Nation

IMAGES OF THE COMMUNITY OF 54 ETHNIC GROUPS IN VIETNAM

Vietnam – the homeland of many ethnic groups. These ethnic groups are all descendants of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, born from a hundred eggs; half followed their mother to the mountains, half followed their father to the sea, together expanding and building the nation with its "three mountains, four seas, and one part of the land," with its towering mountains, vast plains where egrets fly, and the East Sea with its year-round waves; a continuous border stretching from Lung Cu (North) to Rach Tau (South), from the Truong Son mountain range (West) to the Truong Sa archipelago (East).

Having lived together in one country for a long time, the various ethnic groups share a tradition of patriotism, solidarity, and mutual assistance in conquering nature and engaging in social struggles throughout history, from nation-building and national defense to national development.

The history of conquering nature is a heroic epic, showcasing the creativity and vibrant spirit of each nation, overcoming all obstacles and adapting to natural conditions for production, survival, and development. With varying natural geographical conditions (geomorphology, soil, climate, etc.), different nations have found different ways of interacting with nature.

In the plains and midlands, ethnic groups cultivate rice, building village cultures centered around the village communal house, well, and banyan tree, surrounded by resilient and tenacious bamboo hedges. The plains, agriculture, and villages are the inspiration and "ingredient" of the traditional Vietnamese blouses and skirts, the embroidered bodice and conical hat, the graceful and melodious Quan Ho folk songs, and the lingering Southern Vietnamese folk songs that encapsulate the vastness of the Mekong Delta.

In the lowlands of the mountainous regions, ethnic groups combine wet rice cultivation with dryland farming to grow upland rice and corn, and are beginning to cultivate perennial industrial crops (anise, cinnamon, etc.), replacing natural forests. They live in stilt houses, wearing indigo-colored trousers, skirts, and shirts with many motifs mimicking forest flowers and animals. The people have a custom of drinking rice wine, expressing deep community spirit. Drinkers are intoxicated by the alcohol and captivated by the camaraderie.

In the highlands of Viet Bac and the Central Highlands, the people choose the method of clearing forests for slash-and-burn agriculture – a way of responding to nature in the pre-industrial era. The highlands have a subtropical climate, and farming is mainly done during the summer and autumn seasons. To take advantage of the weather and rotate crops, since ancient times the highland people have developed intercropping, both increasing income and protecting the soil from erosion by summer rains. The skillful hands and aesthetic souls of the girls have created costumes: skirts and blouses with colorful and harmonious patterns, diverse motifs, and soft designs, suitable for working in the fields and convenient for traveling on mountain passes and slopes. The pristine mountains and forests, along with the backward farming methods, are the breeding ground for mystical and enchanting rituals. Most Central Highlands inhabitants have the custom of sacrificing buffaloes as a sacrifice to Giàng (heaven), praying for Giàng's blessings for health, livestock, and a bountiful harvest. This region also holds the potential for many myths and heroic epics whose value can rival that of Chinese and Indian mythology, yet they have not been fully collected and studied. The local people are the creators of stone xylophones, T'rưng instruments, Krông pút instruments, gongs, and vibrant, folk dances that bind the community together.

Along the coast from North to South, the ethnic groups live by fishing. Every morning, the fishermen's boats set sail and return to the harbor in the evening. Life here is as bustling and urgent as that of farmers in the fields during harvest season.