Unique square houses made of earth in Lao Cai

Unique square houses made of earth in Lao Cai

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 09:19 AM (GMT+7)

Over time, the square rammed earth houses of the Ha Nhi ethnic group in Trinh Tuong and Y Ty communes (Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province) still retain their unique indigenous architecture.

In Lao Chai village, Trinh Tuong commune, there are still some rammed earth houses with thatched roofs, which have been preserved by the Ha Nhi ethnic people for many years.

Coming to the mountainous commune of Trinh Tuong, we not only felt the cool climate, the majestic and wild natural scenery, but also admired the houses with earthen walls and thatched roofs or thatched straw, covered with moss.

The foundation of the rammed earth house is made of solid stone to prevent the wall from getting wet, creating high durability and preventing subsidence over the years.

While drying beans in front of her house, Mrs. Ly Xe Gu, Lao Chai village, Trinh Tuong commune, said, this is my family's traditional rammed earth house, the roof has been thatched with thatch for many years, every time tourists from all over the world come by, they visit. The rammed earth house of the Ha Nhi people has only one main entrance and one small window. Inside the house there are two main rooms, the first room from the main entrance is like a living room, on the ceiling is a loft to store bags of corn, bags of rice... The innermost room is the kitchen, where family members sleep.

Mr. Nguyen Van Luc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Trinh Tuong Commune, Bat Xat District (Lao Cai), said that the Ha Nhi ethnic group in Trinh Tuong Commune accounts for about 25%. Currently, there are very few rammed earth houses roofed with thatched grass covered with green moss. Although the Ha Nhi ethnic group has changed the roof to fibro-cement roofing sheets or corrugated iron, the architecture of the rammed earth houses remains unchanged.

Many rammed earth houses in Trinh Tuong commune, Bat Xat district (Lao Cai) have had their roofs replaced with fibro-cement roofing sheets...

In Y Ty commune, Bat Xat district (Lao Cai), new houses built with rammed earth architecture are springing up like mushrooms, with different colors creating a unique scene.

The Ha Nhi people's rammed earth houses are all made of earth, suitable for the harsh climate of the highlands, helping to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The architecture of the Ha Nhi people's rammed earth houses is somewhat more special in that they are made in a square, boxy shape.

A rammed earth house is used as a homestay for tourists to visit and experience in Cao Y Ty commune, Bat Xat district (Lao Cai).

Many households in Choan Then village, Y Ty commune, Bat Xat district (Lao Cai) have opened rammed earth house homestays to welcome tourists to stay. According to Ha Nhi people, they often build houses during the off-season from September to December of the lunar calendar, which is also a time with little rain, favorable for digging soil to build rammed earth walls. After finding a suitable location and land, Ha Nhi people start building the house foundation. The house foundation is dug about 1 meter deep into the ground and is stacked with high stones until the stone foundation is about 50 cm above ground level.

To create a unique, sturdy, thick mushroom-shaped wall is a feat, requiring a lot of effort and time, lasting for months; it requires the dexterity and strength of the hands of strong young men, pounding the soil until it is very soft, bonding it together like concrete. When the surrounding walls of the rammed earth house are completed, forest wood is used to make the house frame inside the rammed earth wall and roofing. In the past, people often roofed it with thatch or straw. Now, roofing materials have been replaced with Fibro cement or corrugated iron. Photo: Spring.

The short sloping roofs and houses are close together, looking from afar like giant mushrooms growing on the mountainside, hidden in the mist and clouds creating a poetic scene.

Mr. San Cau Vu, Head of Choan Then Village, Y Ty Commune, Bat Xat District, said: Choan Then Village currently has 62 households, with more than 300 people, 100% of whom are Ha Nhi ethnic people. Currently, villagers are preserving rammed earth houses associated with developing community tourism. Many households in the village with conditions have opened rammed earth house homestays to welcome tourists. Thereby, contributing to increasing income and preserving the local ethnic cultural identity.

Choan Then village cultural house, Y Ty commune, Bat Xat district has strong cultural features of Ha Nhi ethnic group.

Spring

Source: https://danviet.vn/doc-dao-nhung-ngoi-nha-hinh-vuong-lam-bang-dat-o-lao-cai-20240929180752777.htm