Cat Cat Village - Sapa Vietnam

Visitors to Cat Cat have an opportunity to admire a lively and colorful picture. That is the image of young women sitting by looms with colorful pieces of brocade decorated with designs of flowers and birds. When these pieces of brocade are finished, they are dyed and embroidered with beautiful designs. 

Cat Cat Village is about 1 km from Sapa town. It's located at the bottom of the Muong Hoa Valley and near the stunning Cat Cat Waterfall. This is an age-old village of H'Mong ethnic group remaining unique customs and practices that are lots in other villages.



To visit village, you walk through Sapa Market down the valley. Once you walk out of the crowd, you'll be stunned by the nature's beauty with high mountains of over 3000 m and the green rice terraces dropping nearly 1000 below. The sun shines across and there are H'Mong houses scattered in the valley

Visitors to Cat Cat have an opportunity to admire a lively and colorful picture. That is the image of young women sitting by looms with colorful pieces of brocade decorated with designs of flowers and birds. When these pieces of brocade are finished, they are dyed and embroidered with beautiful designs. A noteworthy is that H'Mong women use plants and leaves to dye these brocade fabrics. And then they roll a round and smooth section of wood covered with wax on fabrics to polish them, making their colors durable.

In addition to the brocade weaving craft, many residents in Cat Cat are good at manipulating gold and silver jewelry. Their products are fairly sophisticated, especially jewelry for women.


Tourists to Cat Cat are most attracted by its unique customs, including the custom of "pulling wife". A man can ask his friends to lure a girl he likes to his house and keeps her there in three days. During these days, if the girl agrees to become his wife, a wedding will be held. However, the girl can happily go home after three days if she does not like him.

Traditional houses of H'Mong people in Cat Cat have three rooms with three doors and covered with po mu wood roof. In the house there are three columns that stand in round or square stones. The walls are made from sawn timber. The main door is always closed and only opens when people in the house organize important events. Altar, inlaid floor containing food, places for sleeping, kitchen and receiving guests are indispensable parts of the houses.

Visitors to Cat Cat Village can discover countless unique features of H'Mong people.

Sapa and Feelings

 

When I was at school, Sapa Town appears with the “cloud color waterfall, humid forest, and fire-like banana flowers”. That was like a mighty and lively picture of Sapa which makes me eager to catch. I was dreaming to be on Sapa one day to witness the magical of this land. And I was here, today!

I came to Sapa town in a winter day. On a unstable car, we crossed the streets and slope, and I was so delighted to be in a magical land. The Sun is like honey to cover the forest and flows into the valleys across the other side of the mountains. I was never been close to cloud like that. They come through the streets bringing the humid and cool into the car, which makes me very excited.

Here comes Sapa, mould-green peach flowers are opening slightly, here and there was the orchards, and roses to invite people to come. No expression can cover the beauty of Sapa, the beauty given by nature.
In the evening, I was rolling down the street. I was burst into laugh when I saw the ethnic women in colorful dressed inviting guests and even the foreigners to buy their products. Beside the stair, a boy is playing leaf pan-pipe passionately. There is something sad in his eyes, maybe his girlfriend is missing the date. The moon is sparkling, the streets are fanciful and drifting.

My friend invites me to the ancient rock land; see Cloud Bridge and Ta Van village. Who could refuse such an amazing night with the moon light like that. The moon was brighter when being out of the town, spreading the forest was the light of graceful moonlight. In the middle of old forest, there is only sound of waterfall, and the sparkling light of moon. How peaceful it was!

At midnight, the streets are quiet. The lights are blurred by the fog and it was so dry cold. Putting a hot roasted sweet potato between two palms, I wish to have someone beside to share this very moment.
Bringing the cold of Sapa inside the bed room, I was scold by my nany to go out so long, which made me felt so small and warm. Being deeply in the sleep, but there is somewhere in my mind feeling illuminated by a graceful light.

Good bye Sapa with the beautiful moments like fairy tales, I hope to be able to catch those again in the near future.