Vietnam - Welcome to the Muong

The Vietnamese people were born from the marriage between a fairy and a dragon king. 100 eggs are born from their union which would not last: the fairy wanting to live near the sea, the dragon in its mountains. Everyone therefore returns to their country with 50 eggs. 54 of their "children" survived, these are the 54 ethnic groups that make up the Vietnamese people.

Among them, the Muong minority. In their village of Xom Ai, they welcome visitors keen to learn more about their culture.

Xom Ai, there are a hundred houses on stilts, nestled in lush vegetation and surrounded by rice fields.

The villagers have become aware of the value of their roots, of their traditions. There is nothing folklore about the village: hens run in the paths, buffaloes graze in the meadows.

While some of the houses are solid, they all respect the typical Muong habitat style.

When a group of visitors is announced, women and men leave the fields, don traditional outfits and perform some dances from their history.

Black velvet skirt, colorful blouse, embroidered belt, white scarf in her hair, this is the traditional dress for women.

A family then welcomes visitors for the meal: spring rolls, stuffed grapefruit leaves, sticky rice and other local specialties.

A young girl then guides them through the village where other residents invite them to explore the interior of their homes.

After taking off your shoes, you climb the ladder that leads to a large common room.

In the evening, mattresses are rolled out on the bamboo floor. To welcome her visitors, the hostess serves the essential rice alcohol.

Communication is difficult: the villagers speak neither English nor French. Regardless, we understand each other with gestures and, above all, a smile.

When traveling in a group, it is not always easy to come into contact with the locals. This visit to Xom Ai is then a great opportunity to meet people.