Warm and cozy, Stone Go

The majestic mountain range, with its peak reaching 1,129 meters above sea level, was the founding and operational base of the Da Xo Guerrilla Team during the resistance against French colonialism. This rugged mountain range, a testament to a historical period, now provides a lush green landscape for the people of Dong Heo and Lang Ca villages in Cat Thinh commune today.

Following the Vuc Tuan road to Dong Heo village at the foot of the mountain, up the slope for nearly a kilometer, you will encounter a large sign with the words "Provincial-level Revolutionary Historical Site - The Founding Place of the Da Xo Guerrilla Team". On the other side, following the sloping road down another thousand meters, you will reach the residential cluster of Lang Ca village. Eighty years ago, this vital route, winding through the mountain gorges and under the forest canopy, allowed cadres and soldiers from the liberated zone to operate deep within enemy territory. Now, the road has been paved with concrete, making it convenient for motorcycles and cars for the villagers to travel.

Going back in history, in 1948, the Da Xo Guerrilla Team was established, affirming the hatred of the French invaders, the determination, and the courageous spirit of the ethnic minority people in the region who wholeheartedly followed the revolution. The Da Xo Guerrilla Team's base played a crucial role on that path, becoming a target for enemy forces to concentrate their efforts on suppressing it. In just under two years (1948-1949), the French army launched nine attacks on Da Xo mountain in an attempt to destroy the base.

The Da Xo guerrillas, armed only with flintlock rifles and muskets, relied on the rugged mountains and employed flexible, creative, and resourceful tactics, including rock traps and stone fortifications, to thwart several enemy sweeps and disrupt many important plans. From this base, the Da Xo guerrillas also organized 27 battles and counter-sweeps, killing and wounding many soldiers, including French commanders.

The Da Xo guerrillas and the people bravely fought alongside the army in various campaigns; participating in road construction and contributing manpower and resources to the 1953-1954 Winter-Spring Campaign, culminating in the historic Dien Bien Phu victory on May 7, 1954.

Discussing the changes in the area at the foot of Da Xo mountain, Mr. Pham Van Vinh - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cat Thinh commune, said: "Along with the investment of the State, the people of Cat Thinh commune in general, and the people of Dong Heo and Lang Ca villages in particular, have upheld the traditions of their homeland, and with the help of propaganda and mobilization, have actively engaged in production, poverty reduction, and solidarity in building a new life, contributing to the socio -economic development of the locality."

It is known that in the 1990s, dozens of Mong ethnic minority households followed the policies of the Party and State, leaving Lao Village to settle at the foot of Da Xo Mountain, forming Dong Heo village. Descending from the mountains, along with their diligence and hard work, the lives of the people improved thanks to convenient transportation and investment in irrigation projects, ensuring water for daily life and agricultural production. Through propaganda and mobilization, the people's awareness of production gradually changed, and the hillside fields were quickly transformed into rice, corn, and bodhi trees, covering the land with greenery. From clearing forests for slash-and-burn agriculture, the Mong people in Dong Heo have actively protected the headwater forests and learned to cultivate crops with high economic value.

In 1994, Chảo A Xà and his parents moved to Đồng Hẻo to settle. He grew up receiving an education, and now, having started his own family, he is actively involved in cinnamon cultivation. Now over 40 years old, he has a sturdy house with all the necessary amenities.

“In my grandparents' time, we grew corn and bodhi trees, but later the family switched to growing cinnamon because it was more economically viable. Now, we don't have cinnamon bark to peel yet, but we've already thinned it out and it provides an annual income,” Chảo A Xà happily recounted.

Dong Heo village currently has 103 households, most of which own land for forest planting. Cinnamon trees have been widely planted by the villagers in the last ten years or so. Now, the cinnamon trees seem to have taken root in the rocks where their ancestors fought battles, allowing them to grow strong and thrive amidst the mountains. Even the smallest households have 1,000-2,000 trees, while larger ones have up to 4-5 hectares of cinnamon, notably the households of Sung Plua, Ho A Khay, and Sung A Mua… Besides forest planting, many households also rent additional rice paddies to cultivate wet rice, and some have opened shops offering milling services, motorbike repair, and agricultural product purchasing for the villagers.

Mr. Ho A Chu, Secretary of the Dong Heo village Party branch, said: “The people have planted cinnamon trees all the way to the top of Da Xo mountain; every household has cinnamon. Thanks to the Party and the State, the people are no longer suffering from hunger; only 9 poor households remain. Their children also receive a full education.”

Leaving Dong Heo, we followed the concrete road uphill to Lang Ca. Occasionally, we encountered motorbikes carrying fertilizer going in, and then local people's vehicles carrying bamboo shoots going out. Further inquiry revealed that these were bamboo shoots – an agricultural product grown by the villagers in the protected forest area. In recent years, this type of bamboo shoot has become popular with people from the lowlands, so the villagers have encouraged each other to preserve and expand its cultivation, bringing a significant source of income to the people in the village.

According to the Party Secretary of Lang Ca village, Ho A Phenh, some households earn over 30 million VND from this specialty crop. “Highland people no longer destroy the forests; now they even graze their buffaloes because the hillsides are planted with cinnamon and cardamom. The village has 95 households, with over 100 hectares of cinnamon, intercropped with cardamom. With the income, every family can afford a motorbike for transportation and to take their children to school. All the people trust in the Party and the State for guidance,” Party Secretary Ho A Phenh added.

It is known that cardamom plants in Ca Village have yielded annual harvests, while cinnamon cultivation will be a major source of income for the villagers in the coming years. As a result, the poverty rate in the village has decreased significantly compared to previous years; all children of school age attend school; and security and order in the area are maintained.

Most exciting for the local people is that after many years of waiting, thanks to government investment, the road from the top of Da Xo mountain to the village center has been paved with concrete; the national power grid has reached the village, considered the most disadvantaged in Cat Thinh commune. The village cultural center has also been completed and will be put into use in 2025, facilitating community activities. The people are proud to have contributed to the completion of these projects, with nearly a dozen households donating land for them. The family of Mr. Chao A Vong is a prime example. With six family members and limited farmland, they only harvest about 20 bags of rice per year, barely enough to feed themselves; their forest land has only been planted with about 2,000 cinnamon trees. However, understanding the difficulties of transportation, his family donated three plots of land to make the road easier to access.

At the foot of Da Xo Mountain, the rural landscape is blossoming with new colors thanks to gradually improving infrastructure and the increasingly enhanced material and spiritual lives of the people. During the resistance war, the road over Da Xo peak to Lang Ca village was a vital artery, and now it is even more important for trade. Opportunities for development will continue to open up when this road, connecting to Lang Chieu village in Muong Coi commune, Son La province, is upgraded.

Presented by: Thanh Ba

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/no-am-da-xo-post899939.html