I had the privilege of joining an ETHOS trek recently, organised by Grounded Spaces as part of our retreat, with female Dao (they pronounce it Dzao) guides who impressed us with their strength of spirit, hospitality, patience and humour.
Ethnical Trekking
Here were our four warm and cheery Dzao guides, who turned up bright and early at our hotel, taking a photo with our wonderful liaison. Look at their ethnic wear (which is daily wear for them) and their gumboots to tackle the clay mud!
When I came back and learnt more about the trekking company, I was fascinated with the vast amount of information on their website and the good work that they do.
I was also incredibly touched by the backstories of the founding members and the transformational human stories that drive them onwards. We were privileged to have a briefing conducted by Hoa the day before – I already felt rather awed by her that, and now that I’ve read her story today, am filled with a fresh wave of deep admiration, knowing that she had saved so many from being trafficked.
We were a larger-than-usual group, but the four guides meant we could split up into smaller groups where needed. Here we are, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed before we set off. It sounded like a tough 8.5km trek in high altitude over steep uphill and downhill slopes with some mud (and maybe ‘river crossings’ if heavy rain turned some paths into streams) – slight apprehension…. but some adrenalin is always good, no?
The Trek Proper
It was drizzling when we set off and arrived at Ta Phin village after a 20 min mini-van ride, but no fear – with raincoats, ponchos and high spirits, we collected our handy bamboo sticks (lighter, cheaper and more eco-friendly than any Black Diamond trekking pole) and started our adventure.
Thankfully, it stopped drizzling after a while, and our bodies warmed up from the hike such that we needed fewer and fewer layers for a comfortable journey. check out that narrow steep slope!
There were some slippery rocks and a cliffside that looked like it had experienced a recent small landslide, but nothing too arduous that our group couldn’t handle as we watched out for and helped one another.
This trek was wonderful in that the guides stopped frequently along the way to point out berries and herbs, and let us try some! Their knowledge of the land and what could be used to heal was impressive. Having lived in these highlands all their lives, Hoa had also shared that they had the best survival skills, should any dangerous situations arise.
Along the way, we were introduced to yellow raspberries, lemon-smelling tiger balm fruits, menthol-smelling leaves, thumbnail-sized white strawberry-like fruits (with seeds on the outside), fragrant medicinal stems, leaves that could treat diarrhoea and cinnamon logs – the bark smelt amazing! We happily snacked along the way, thankful for God’s provision in nature, whilst being careful not to over-consume.
Weaving Nature
I was really fascinated when they started weaving using strong reeds next to a pond. We had stopped to wait for those who were trekking at a more leisurely pace to catch up (distracted by eating berries and smelling ‘tiger balm’ leaves I’m sure), and one guide weaved this intricate tiny fish trap – she told us if you left it at the bank for while, little fish would swim in and you could ‘harvest’ them!
I was utterly impressed by the fluent English spoken by our Dzao guides. Hoa explained that when they were growing up, there were no schools open to them and thus most could neither read nor write. It is testament to their rapid ability to learn that they were able to pick up English from tourists (my guide said she had only started learning 4 years ago) to the level where they could joke well in the language, apart from Vietnamese and Dzao which they already spoke.
Look at the flower crowns Le May wove whilst trekking, for many of those in our group! I had a chat with her and she shared that she had a 20 year old son, and a 14 year old daughter – she herself looks incredibly youthful as a 40 year old.
The call of cicadas rose and fell around us, and we saw one very hairy caterpillar.
Little lavender flowers the size of baby’s breath abounded along all our paths, and when I searched online, they were identified as Mistflowers – aptly named as they thrive in the mist. We also walked past lush bamboo, orchids and so many other flora and fauna.
It was a moderately physically demanding trek (thankfully not uphill all the way), and we were so pleased to break for lunch!
First, we visited May Lai’s home for a short shopping and restroom break, on the way to her mother’s larger home where the four groups would combine for lunch. Some friends bought table-runners of dyed indigo cloth made by May Lai’s uncle – there were aluminum bracelets and pouches for sale too.
I felt hope welling up as I saw the colourful alphabet and phonics practice books in the balcony – evidence that her daughter was learning to read and write at an early age. With literacy and education, she will certainly bring her community to greater heights.
This was the lovely view from her home – they pointed out the primary school (pictured here) and the secondary school in the distance.
Lunch in a Dao home
A highlight of the trek was being invited to dine in a Dao home. As we hoped to dine together as a group, May Lai’s mother agreed to host us in her spacious home. She was the elegant and strong matriarch of the home, and welcomed us with a loud “Hello!” as we entered.
Pictured here is the “women’s kitchen” and further inside there was the “men’s kitchen” without a lit fire, but evidence that men did cook regularly in their culture too.
Home-cooked food prepared by the matriarch and familly was sumptuous! The table was so heavily laden!
We were treated to little shots of “happy water” innocuously served in a tea pot – it was only after we sipped it that we were told it was 50% alcohol!
Interestingly, the tofu was home-made, from soy beans ground in their huge home mortar. Some of us took turns turning the huge stone mortal wheel with difficulty, as May Lai’s sweet 8 year old looked on amusedly. Eventually, Ta May got up and said, “I’m very good at this!” And showed us how she does it with just one hand – extremely fast and almost effortlessly! We broke out in applause and cheers.
What I enjoyed most about the day was chatting with the guides as we walked and ate. May Lai sat next to me at lunch, and I was able to learn more about her family members, how she learnt English, the Dao guides’ partnership with Hoa and Ethos, the ages of her children and how her grandmother owned this home (her portrait was the middle one on the wall) but had just passed three years ago.
She shared that her mum loves having guests, and only regrets that she can’t speak much English to interact with us. The lady with the full length portrait on the left is her great grandmother. (And of course, it was Ho Chih Minh over the calendar.) From this I surmised that the Dzaos, or at least May Lai’s family had quite a matriarchal structure.
I loved how the conversation just flowed. At the opposite table, Ta May was especially jolly and humorous. Amongst other personal stories, she shared about how she did not meet her husband until the day of their wedding, and passed her silver wedding bracelet around for us to admire it and engraving of her husband’s name. (I’ve added a painting below, featuring a lovely tribal girl, sighted on another day in Sapa.)
Here’s our cheery group, some fueled by ‘happy water’ more than others. May Lai also explained that the large red bags stored near the roof were bags of rice, kept above any dampness. It was a truly enjoyable meal.
Following that, we walked off our lunch with another half hour trek towards the pick-up point for transport back to the hotel. What beautiful views 1600m above sea level.
The skies were still misty and foggy, which clothed the padi terraces in a mysterious air.
This was the ‘after’ photo – the guides had come back with us to collect the rented gumboots, and to take a farewell photo. Fond handshakes and hugs were exchanged, and we were really grateful to have the privilege of understanding their lives just a tad more.
Through the day’s interactions, it was clear that these were strong, independent women, able to speak up for themselves and proudly introduce us to their land and culture. I was heartened and pray that more will join with Ethos in taking up treks and cultural art experiences with these tribal guides, investing in ethical travel that truly benefits the people of the land. We might be so different, yet at the same time, we are so very much the same.
If you are a history buff like me, this recently-written in-depth article on the history of Sapa will be well worth the time taken to read it.
To all who intend to travel to Sapa, I highly encourage you to set aside time for such a trek. Your eyes will be opened to the beauty of the land and its natural plant provisions, and an indelible mark will be left upon your heart by the warmth of its people.
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