Powerful images of Northwestern mountainous area women

Women in northern mountainous areas play an important role in family and the community.

They become heads of the family when their husbands drink to the point of intoxication or simply pass out. They consistently contribute to maintain the traditional beauty of their group’s tangible and intangible culture. They know how to weave colourful brocade to make costumes, scarves and know by heart traditional lyrics and dances that their group performs in festivals.
When they were born, they are carried by their mothers on their back to till the fields and go to market. When they are old enough to walk, they learn how to “papoose” everything on their back as their grandmother and mother.

Following are some snapshots of the women’s life in the Northwestern mountainous area:

The way back home on Dong Van Stone Plateau, Ha Giang province

H’mong girls in Ha Giang province

Carrying her child while raking rice in the autumn sunlight

The wife continues to work unaffected by the drunken husband  who has passed out

Taking the children to school.

In the plum garden of Tam Hoa in Mai Chau district, Hoa Binh province

Weaving brocade cloth in Dien Bien province

A woman drying rice

Making up for festival day

A young mother in Sa Pa, Lao Cai province

A shining smile