The Children of Ban Vuong and the Legend of the White Buffalo

As a small hamlet with only 35 households, 100% of whom are Dao Tien ethnic people, the people here possess a rich store of folk knowledge and interesting stories about habits, customs, traditional culture, and Dao identity.

The terraced fields in Hoai Khao are turning ripe.

The kitchen is the first place we entered when entering Khanh Hung homestay of Ms. Ban Thi Lien. Next to the fire crackling warmly, fragrant smoke and the sound of firewood crackling, Ms. Lien told me the story explaining why the Dao Tien people have the habit of living in the highlands.

Fireside chat.

An old story tells that the Dao Tien and the Tay were given a choice of two boxes. The Dao Tien could lift the heavy box, which contained a knife. So the Dao Tien went to live in the mountains. The knife was used as a tool to work, to go to the forest to make a living.

The Tay people, who can lift lighter boxes, live in lowland mountainous areas. Even the name of Hoai Khao hamlet, according to the explanation, is correctly read as Vai Khao, meaning white buffalo, associated with the legendary story of a white buffalo given by a fairy…

The Dao people live in the highlands.

While quickly carrying the basket containing the beeswax bowl and printing tools out onto the porch, Ms. Ban Thi Lien continued to enthusiastically tell us about the meaning of the motifs and patterns on the traditional costumes of Dao Tien women.

Although I have heard a few different versions of the Dao people's totem beliefs, the mysterious story associated with the history of the Dao people told by Ms. Ban Thi Lien is extremely attractive and captivating. From ancient times until now, the costumes of the Tien Dao people have embroidered patterns on the shoulders. That pattern has the symbol of a dog.

Dao Tien women sit embroidering under the porch.

When the Dao Tien people migrated across the sea to find a new land to settle down, they forgot to bring the Ban Vuong mark (considered the ancestor of the Dao people) with them, so they had to ask a dog to cross the river to get it for them. In gratitude for the dog's efforts, the Dao Tien people embroidered this image on the Dao Tien women's shirts to remember that action.

Lifting the white scarf on her head, Ms. Lien put her arms behind her back and showed me the tiger scratch pattern. According to her: According to ancient beliefs, tiger scratch marks are considered "amulets" so that the Dao Tien people can feel secure when going into the forest, wild animals stay away, and are not scratched or harmed by tigers.

Ms. Ban Thi Lien (far left in photo).

In the midst of modern life and everything proven by science, folk beliefs and spiritual beliefs are like a bond that connects communities and villages. Over time, the national humanistic values ​​and cultural identity are more and more durable. The Dao Tien people live and survive in the mountains and forests with deep spiritual beliefs. The Dao Tien cultural identity is preserved intact and increasingly deepened.

Bamboo mold for printing beeswax patterns.

The more the fire burns, the more tourists are attracted. We went out to the porch to see how the Dao Tien women print patterns on their dresses. Observing each meticulous beeswax printing movement, we can see the skillful hands of the Dao Tien women. Perhaps because, here, everyone must know how to sew their own clothes, know how to print beeswax patterns, and know how to embroider beautiful patterns.

Rice storage in front of the house of the Tien Dao people.

Gazing out at the distant, vague mountain ranges amidst the mysterious stories preserved by the local people and the rich traditional culture that exists… Hoai Khao is also full of potential for developing community tourism. The Dao Tien people in Hoai Khao hamlet are extremely “rich” in tangible and intangible heritage.

Embroidered towels are tourist products.

The beeswax harvesting festival (also known as the Ong cave festival) attracts visitors from all over the world, the nhoi tree is recognized as a Vietnamese heritage tree and is a check-in attraction, the pao dung melody and the unique cap sac ceremony... are mentioned by many people.

This is the basis for Hoai Khao community tourism village to build unique tourism products as well as increase traditional cultural experiences for tourists, both improving life and bringing common benefits to the community.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nhung-nguoi-con-cua-ban-vuong-va-su-tich-trau-trang-post826914.html