Old people say that the area was once known as a “sleeping land” in the vast Northwest, a valley isolated by high mountains and dense primeval forests. But Muong Lum will no longer “sleep” as its name suggests. The land is being rediscovered through policies and initiatives which are turning the Muong Lum market into a distinctive cultural and tourism product.
Set beside vast rice fields and along a road decorated with colourful flags, the market features numerous stalls selling home-grown produce, livestock, and locally processed and prepared foods. Each stall is therefore more than just a shop; it is like a home kitchen or a small field, bringing a slice of everyday life to the market.
“I make all these products myself. I grow guavas, make sticky rice cakes, and mill the rice. I also grow peanuts, harvest, and dry them. I have bananas, which I sell them fresh or dried. I stay here until everything is sold, sometimes until early evening, sometimes later. In the morning, I pick vegetables. Some people go into the forest, others go down to the stream, while those who have things in their gardens pick them. Then, at 3 p.m., we all gather here to sell,” an old woman said.
The commune organises a special fair with the theme “Back to the land of cherished memories” at a larger scale and offering more products from many villages. These products carry stories about the land, the seasons and the hard work of highland residents.
A Dao man, Song A Lau, introduces his goods, “At a market like this, we sell many things and don't have anything left to take home. Every Dao household has corn, melons, beans, squash, eggplants, chayote, and many others. We're very happy to have a market like this because it helps us sell our products. Visitors can try them and then place orders with the growers. If customers ask, we can deliver goods by bus or through the post.”
Blending with the gentle chill of the early-morning highlands are the aromas of sticky rice, grilled fish, sticky rice cakes, and smoked meat. Daily dishes of the local communities can entice any visitor.
“I really like typical local goods and I bought many of them, including vegetables, roots and fruits for my family and as gifts for friends. Walking around the market, I want to stop at every stall to try the food and chat with the people,” said tourist Pham Quang Trung from Thanh Hoa province.
Muong Lum market also features the cultural spaces of local communities. Beside the historic Nong Luong banyan tree, where the first Party cell of the former Yen Chau district was established in 1948, some old men are quietly making bamboo baskets, rattan chairs and fishing tools, while elderly women are patiently weaving pieu scarves, and traditional blouses.
“When I was little, I watched my father make these things and learned from him — how to make baskets, how many bamboo strips were needed, and so on. If old people like us don't preserve these crafts and pass them on to our children and grandchildren, the future generations will be unable to keep the tradition. I'm also concerned that our children are busy studying and working and have little time for handicraft work. I'm getting older now. I really want to pass this craft on to my children, who will continue preserving the Thai tradition,” said 73-year-old Quang Van Quyet from Luong village.
From familiar things such as bundles of vegetables, chickens and pieces of fabric, to the lively atmosphere of competitions in making sticky rice cakes and playing spins, numerous stories of daily life, production and cultural identity are being told in the liveliest way at Muong Lum’s highland market.
“Our priority is promoting local advantages through these activities to help turn cultural identity and traditions into economic value. We will organize training courses to help residents realize their distinctive values and know how to generate income, said Cao Xuan Dung, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Chieng Hac commune.
Muong Lum market and the stories told by local people are helping transform a “forgotten land” into a “land of cherished memories”.
