Stories about the daily lives and unique cultures of seven ethnic groupsare being recorded through thousands of images as part of thePhotoVoice project.
PhotoVoice was created to helpfarmers and ethnic people around Viet Nam using digital storytellingmethods to represent themselves and help others see the world throughtheir eyes, according to programme manager Luong Minh Ngoc.
"Most of the information about Vietnamese ethnic groups, includingresearch and photos, has been compiled by researchers," said Ngoc.
"It might be a good idea to let them speak about themselves, in theirown words and from their own perspectives, because they will be muchmore objective than those made by outsiders."
The projecthas been conducted by the Institute for Studies of Society Economy andEnvironment (ISEE) with financial support from CARE and Oxfam in thenorthern mountain provinces of Lao Cai and Yen Bai, in the centralprovince of Quang Tri, and in the southern province of Soc Trang. Peoplefrom five different ethnic groups – the Mong, Dao, Pa Ko, Van Kieu andKho Me – have joined enthusiastically in the programme.
Before the project began, ISEE held classes on the value of ethnicculture and cultural diversity, helping increase the group's pride intheir culture as well as their awareness of cultural preservation.
The greatest challenge for PhotoVoice has been the young people who have joined the programme, Ngoc said.
"An increasing number of young ethnic people have poor knowledge oftheir own culture due to many reasons. Our task is to let themunderstand the unique value of their culture and to make them proud ofit."
Photojournalist Hoai Linh has also taught the ethnicpeople about photography. Before going out to shoot images, members ofeach group have discussed topics for their photos. Every photo must alsoinclude a brief story about the image.
Many photos takenby the Dao and Mong people in Ta Phin Commune in Sa Pa district in LaoCai focus on brocade embroidery – complex work that every woman isrequired to learn from a very young age.
The Pa Ko grouptook photos about their traditional customs, including the thoi la – amethod to cure some injuries by using wild herbal leaves applied to theinjury then blown – and di sim – a custom that allows teenagers to sleeptogether before marriage, where they can offer each other romantic lovesongs and learn more about each other before making a final decision toget married. If the two fall in love, the boy will present the girl asilver bracelet or necklace symbolising his love.
Farming and traditional cultural activities were among the topics for the photos taken by the Kho Me group in Soc Trang.
The project will conclude with an exhibition that is expected to takeplace in a place where "many people will have a chance to learn moreabout the ethnic people and their culture through the images," Ngocsaid.
It is expected that the exhibition will be opened on the Cultural Day for Vietnamese Ethnic Groups on April 19. /.
PhotoVoice was created to helpfarmers and ethnic people around Viet Nam using digital storytellingmethods to represent themselves and help others see the world throughtheir eyes, according to programme manager Luong Minh Ngoc.
"Most of the information about Vietnamese ethnic groups, includingresearch and photos, has been compiled by researchers," said Ngoc.
"It might be a good idea to let them speak about themselves, in theirown words and from their own perspectives, because they will be muchmore objective than those made by outsiders."
The projecthas been conducted by the Institute for Studies of Society Economy andEnvironment (ISEE) with financial support from CARE and Oxfam in thenorthern mountain provinces of Lao Cai and Yen Bai, in the centralprovince of Quang Tri, and in the southern province of Soc Trang. Peoplefrom five different ethnic groups – the Mong, Dao, Pa Ko, Van Kieu andKho Me – have joined enthusiastically in the programme.
Before the project began, ISEE held classes on the value of ethnicculture and cultural diversity, helping increase the group's pride intheir culture as well as their awareness of cultural preservation.
The greatest challenge for PhotoVoice has been the young people who have joined the programme, Ngoc said.
"An increasing number of young ethnic people have poor knowledge oftheir own culture due to many reasons. Our task is to let themunderstand the unique value of their culture and to make them proud ofit."
Photojournalist Hoai Linh has also taught the ethnicpeople about photography. Before going out to shoot images, members ofeach group have discussed topics for their photos. Every photo must alsoinclude a brief story about the image.
Many photos takenby the Dao and Mong people in Ta Phin Commune in Sa Pa district in LaoCai focus on brocade embroidery – complex work that every woman isrequired to learn from a very young age.
The Pa Ko grouptook photos about their traditional customs, including the thoi la – amethod to cure some injuries by using wild herbal leaves applied to theinjury then blown – and di sim – a custom that allows teenagers to sleeptogether before marriage, where they can offer each other romantic lovesongs and learn more about each other before making a final decision toget married. If the two fall in love, the boy will present the girl asilver bracelet or necklace symbolising his love.
Farming and traditional cultural activities were among the topics for the photos taken by the Kho Me group in Soc Trang.
The project will conclude with an exhibition that is expected to takeplace in a place where "many people will have a chance to learn moreabout the ethnic people and their culture through the images," Ngocsaid.
It is expected that the exhibition will be opened on the Cultural Day for Vietnamese Ethnic Groups on April 19. /.
