San Chi women

The San Chi living in different provinces build their houses differently. Those in Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, and Lang Son live in stilt houses, while those in Quang Ninh build houses with earthen walls or walls of unfired clay bricks. As their economy has improved, many San Chi families have built brick houses with 2 or more floors.

The San Chi grow rice and fruit trees and raise animals as their main income source. During lulls, they make wood furniture, weave bamboo products, and forge farm tools for their family and the local community. Dang Thi Trinh lives in Mong Cai, Quang Ninh province.

“The San Chi raise pigs and grow cinnamon, acacia, pine, cassava, maize, and peanuts. We earn a living from farming and breeding and sell spare handmade products. We only sell locally and don’t open businesses.”

The San Chi women make clothes for all family members. Their clothes are plain and not as splendid as the clothes of the Mong and Dao. Their everyday clothes are trousers and shirts like the Tay or the Kinh. At special occasions and festivals, they wear traditional indigo skirts. The women have many colored belts to choose from for different events. The men wear indigo shirts and loose-fitting pants which are comfortable for climbing mountains. Trinh again:

“San Chi women wear skirts and roll their hair. Our everyday clothes are pants and shirts. At wedding ceremony or festivals, we wear our traditional costumes.”

The San Chi love singing and they have many folk songs about their customs, lifestyle, and work. They sing at wedding ceremonies, celebrations of longevity or flirting, and all other celebrations. Lam Minh lives in Mong Cai, Quang Ninh province:

“Our ancestors created many folk songs. My parents could sing many songs. Sometime, villagers gather to sing through the night. When my brothers visit us, we sing all night.”

Singing is a tradition of the San Chi which brings them closer to each other.