The Co Lao people in Sa Phin

In the middle of the majestic Dong Van stone plateau, the Co Lao people in Ma Che village, Sa Phin commune still weave golden bamboo strips every day, maintain the ritual of worshiping the sacred forest and traditional costumes. They quietly light up the cultural flame in the middle of the gray stone land, keeping the village warm with its roots - a vivid proof of the enduring vitality of one of the 16 ethnic groups with very few people in Vietnam.

Knitting - Ma Che's livelihood

From the center of Sa Phin commune, following a small winding road hugging the mountainside, we arrived at Ma Che village - home to 91 households, of which the Co Lao people make up more than half, the rest are Mong people. Amidst the vastness of the cat ear rocks, the golden bamboo strips drying on the porches are like soft rays of sunlight, softening the harshness of the rocky plateau.

The Co Lao people in Ma Che village, Sa Phin commune still keep their traditional costumes next to their houses.

Few people know that the Co Lao people are one of 16 ethnic groups with very few people in Vietnam, with a population of less than 3,000 people, mainly living in the highland communes of Tuyen Quang . In the changing flow of modern life, Ma Che village still maintains the traditional weaving craft, considering it a "string" connecting the past and the present.

Here, the traditional weaving craft has been associated with the Co Lao people for generations. Since 2013, recognizing the value of the traditional craft, the People's Committee of Ha Giang province (old) has decided to establish the "Co Lao ethnic weaving craft village in Ma Che village". Currently, although life has brought many changes, 8 households in the village still maintain the weaving craft regularly. Each month, each person can weave about 50 products, earning about 500,000 VND. Diverse products: baskets, trays, trays, winnowing trays, baskets, and playing sticks, with prices ranging from 50,000 to 400,000 VND - all handmade, without chemicals or machines.

Mr. Van Phong Sai, over 90 years old this year, is one of the oldest artisans in the village. His sinewy hands still deftly trim bamboo strips and weave each bamboo skillfully. According to him, weaving requires choosing bamboo of the right age, not too old, not too young. Split bamboo must be woven immediately, otherwise the strips will dry out and break easily. To do this job, one must have passion and love for it to last.

Ma Che village currently has 8 households maintaining the weaving profession.

Currently, the products are purchased by traders at each house, and some are displayed at fairs and local product introduction points. During Tet, the ancient town of Dong Van used to hang bamboo lanterns woven by the Co Lao people - as a way to honor the skillful hands and rustic souls of the stone workers.

Keep the soul in the new life

In addition to weaving, the Co Lao people in Ma Che also preserve a sacred ritual: the Forest Worship Ceremony - a long-standing religious practice associated with the concept of heaven - earth - water, expressing the philosophy of living in harmony with nature. In 2023, the "Forest Worship Ceremony of the Co Lao people" in Sinh Lung commune was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Every year, the worship ceremony is held on March 3, September 9 or December 29 of the lunar calendar, at the sacred forest of Lung phang mi sinh.

People together contribute money, prepare offerings, invite shamans to perform a ceremony to pray for a good harvest. After the ceremony, there is a lively festival with weaving competitions, tug of war, stick pushing, and cultural exchanges. Those sounds and colors blend in the space of the mountains and forests, becoming a symbol of community cohesion and belief in the gods.

Mr. Van Mi Sa, Head of Ma Che village, shared: The forest worship ceremony teaches children to be grateful to nature, to protect the forest and protect the water. Every year when the ceremony is held, the village unites, the young learn the customs, the elderly are told old stories - that is also the best way to preserve identity.

Artisan Van Phong Sai is over 90 years old and still diligently maintains the traditional weaving profession.

Preserving their profession, preserving their rituals, preserving their costumes – the Co Lao people in Ma Che not only preserve their identity, but also preserve their own future. In the middle of the rocky plateau, that cultural flame still burns persistently – smoldering but warm, shining forever over time. Along with the unique forest worship ritual, the Co Lao people also preserve their traditional costumes with the characteristic indigo color. Men often wear stand-up collar shirts, indigo or black wide-leg pants, simple but strong. Women stand out with headscarves, long indigo shirts, belts, aprons and leggings, some regions even wear aprons like the Mong people.

Traditional costumes are not only a way to identify the nation, but also reflect polytheism, the concept of animism - all things have souls and deserve respect. Today, although modern life has penetrated deeply into the village, but on holidays, Tet, weddings, Co Lao women still wear traditional costumes - as a way to "preserve the soul" of their national identity.

In the flow of integration, the Co Lao culture still faces many challenges: the number of people who maintain the weaving profession is decreasing, bad customs still exist, the young generation is gradually moving away from tradition, and many places lack space for the culture to "breathe". However, in the midst of the gray stone land, there are still people like Mr. Van Phong Sai, Mr. Van Mi Sa - the silent "fire keepers". There are still children passionately practicing weaving baskets on the porch, there are still forest worship ceremonies with the echoes of incense smoke. All contribute to nurturing the enduring vitality of the Co Lao culture - a source that never runs dry.

Article and photos: Hoang Anh

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/du-lich/202510/nguoi-co-lao-o-sa-phin-2d44186/