tourism... that is an image I am not unfamiliar with. Going to many Tay villages such as Nghia Do, Ban Lien, Ta Chai... I often encounter that scene. But what made me stop longer by the Nam Thia river was the story of households who had built level 4 houses, which were not interested in tourism, but then demolished them to build stilt houses.

Mr. Hoang Van Chinh shared: My grandparents and parents all lived in stilt houses. When I moved out, I built a level 4 house, but then I felt that the house was not airy and stuffy, so in February 2023, my family spent more than 500 million to build a stilt house with concrete pillars. With the new house, we can live both above and below the floor, which is much more airy and comfortable than the old house. In particular, the family maintains the traditional house-building custom.

Sa Ren is a model village, many households actively renovate their living space, plant flowers and trees. In particular, the locality has encouraged some households with level 4 houses to change and build stilt houses to preserve the traditional identity of the Thai ethnic group.

In addition, the locality also has some households who are bold in getting acquainted with and sticking with community tourism. A typical example is Ms. Hoang Thi Loan - the first household doing tourism in Sa Ren. Loan Khang Homestay is no longer strange to tourists, especially many international groups when coming to Muong Lo. Interestingly, Ms. Loan is not Thai, but Tay. However, with her friendliness, enthusiasm and passion, she is the one who contributes to introducing Thai culture to friends near and far.

From the story of the establishment of the village of 7 Thai households in Chao Ha village, to the custom of raising fish, and then the change in the awareness of preserving cultural identity of the people, all show the vitality of Thai culture in Muong Lo. Like the Nam Thia river, that cultural flow will last forever, nurturing the generations of today and tomorrow.

* The old center of Muong Lo is Nghia Lo town, now divided into Trung Tam ward and Nghia Lo ward, Lao Cai province.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/chuyen-ke-ben-dong-nam-thia-post880760.html