Dan Lai is a small group of ethnic populations in the Western of Nghệ An, located in Con Cuông District, about 3000 residents belong to this ethnic minority at there.
We engaged in Pu Mat National Park trip with my friends and then we met some friends from Dan Lai. That is a memorable experience when they told about their history and some old unusual cultures.
1. What do you think about sleeping while sitting?
A story is passed down verbally from generation to generation explaining about this culture related to the history of this tribe.
Hundreds of years ago, to escape from despot’s cruelty and find out a new place for themselves, Dan Lai’s ancestor must flee to the mountains. Sitting and sleeping were to be wary of beasts and military pursuers (maybe runs into the forest as soon as the army chases them).
They often sit with their hands clasped to hold their forehead to sleep, put the tree branch under the neck to sleep from fatigue or hold the stick tightly to the forehead.
2. Sleeping while sitting is unbelievable, what will happen newborns?
Some local people said that women in their tribe giving birth in a sitting position in a forest lonely. How honor scenery is!
After that, the mother will bring her baby to Khặng gully to shower. They want to challenge the child’s health, then who can pass this challenge will get healthier and stronger in the future.
Nevertheless, it was still a culture of Dan Lai ethnic minority.
3. 13 years old-mother
It is easy to catch sight of a girl breastfeeding is sitting in front of her house in the village.
Girls tend to marry early, even with offspring in the families will be as husband and wife, and it is not strange with these people living in this poor land, far from the city.
Average per family has 4 to 6 children, especially there are several families have the number of children up to 13 siblings as they will be their pension and security when one gets old.
Nowadays, it is not common in their daily life because the Vietnamese government is trying to improve Dan Lai’s life quality. However, when visiting this village, tourists can see the wild beauty of Dan Lai, listen to historic stories about their culture and then enjoy wine with some unique dishes from the mountainous area.
Vinh Guru will be a truly companion in your trip.
