Origins of the names: “Sung” market, “Lui” market?
We stopped at Mr. Tan Phu Cuoi’s restaurant and got the information about these 3 markets in this area. The first market is named Den Suoi Thang, gathering on Saturdays. The second is named Border Market, near border post No. 70, gathering on Wednesdays. And the last market is named Sung Gia Khau, subsequently shortened to Sung. According to Mr. Cuoi, the Sung market has been hold for hundreds of years when Dao people around the Vietnam – China border areas gathered to exchange goods. The names of the two days where it is held – the day of Goat and the day of Buffalo, both horned animals – are what gave the market its name as Sung (horn). The market is held every 6 days, with the weekday jumping back a day every week: if this week it is on Sunday, next week it will be on Saturday, and the following week it will be on Friday, and so on. After the cardamom season, from the 8th lunar month onwards, the market will become much livelier, lasting until the first and second lunar month of the next year. In Dao San commune there used to have a similar “Sung” market, but for easier management, the authority there has rescheduled the market to be opened every Sunday. For this reason, there remains only this Sung Gia Khau market keeping the traditional custom.
The cultural identity preserved intact
Around 7AM, on the way to the market, located in the center of Gia Khau, 3km from the border, people and motorcycles hustle in the morning dew. The Mong, Ha Nhi people from Dao San, Vang Ma Chai, Pa Vay Su and The Dao Do locals from Si Lo Xuan gather excitedly and crowdedly. As befit the land of Dao Do (literally “Red” Dao) people, the color red is overflowing, namely the red-blue decorations in dark background, from the patterns in the clothing of all ladies at the market within just 1 kilometer. Dao Do women dress in black with red patterns studded with red pompoms, the sleeves and brassieres are mixed with blue and embroiled with perfect red patterns. Local ladies comb their hair with wax and wrap them back up, the hair will be wrapped with one pointy pyramid scarf and attached with a silver hairpin. Some older ladies even tie a red scarf on top of this cap. Dao women prefer their jewelries in silver instead of gold, they also like to collect the silver coins from the old Indochina times. We met one person from Lan Nhi Thang village, who bought many white silver jewelries thanks to the recent cardamom harvest.
Having wandered to many places in the Northwest, I realized that the more distanced area with few travelers, the more local cultural identity and specialty are preserved. Comparing with Lao Cai in the same geographic location, the Mong people are different from other local groups in places. In Gia Khau, it is hard to find the tourists. The majority is Dao people speak in a mixed language of Dao and Quan Hoa, just few of them can speak Kinh ethnic language. Two different currencies are generally accepted: Vietnamese Dong and Chinese Yuan, but Yuan is more preferable. People go to this market not just for selling but also exchanging goods and visiting others. The young men gather to enjoy grilled chicken legs or fried flour bread. Old people keep talking, sharing their stories, to the point of even forgetting to sell their goods. Beside goods from China or household goods from the lower lands, there are many types of forest fruits, strangely-shaped chilies whose names cannot be properly translated into Vietnamese. Especially there is a kind of “rotten” tofu made in the traditional way by Dao People. The border guards humorously call them the “dog shit” but that special food is delicious and good for digestion.
Wandering for a while, feeling hungry, we stopped at a grilled chicken’s legs and fried flavor bread with the price of 1.5 Yuan for one chicken leg and three Yuan for one cake. The pretty shop keeper named Ly Ta May just smiled when being asked any question. My fellow surprisingly asked why all ladies here are called May. As Ly Ta May’s explanation, all Dao women have the name “May”, and are distinguished by their last name and the order of their birth, such as Ta, Lo, San, Su, U, Lu (first, second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.). For example, Ly Ta May is the first daughter from the house Ly, Tan San May is the third daughter from the house of Tan. It turned out to be the interesting thing keeping in our minds and created more diversity and difference. Thus, the more chances to explore amazing things, the farther we need to travel.
Some pictures of Sung market
The Vietnam – China border dividing stream
Selling goods and talking to each other
Local products in the market
Vũ Lâm
Translator: Thu Phương