Location: Sapa, Vietnam (22° 21′ 0″ N, 103° 52′ 0″ E)
Date: 2 June 2005; 3.45 pm
Camera: Canon 300D with kit lens
There are many ethnic minorities living around Sapa- Hmongs, Dao, Zhao and so on. They make various ethnic handicrafts such as clothing, embroidery and silver trinkets to be sold in town to tourists. Most of these items are peddled by either ladies or children. The minority children begin making a living when they are around five years old. They could walk for 3 hours or more from their village to town every day to sell their stuff. They have to do the same or if lucky, catch a ride back to the village at the end of the day. Some of the girls get married at a young age, from ten years old and have a couple of kids by the time they are twenty. This is especially so for the better-looking ones. So the next time you are at Sapa or any of the places with many minorities selling their wares, do spare a thought for them and not get easily irritated by their repeated attempts of sale.
There are many ethnic minorities living around Sapa- Hmongs, Dao, Zhao and so on. They make various ethnic handicrafts such as clothing, embroidery and silver trinkets to be sold in town to tourists. Most of these items are peddled by either ladies or children. The minority children begin making a living when they are around five years old. They could walk for 3 hours or more from their village to town every day to sell their stuff. They have to do the same or if lucky, catch a ride back to the village at the end of the day. Some of the girls get married at a young age, from ten years old and have a couple of kids by the time they are twenty. This is especially so for the better-looking ones. So the next time you are at Sapa or any of the places with many minorities selling their wares, do spare a thought for them and not get easily irritated by their repeated attempts of sale.
