Bringing the scent of the forest to the city.

Their livelihoods are tied to persistent and arduous journeys. They might carry goods on their backs, leisurely inviting customers to buy as they walk through the streets; or they might cleverly choose a corner of the sidewalk, along the roadside, or right in front of their house to set up a "mobile mini-market," introducing their produce to consumers.

For many years, they have been present at familiar gathering points such as along Nguyen Tat Thanh, Ngo Quyen, and Y Wang streets, or on the sidewalks of small markets in the central communes and wards of Dak Lak province .

The products harvested by ethnic minority communities in their fields are fascinating.

The produce sold here is not only abundant and diverse but also possesses a special value – it's mostly "homegrown" or carefully collected by the women and mothers from their villages after each trip to the fields and after each harvest season. These include bunches of mulberries laden with fruit; baskets of wild rambutan with its golden flesh and rich aroma, distinct from commercially grown rambutan; bunches of young green tamarind sold with spicy chili salt; jars of sweet and mildly preserved star fruit; and unripe mangoes dipped in shrimp paste, stimulating the taste buds of many. Many families even painstakingly dig up cogon grass roots, wash them, dry them, and neatly roll them for customers to drink as a cooling and detoxifying beverage. Sometimes it's a basket of bitter eggplant or a bunch of young green cassava leaves – the main ingredients in many simple yet incredibly appealing dishes of the ethnic minority communities…

In the sour, spicy, bitter, and sweet flavors of these products, buyers can easily sense the natural, rustic, and sincere sweetness. Each item exchanged not only brings the taste of natural freshness but also the feeling of perseverance and the preservation of local values.

Carrying produce from villages to bustling cities has become a beautiful aspect of labor, a sustainable and commendable means of livelihood for countless people.

Ms. H'Linh Niê (living on Tran Quy Cap Street, Tan An Ward) has spent over 10 years traveling the streets selling her goods. Initially, she simply carried homegrown vegetables and fruits on her back, walking along roads and alleys; but seeing that customers trusted and loved her products, she began to gather more natural specialties grown by her fellow villagers. For the past few years, Ms. H'Linh has been utilizing social media to post information, introduce her products, and expand her reach to modern customers.

Fruits from the fields and gardens become attractive snacks for diners.

Besides the mothers and grandmothers, the image of young men and women helping their mothers sell goods has also become a warm and meaningful sight along the streets.

Y Liêm Niê (16 years old, living in Kô Siêr hamlet, Tân Lập ward) regularly helps her mother sell goods after school. Having helped her mother sell since she was 10, Y Liêm almost knows the prices of each item by heart, and is adept at greeting and welcoming customers. Y Liêm smiles gently: “As a farmer's daughter, I don't mind the hard work. I just hope to help my parents and receive lots of support from customers.” Working together diligently at various jobs, Liêm's family earns enough money to cover Liêm's and her two younger siblings' education. This is also how the family nurtures their children's determination and dreams on their journey to adulthood.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202512/gui-huong-rung-ra-pho-97f075e/