Describe the revival of Suoi Cau

Ta Suoi Cau in Dao language means a village with a large stream. True to its ancient name, Ta Suoi Cau village lies along the steep mountainside, in the high border area with China, with rugged and fragmented terrain, and large streams flowing through the village. According to living and production habits, the Red Dao people here often live along streams, convenient for farming, raising livestock and using water resources. Therefore, Ta Suoi Cau is a village with potential dangers due to natural disasters and floods.

A year has passed, but people in Ta Suoi Cau village are still shocked when recalling the historic flood in September 2024.

In 2008, in Ta Suoi Cau, there was also a flood and landslide that completely collapsed 5 houses, but in the history of this land, there has never been a flood as terrible as the one in September last year.
Mr. Phan Lao Lu , Secretary of the Ta Suoi Cau Party Cell, pointed to the large landslides that looked like they were scratched by a giant hand on the mountain range at the end of the village.

After the heavy rain, the muddy stream water flowed like a waterfall, large areas of land on the mountain ranges collapsed, burying a long stretch of road from A Mu Sung, completely isolating Ta Suoi Cau village and the old A Lu commune. The rain and floods buried many areas of sa moc trees, tea trees, and terraced fields of the people. In the village, 3 houses were completely collapsed, many families had their houses damaged, 5 households had salmon and sturgeon farms swept away. The Ta Suoi Cau Kindergarten and Primary School was eroded behind... That was the story of a natural disaster a year ago, and now Ta Suoi Cau has revived after the rain and floods.

Following the Party Secretary of Ta Suoi Cau village, we visited families whose houses had collapsed completely due to natural disasters since last autumn. The households of Mr. Chao Lao U, Chao Phu Sieu, and Phan Lao Su had all moved out of the landslide-prone area and received support from the State, organizations, and individuals from 300 million to 500 million VND to build new, spacious houses.

Next to the newly built solid house, Mr. Chao Lao U was moved: After the historic flood, my family did not suffer any human loss, but we lost all our houses, fields and gardens, and it seemed impossible to recover. Thanks to the care of the Party, the State and benefactors, I now have a solid house, and this year we do not have to worry about storms. My family and I thank the Party and the State very much.

Walking along Ta Suoi Cau village today, not only Mr. Chao Lao U's family has a built house, but most of the households have built new, spacious houses. Along with the households damaged by natural disasters that have been supported, Ta Suoi Cau village also has 14 poor and near-poor households with housing difficulties that have received support from the State to build new houses under the program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses.

My husband and I are both old and have financial difficulties. Without the support of the State, we do not know when we would be able to live in such a beautifully built house. Households such as Tan Lao Ta, Tan Phu Vang, Vang Lao Ta, Tan Sai Phu, Chao Lao Ta... have also built new houses and have stable housing. Now they only focus on developing the economy and increasing their income.
Mr. Phan Lao Lu (B) shared.

Indeed, the biggest visible change is the new houses appearing in Ta Suoi Cau instead of the old ones. But there is another change that is taking place quietly, like a strong flowing underground stream, which is the constant effort and rise to change the lives of the Dao people in the Ta Suoi Cau flood area.

When we arrived, Ms. Tan Ta May’s family was busy harvesting and drying corn. Looking at the golden corn kernels drying on the floor covered with a plastic sheet to protect from the rain, Ms. May said:

Last year, my family's terraced rice fields were all buried and the water source dried up, but instead of abandoning them, we switched to growing corn. This corn crop, my family harvested over 4 tons of corn, which we will sell to buy rice and not worry about not having enough rice to eat.

In September, the autumn sunshine spreads golden on the slopes of Ta Suoi Cau mountain. The red soil of the landslide-affected mountains is still there but is gradually covered with green grass and corn fields. Since ancient times, although living in a place that suffers from many natural disasters, the Red Dao people in Ta Suoi Cau have worked hard and been active in production, so their lives are somewhat better off than in other villages. Natural disasters and floods cannot bury the strong will of the Dao people here to rise up and build a prosperous life. On average, each household in Ta Suoi Cau harvests 3 tons of rice and 3-5 tons of corn each year.

Currently, Ta Suoi Cau village has over 100 hectares of cinnamon trees, 27 hectares of Shan Tuyet tea, in addition to terraced fields, cardamom, and purple cardamom. In spring, people go to the forest to pick ancient tea trees, and in summer they harvest corn. In autumn, the Dao people here are busy harvesting rice on terraced fields and harvesting purple cardamom. In winter, they invite each other to go to the forest to pick cardamom, preparing to celebrate the traditional New Year.

Saying goodbye to the land with a large stream flowing through, Party Secretary Phan Lao Lu told us: Ta Suoi Cau today has revived after the flood, but it is not free from difficulties. The road to the village still has many landslides and the irrigation canal system and water pipes are damaged and have not been restored. Among the 87 households, there are still 28 poor and near-poor households. However, with the attention of the Party and the State, and the aspirations of the people to rise up, we believe that Ta Suoi Cau will be stable at the source of the border.

Performed by: Khanh Ly

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/ta-suoi-cau-hoi-sinh-post882706.html