Dao ethnic people in Nậm Châu village, who used to be familiar with almost nothing from modern society, except for farming tools, are now able to capture amazing photos of their rich culture, thanks to cameras and photography and cultural diversity classes provided by the Institute for Studies of Society, Economy, and Environment. Doctor Võ Mai Phương from the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology has been directly involved in this training. Phuong told us: "Each person has taken about 700 photos so far. We select some of the best pictures for public display. Their photography skills have improved steadily. Their pictures are of pretty good quality although this is the first time they‘ve ever used a camera. When we display their photos on the topic of their village’s beauty, we can spot the photos of a lady named Dấn who took pictures of Nậm Châu’s river and terraced fields."

Phuong said she was amazed by the pictures taken by these amateur photographers. The photos reflect their different perspectives on every aspect of their daily life. She said: "Although the pictures are not of the best quality, they often tell good stories about Dao ethnic people’s unique culture and daily activities. This photo of a man talking about rice cultivation might be nothing special. But in this photo, the author speaks about why Dao people cultivate on terraced fields and how their farming techniques are different from those of Kinh people." 

Lý Thị Líu has taken many photos of people working on terraced fields, showing how they prepare the soil and grow rice. Through her pictures, 18-year-old Liu shows her unique view of life in Vietnam’s northwestern mountain region. She said: "I have taken a lot of photos of people working in the fields and making traditional medicines. From these photos, I can tell that our farming techniques are very different from those of people in other regions and less productive. I think we will definitely change our ways of farming for better production."

The photos of Bàn Thị Dấn show local people helping each other with farm work and house building. Dan said: "We are always ready to support each other in any work, from rice cultivation to house building. Instead of hiring someone, we have our relatives and neighbors help us. People often wear nice traditional clothes in public places but dress simply working in the fields."

Dấn told us she likes her photos of Dao women sitting in front of their houses with their embroidery frames: "Dao embroidery techniques are different from those of H’Mong people. We use double threads while they use a single thread. I think our traditional embroidery is very beautiful."

The photos have helped the local people see more clearly the unique value of their culture and made them proud of it. The best pictures will be selected for display on Cultural Day for Vietnamese Ethnic Groups in Hanoi next week.