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| Toasty: Hoang Van Peng and his wife warm up on a cold day. - Photo baodaklak.vn |
Viet Nam News
by Nguyen Thao and An Vu
The ethnic Nung An people, also called the Nung people, who reside mostly in Quang Hoa Village, in the Central Highland’s Province of Dak Lak, have worked to preserve their traditions after moving to their new land to build new lives.
After 30 years of ups and downs, the houses maintain a distinctive spirit, as a particular treasure of these people.
National spirit
Tam Dien Hamlet has around 114 households, while Quang Hoa Village has an aggregation of 57 households surrounded by vast plantations of coffee and rubber.
“Quang Hoa residents are 100 per cent from the Nung An ethnic minority, who migrated to the village in 1987, and consider it their second home,” said Hoang Dinh Tan, chief of Tam Dien Hamlet.
Most stilt houses here have a plain and imposing beauty with the traditional architectural style of the Nung ethnic group.
“The wooden staircases are put on the left of the house and, following Nung people’s beliefs, the stairs are odd numbers, which is done for good luck,” Tan added.
Pouring out some hot tea, Nong Van Thon, 62, a villager, said from generation to generation, these houses have become a special feature in the spiritual and material lives of the Nung An people.
“My family’s stilt house was rebuilt two years ago, and it cost over US$25,000. Inside the house, from the arrangement of the altar, to the place to greet the guests, kitchens, and each bedrooms demonstrates the customs and habits of Nung people.”
The houses are built with the same layout, with a huge yard in the front, as a place to dry farm produce, for family gatherings and children to play.
The most common feature of the houses is the stove in the main room. It is not only used to cook and for warmth, but for Nung people, the stove brings good fortune. The basement is used to store equipment and farming tools.
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| Up high: The houses keep their traditional features. - Photo baodaklak.vn |
Community
Thon continues his story beside the fire, “The house is like our souls, kind and honest. Houses here have the owners’ fingerprints. They also motivate us to get through hardship and tough times.”
The house of Hoang Dinh Tan, chief of Tam Dien hamlet, has had the same structure for over 30 years. The only modification has been to the roof.
“Our lives are getting better and better. The poverty rate is only 1.9 per cent. Each year, a household can earn more than VND400 million ($17,000) from growing coffee, wheat, rubber and pepper. We are capable of building modern houses, but we still live in traditional houses. We want to keep them for our children,” he said.
He also enjoys introducing local culture and traditions to any visitors.
Hoang Van Peng also maintains the specific architectural features of the Nung people.
His house has five rooms, 56 pillars and one staircase. On the main door a piece of red paper is attached to chase away spirits. The stove is in the centre of the home.
Nong Van Minh, 46, has just restored his house after 23 years living in it. He said he is more comfortable in stilt houses and does not want to build a concrete house even though he can.
According to La Be Thuy Trang, deputy chairman of the hamlet’s people’s committee, there are 12 ethnic groups living in the hamlet, with the Tay and Nung making up nearly 90 per cent.
In recent years, as people become more affluent concrete houses are starting to replace the traditional stilt houses.
“We take pride in preserving and maintaining our houses. It is also our way to promote tourism, beside the northern festivals, and home-brewed wine of the Tay people in Ea Tam Hamlet,” she said. VNS
OVietnam