According to the researchers, the Red Dao has a close relationship with the Hmong. Previously these two groups are believed to have the same origin but each group has a distinctive character. Now, if you ride Vietnam Motorbike Tours to Sapa, you can easily recognize the difference in appearance, costume, way of living of these 2 ethnic groups but they still live in a community.
If H’Mong people choose high mountains to settle down, Red Dao people choose valley or mountain slope to grow maize, rice and cardamom. Traders come to Red Dao houses to buy agricultural products and then sell them for Chinese so the life of the Red Dao people improved quickly. Many families can afford to buy motorbikes, televisions, and even cars and tractors used in agriculture.
Riding Vietnam Motorbike Tours up North, you will see that The Dao ethnic minority is divided into many different groups in which the Red Dao accounts for the major. The Red Dao often wear red hats, indigo long blouse over trousers with many red and white decorations at the collar, lap. The costume of the Red Dao is considered as the most beautiful costume in any Sapa market. Red Dao women also have a custom of shaving eyebrows and the upper part of the forehead to make them more beautiful. Red Dao people also have their own script based on ancient Chinese language word called “Nom” but only the elderly people can read, understand and write.
Dao people have a belief that dogs are their ancestors so they always respect dogs. In addition, they also have many special traditions such as if any family cook wine, this family has to put a leaf in front of house, to prevent strangers from coming into the house because they think that if a stranger come in, the wine will be burnt. And in a family, if a woman gives birth, they also put a leaf in front of house, to prevent strangers because they are afraid that the new born child will cry a lot. Boys and girls should not take picture together before marriage.
Red Dao people organize many special festivals on the first month of lunar year such as Fire dancing festival on the first and second day of the first month of lunar year, singing contest in Ta Phin, a small village of the Red Dao and H’Mong people, 12km from Sapa town. This village is famous for unique style of brocades made by skillful hand of H’mong and Red Dao women.
Joining Vietnam Motorcyle Tours to Sapa, you can try traditional medicinal herb bath at a Dao village that can help you relax and recover quickly after long days on Vietnam motorcycle travel.
