Leper Village Revives

SR-equipped vehicles — People in Cui hamlet pack durians.

Ms. Ka Thip, former Vice President of the Farmers' Association of Ba Gia commune (now Da Huoai 3 commune), is a descendant of an ancient family that lived on the land along the Da Si stream. She said that since her grandparents' time, mentioning the name of the leper hamlet instilled great fear in the villagers. It was a small patch of forest, surrounded by a stream, with no roads, and deep within the bushes were only dilapidated huts. Previously, the leper hamlet was where people with leprosy from surrounding villages and hamlets were forced to live in a separate area, not allowed to live with their neighbors for fear of contagion. Ms. Ka Thip said that at that time, leprosy was a terrifying disease. Those afflicted were ostracized by the entire community and not allowed to live together in their villages or hamlets.

Teacher Tran Thi Minh, who participated in literacy classes nearly 40 years ago, recalled that she went to teach in remote villages, teaching many literacy classes to the local people. At that time, the leper village was still isolated because there was no bridge across the stream; the villagers only communicated and traded with the outside world through a deep stream. Ms. Minh recounted that doctors and medical staff volunteered to come to the leper village to treat the villagers. Gradually, medicine and medical care brought life back to the village. “I remember around 1988 and 1990, the leper village was almost completely free of patients. There were no new patients, and the old patients left,” Ms. Minh recalled. The patients recovered and gradually moved out of the village, returning to their families or going elsewhere to build new lives. Then, the village with that terrifying name gradually transformed, escaping its gloomy darkness. The village of Cùi is now a bustling, prosperous area, rich in fruit trees, with durian and coffee plantations, and even the sound of swallows singing.

Durian fruit from Hamlet 1, Da Huoai 3 Commune

“First, the commune built an iron bridge connecting the two banks of the stream. People in the hamlet could go out to buy and sell goods, and outsiders could also come to visit. That bridge was built more than 20 years ago, it's very old now. Just in 2020, a larger cement bridge connected the hamlet of Cùi to the main road, making travel easier, and cars can now pass through. During the harvest season, trucks carrying durians come and go busily,” Ms. Ka Thịp informed. With the bridge, the electricity sector erected poles and strung wires, bringing light to the hamlet of Cùi, allowing residents to access the hustle and bustle of life. With electricity, life changed completely with the light. At night, people bring in machinery for agricultural production. Life has changed completely, leaving no trace of the old Cùi hamlet.

Currently, Cui hamlet is a thriving economic area in Da Huoai 3 commune. The hamlet has 150 hectares of agricultural land, cultivated by approximately 60-70 households. Roads, electricity, and irrigation are all readily available. People in Cui hamlet grow coffee and durian, and some households even raise swiftlets. "The hamlet is quite quiet and has a cool atmosphere because it's located within a stream, so it's suitable for swiftlets. Several households raising swiftlets have stable yields. The durian harvest is also underway, making it a stable economic area of the commune," assessed Ms. Ka Thip.

Memories of that gloomy oasis have faded into the past, but the place name remains with the people of Da Huoai 3 as a reminder of a difficult time that existed on this land.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/xom-cui-hoi-sinh-388435.html