Sa Pa, a mountainous area in Northern Vietnam, is home to some of the officially recognized 54 ethnic minority tribes in Vietnam. It is the center of tribal culture: the H’mong, Red Dao, Tay tribe, Giay, Muong, Thai, Hoa, and the Xa Pho tribes call it their home. The Hmong ethnic minority form the majority of the Sa Pa population. They originally came from China 300 years ago. Since their literacy was and is still low, there is not a much-written history about the Hmong people. Their traditions and stories are passed down through rituals, customs, and legends.

There are several Hmong subgroups. The best known Hmong tribes are the Black Hmong tribe, the White Hmong tribe, the Green Hmong tribe, and the Flower Hmong tribe. They are best identified by the way they dress. The Black Hmong tribe is the dominant one in Sa Pa. Hmong traditional clothing is made mainly of locally cultivated hemp and dyed in deep blue color, which is retrieved from the Indigo plant. The Hmong women wrap their long hair that they never cut in self-made traditional pieces of jewelry and/or wear turbans.

Many women and their families offer homestays for travelers. These are mainly run by the mother, who is called affectionately Mama by her visitors. Despite being a whole tourism industry by now, Sa Pa homestays are still able to offer an authentic glimpse into life in the mountains. You see where the locals live, how they cook, and what they eat. You also witness the struggles of their daily life, how they try to make an income, educate their kids and give them a better future.

I stayed at Mama Sa’s house. She belongs to the Hmong tribe. I remember that she corrected me at one point and said that she is not Vietnamese, not in a hostile but in a reassuring way. Her homestay hosts from 5 to 15 people on average. Mama Sa speaks perfectly English, a little bit of French, and keen to learn more languages. She cannot read or write and impressively masters new languages by simply listening and talking to foreigners.

Mama Sa’s house is located in a valley, 45 minutes from Sa Pa city center. She manages and organizes your whole stay, from pickup at the bus station and transport to her homestay to preparing your room, meals, and guided trekking tours. Living up to her reputation as a Mama, she greeted me with the biggest smile, hugged and welcomed me, and immediately inquired if I needed anything. For dinner, Mama Sa and her family put loads and loads of local dishes on the table. Her cooking skills were on point and the food was nothing short of delicious: spring rolls, dried pork, beef, bean and local herb salads, pickled ginger, rice, and as an alternative even french fries. As a drink, I tried the home-brewed rice wine, adorably called ‘happy water’. 

Women nourish their families by earning good money through trekking tours and/or selling handmade bracelets, rugs, bags, etc. Dressed in their traditional outfits, they know they are the main attraction here.

You don’t see much of their husbands and yet you do hear of their reputation. Coming first hand from the women themselves, stories of physical abuse, alcohol addiction, and adultery are unfortunately regular happenings in the North. Mama Sa’s son told me that, traditionally, every year the Hmong community organizes ‘the Love Market‘, where young Hmong boys kidnap girls, with a little help from their friends. The kidnapping is legitimized through tradition. The girl will then remain at the boy’s home for three days. After this period she will be asked if she would like to marry the young man. Sometimes the young man’s family, especially the mother, denies her blessing upon the marriage if she is not happy with her son’s choice after the “trial run”. Once married, the Hmong woman belongs to her husband’s family line.

The homestay and trekking industry gives women in Sa Pa independence. Especially in the last couple of years, the tribeswomen feel more and more empowered. They learn new languages, expand their businesses, earn money to educate their children properly. The women are strong, have impeccable organizing and management skills, and are eager to learn. They want to improve their life and the tourism industry offers hope.