(VOVworld)- Cat Cat village is a must-see for visitors to Sapa because of its beautiful landscape and the unique cultural traditions of the Mong ethnic minority people.
Cat Cat village is 2 km from the center of Sapa town in Lao Cai province. The pathways in Cat Cat are narrow and winding. Passing through the village gate, visitors first stop at a souvenir shop near the gate. This is an ancient village of the Mong ethnic minority, so the local traditional crafts have a long history, an aspect that attracts a lot of tourists. Beautiful embroidered handkerchiefs, colorful dresses, and elaborate silver rings are made by skilled Mong artisans.
The brocade weaving craft in Cat Cat excites a lot of tourists. The image of a Mong woman patiently embroidering in front of her house, under a tree or beside the road symbolizes this traditional craft. 27-year-old Thao Thi Si who lives in Cat Cat village says: “We have to make clothes for ourselves and we can only make two sets of clothes a year. It takes us a long time to do this. I have been working this belt for 3 months. I’m very happy when tourists visit our village”.
Vang Thi Tung has been weaving brocades for more than 30 years. She says she doesn’t know why she likes this job, she just does. “I weave cloth to make clothes for my children. They can wear them to elsewhere. Weaving is difficult. If you know how, you can do it and if you don’t, you can’t. My parents taught me weaving and I learned it for a week before I could do it by myself. I don’t sell them, just make them for my family”, said Tung.
Vang Thi La, a 7th grader, learned embroidering few years ago. She tries to help her grandma around the loom. “When I return home from school, I look after my siblings. I embroider decorative items on the sleeves. I could embroider when I was 8”, said La.
In Cat Cat village, there’s a corner introducing the traditional handicrafts of the Mong. The items on display including traditional costumes and embroidery pictures show the skill of the mountain women. 4 looms symbolize the traditional weaving craft. Stone carving is another age-old craft of the village that earns considerable income for locals. Pao has been involved in stone carving for 3 years. “I like this job and I pursue it. It’s very difficult but it inspires me a lot”, said Pao.
Silver carving is another craft in Cat Cat. Though made by hand, the village’s silver and bronze products are quite sophisticated. Cat Cat, together the nearby villages Den and Narin has become a popular destination for domestic and foreign tourists.
Lan Phuong