The northern part of Vietnam was nothing like I had imaged how Vietnam was prior to this trip in 2012.  Over 20 minority groups live in the mountainous region of Ha Giang.  I was told that some of their ancestors escaped wars or from the Han, the majority ethnic group in China.  Traveling in the region felt more like being in the Yunnan province of China but without hearing people speaking in Mandarin.

The locals made use of every acre of land possible to grow rice, corn, tea, etc. Through this project, you will see the minority groups still live in a simple life and embrace the nature in their trade.  Women work in rice fields in their traditional clothing.  One may consider that inconvenient.  No doubt that it's tough life just like many farmers anywhere.  But, I can generally feel the happiness among them.  Perhaps, it's the rice wine that they make.  Perhaps, it's the lack of materialistic distractions. Perhaps ...

I was hoping that this project helps show how simple life could be, and how different minority groups live harmoniously.  Women of a group dye their teeth to black as their concept of beauty, which was totally fine by the others.  Although various minority groups can be found in a relatively small region, they can be identified by their cultural costumes.  The Sunday market is where I saw them come together.  Taking photographs there was like using a camera to do homework for a Economics 101 course.  I witnessed how trade are done at its simplest form, including bartering.  The scenes in Ha Giang contrasted to the hustle and bustle in Hanoi, a few hours of train ride away. Hanoi, however is more like Economic 201 in a communist country.  Busy food market, train track through a neighborhood, and the narrow houses leaning on each other in Hanoi were like kids in a candy store for me, as a photographer.