Women of Bát Xát (Hà Nhì)
2020 8m 4K 1.85
Heritage Shorts #4
In the fourth of a new series of short films from Heritage Centre Sapa in association with Open Cinematic, we meet the Hà Nhì Đen of Bát Xát district. One of Vietnam's smaller minority groups, the Hà Nhì are known for their distinctive clothing and architecture. Here we document the process of making bánh dày, a traditional rice cake.
The origins of the Hà Nhì are not precisely known, although their ancestors are believed to have migrated southward from the Tibetan plateau. Today, they have a population of around 22,000 focused across Lào Cai and Lai Châu provinces. In Bát Xát, many Hà Nhì still live in thick walled mud houses with rice stalk thatched roofs.
Traditional clothing is made with dark blue cotton fabric dyed with indigo. Jackets are adorned with simple yet stylish features with small details embroidered into the neckline. More recently, machine made Chinese fabrics have become commonplace with women finishing pieces with fastenings and embroidery.
Rice is the most precious and valuable of all food found in Vietnam, yet it is also the most abundant. Hà Nhì women crush rice into a flour to make a sticky glutinous cake before wrapping it in pieces of banana leaves. The cakes are frequently eaten during celebrations and ceremonies.
In the days prior to festivals, the sound of rice being pounded can be heard at dawn. The first rice cake will be offered to the ancestors before everyone else has their share.
