Pá Ó in the spring

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- In the final days of the year, when the peach blossoms begin to bloom pink on the mountain slopes and the sounds of laughter and chatter echo from the stilt houses, Pá Ó village in Hưng Vũ commune seems to don a new springtime appearance. A particularly disadvantaged village with 78 households and 346 inhabitants, 100% of whom are Dao ethnic people, the people of Pá Ó celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) in a warm, simple atmosphere, yet full of aspirations.

On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, the road leading to Pá Ó village was busier than usual. Bags of goods were being transported by motorbike, and the villagers greeted each other warmly. On the hillsides, peach blossoms began to bloom, their pink hues standing out against the sky at the end of the year. Inside each stilt house, the villagers were busy cleaning and preparing the New Year's Eve meal.

The people of Pá Ó village decorate their houses to welcome the Lunar New Year.

Gathered in the warm embrace of the home with Mr. Trieu Tien Hoi's family, enjoying a New Year's Eve meal, we clearly felt the sincerity and simplicity embedded in each dish of the local people.

The New Year's feast of the Dao ethnic people in Pá Ó village mainly consists of products made by the villagers themselves, such as pork from their own black pigs, free-range chickens, green vegetables grown around the house, and jars of homemade corn wine distilled from corn kernels grown in the fields; it's not elaborate, nor does it contain many delicacies, but each dish is the culmination of a year of diligent labor, the fruit of days spent working in the fields, and also the warm joy of family reunion when spring arrives.

The abundant atmosphere of today's Tet feast evokes memories of the more impoverished times for many elderly people in the village. Mrs. Dang Thi Mui (60 years old) recalls: "In the past , when life was difficult and electricity was unstable, most families didn't have refrigerators to preserve food. Going to the local market took a lot of time, so people had to proactively stockpile food for the whole month. Whenever we slaughtered a pig, the meat was divided into large chunks, carefully salted, and then hung in the kitchen attic to smoke, both to prevent spoilage and to be used gradually."

Not only meat, but many other foods are also dried or pickled for storage, in case of prolonged cold and rainy weather, slippery roads, and disrupted transportation. In recent years, with a more stable electricity grid, many households have acquired refrigerators, making shopping more convenient, and people no longer have to store food in the old way. Therefore, Tet meals are fresher and more abundant, reflecting the gradual improvement in living standards.

After saying goodbye to Mr. Hoi's family, we visited the family of Mr. Trieu Sinh Duong, Party Secretary and Head of Pa O village. In his cozy home, his daughter and other women in the village were skillfully sewing and repairing traditional Dao ethnic costumes to wear during the New Year celebrations. Ms. Trieu Thi Ngoan, Mr. Duong's daughter, shared: "Every Tet holiday, the women in the village wear their ethnic costumes to take commemorative photos, creating a joyful atmosphere and contributing to preserving our cultural identity."

The people of Pá Ó village prepare their traditional costumes to wear during the Lunar New Year.

Sharing about the lives of the villagers, Mr. Trieu Sinh Duong said: Currently, the village still has 46 poor households and 16 near-poor households. Although living standards have improved significantly compared to the past, the poverty rate remains high, and people's production conditions are not yet truly favorable. Currently, the villagers mainly develop their economy through forestry with trees such as acacia, eucalyptus, and anise..., and some households combine this with small-scale livestock farming to increase their income. To help people rise out of poverty sustainably, in the coming time we will continue to promote propaganda and encourage people to proactively develop their economy, effectively exploit existing potential, and gradually increase their income and stabilize their lives.

The joy of this year's Tet holiday for the people of Pá Ó village also comes from the new road connecting Làng Thẳm village to Pá Ó, which is scheduled for construction at the end of 2025. The 5-kilometer road, connecting Làng Thẳm village to two schools in the village, is approximately 30% complete and is expected to be finished in 2028. Although the entire route is not yet finished, the initial changes have brought noticeable excitement.

Ms. Trieu Thi Lanh said: "Previously, whenever it rained, the road into the village was muddy, with mud clinging to the wheels of vehicles. Every trip to the market or to the commune center, both people and vehicles were covered in mud, making the transportation of goods very difficult and arduous. Now, with the new road, although not yet completed, it makes travel much more convenient for people like us. We can more easily transport rice, corn, star anise, and other agricultural products to sell, contributing to improving our income."

Spring arrives in Pá Ó, bringing with it the pink blossoms of peach trees, the warmth of the hearth, and the quiet yet enduring faith of the local people. In the changing rhythm of this small village, Tet (Lunar New Year) is not only a day of reunion, but also the beginning of new hopes gradually taking shape amidst the high mountains.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/tet-tren-ban-nho-5077862.html