Mountain tribes of North Vietnam

Mountain tribes of North Vietnam
The north-western corner of Vietnam offers a spectacular scenery of steeply eroded limestone rocks covered with jungle and terraced fields. This area is home to a great variety of mountain tribes, some still living as they have for generations. Their village architecture, language, and cultivating methods have many distinctive and attractive features. But it is the fabulous colours and intricate embroidery on their native dress that really make a journey into this remote region worth-while.

[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.403] ’Black Dao women with hair frame.’ The hair of these Black Dao women in Tam Duòng is kept in place by a large silver frame and a thick black cord which is wrapped around the head. The coins on the cap of the child must protect it against evil spirits. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.388] ’Black Dao women under umbrella.’ Black Dao women wear plain black trousers and jackets finished with a superb red ruff. The hair on their forehead is plucked (including the eyebrows) so that it cannot distract from the beauty of their clothing. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.391] ’Band of Black Dao.’ A band of Black Dao in the mountains north of Bình Lu. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.404] ’Landscape near Tam Duòng.’ Mountain range with wooded limestone cones west of Tam Duòng. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.533] ’It's about the baby.’ Like everywhere else in the world, the baby gets most of the attention, cradled on a basket in the market of Bac Hà. Being a Flower H’mong baby, he will grow up in a world of psychedelic colours, created in textile by his mother, aunts and sisters. Photo Mick Palarczyk
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.512] ’Market of Bac Hà.’ The Flower H’mong women of Lào Cai Provence, here seen on the Bac Hà market, are the most colourful of all branches of H’mong in Vietnam. Photo Mick Palarczyk
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.516] ’Market of Bac Hà.’ The Flower H’mong women of Lào Cai Provence, here seen on the Bac Hà market, are the most colourful of all branches of H’mong in Vietnam. Photo Mick Palarczyk
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.529] ’Market of Bac Hà.’ The Flower H’mong women of Lào Cai Provence, here seen on the Bac Hà market, are the most colourful of all branches of H’mong in Vietnam. Photo Mick Palarczyk

[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.400] ’Black Dao woman.’ The hair of this Black Dao woman in Tam Duòng is kept in place by a large silver frame and a thick black cord which is wrapped around the head. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.385] ’Group of Black Dao women.’ A group of Black Dao women on a pass road north of Bình Lu. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.394] ’Sewing Black Dao woman.’ As most mountain tribe women this Black Dao woman devotes every bit of free time to sewing. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.504] ’Psychedelic embrace.’ Teenage Flower H’mong girls in a friendly embrace on the market of Bac Hà, discussing the beauty of a necklace. They wear a psychedelic combination of colours. Photo Mick Palarczyk
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.502] ’Buying cloth.’ Flower H’mong women on the market of Bac Hà. Photo Mick Palarczyk
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.513] ’Market of Bac Hà.’ The Flower H’mong women of Lào Cai Provence, here seen on the Bac Hà market, are the most colourful of all branches of H’mong in Vietnam. Photo Mick Palarczyk
[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.524] ’Sewing Flower H’mong women.’ Waiting for customers, these Flower H’mong women on the market of Bac Hà spend their time embroidering. Photo Mick Palarczyk