Sunday is the most anticipated day for ethnic minorities in the Sin Hodistrict of northern mountainous Lai Chau province, as it is the daywhen they traditionally gather together and buy necessities at theirlocal market.
The last Sundays before the lunar year are the busiest and most crowded times in the market.
Waves of ethnic people coming from numerous distant villages,including H’mong, Dao, and Day, walk or ride horses and motorbikes tothe town centre, loaded up with farm products destined for the Sin Homarket.
The market is filled with the coloursof traditional ethnic costumes, the smoke of boiling pots, and thesavoury fragrance of noodles, fried cakes and maize wine.
Phan A Long, nearly 80 years old, has never missed a market dayduring the Tet holiday even though his house is more than 10 kilometresfrom the market.
“The Tet market is differentfrom others; it’s more crowded and has more products.” Long said, “Ihope to stay healthy and continue coming to Tet markets in the comingyears”.
Medicinal herbs are also a typicalfeature of the Sin Ho market. On the last day of the year, the Daotraditionally take a bath with medicinal plants they pick from thenearby forest, so stalls selling the plants are always bustling andbusy.
The Sin Ho market is more than a trading place, but also a venue for cultural exchange among locals.
Situated on the Sin Ho plateau of Lai Chau province, Sin Ho town islocated on the highest peak, over 1,500 metres above the sea level, andsurrounded by verdant mountain ranges and puffy clouds. The small townis colloquially called the Roof of Lai Chau or the second Sa Pa of thenorthwest.-VNA