The sight of Hmong women diligently spinning flax yarn at their stalls in Pà Cò market is a common one.
The Pà Cò market still takes place regularly every Sunday. Although winter is just beginning, the cold air has been present for several days. As is customary, people from the surrounding villages gather at the market early in the morning while the fog is still thick. Everyone is eager to come to the market, bringing their freshest and best produce to exchange and introduce to others.
Many stalls sell fabrics, brocade clothing, and more.
From our observations, the goods traded and displayed at this season's market are incredibly diverse and reflect the unique characteristics of the highlands. It's easy to see that most stalls display fabrics, dresses, scarves, and various types of brocade hats. Many common products suitable for local needs are also on sale, such as flashlights, handmade paper, and lighters. Agricultural products, such as vegetables, fruits, Mong chickens, and local pigs, are located outside the market, making them convenient for visitors.
...creating a vibrant space filled with colorful brocade fabrics, much to the delight of visitors.
During his trip to explore Pà Cò, Tom Hiddleston, a tourist from England, was extremely delighted to experience the local market. He shared: "Coming to the market was a coincidence. I think this is the best destination for a trip where I found something that reflects the cultural identity of the ethnic people. The market atmosphere was bustling, lively, and vibrant with the colors of the brocade on the Hmong people's clothing and throughout the stalls."
Many foreign tour groups come to the Pà Cò market on Sundays to explore and experience the local culture.
Because it only has one session per week, the Pà Cò market is bustling and lively each day, like a festival or a Tet (Lunar New Year) market in the lowlands. The market sells everything from agricultural products, livestock, fabrics, brocade, farming tools to household goods, electronics, and cosmetics. According to Mr. Phàng A Páo, a tourism business owner in Chà Đáy village, Pà Cò commune, the Pà Cò market, which operates on a weekly basis, is one of the busiest markets for the Hmong people in the Northwest region. The market is not just a place for exchanging goods, but also embodies a shared life among mountain ethnic communities, a destination for cultural exchange and the exchange of artifacts – a concept that seems non-existent in urban life.
Goods are sometimes displayed directly on the concrete floor, offering a unique experience of traditional market culture.
One of the things that gives visitors a truly intimate and authentic feeling when visiting the market is the simplicity of the stalls, which are just tables or booths made of wooden planks, and sometimes even goods are displayed on plastic sheets spread on the concrete floor. The sounds of bargaining mixed with cheerful laughter and conversation make the market space come alive.
Every corner of the Pà Cò market reflects the life of the highland people.
Before the merger, Pà Cò was home to a concentrated community of the Hmong ethnic group, numbering around 8,000 people. Along with their customs, traditions, language, and clothing, the local market is a distinctive cultural feature of the region. Elderly and respected figures in this highland commune recount that the Pà Cò market has existed for a very long time. Located within the Hmong community, it is a microcosm of the mountain people's life – simple and rustic, yet a culmination of their hard work and diligence. Especially now, amidst the trend of commercialization affecting many markets, the Pà Cò market is a rare example of a market that still retains its ethnic identity and the unique characteristics of traditional highland markets.
Bui Minh
Source: https://baophutho.vn/sac-mau-phien-cho-pa-co-242094.htm
Comment (0)