The Thai people living in Quynh Nhai District who moved from their homes to make room for the Son La Hydroelectric Reservoir, carried the names of their hamlets, their houses and even the remains of their ancestors to their new residence but could not bring along a humble type of grass. It
is Mieng trau grass, which
characterises the hometown of the Thai people in Quynh Nhai now deeply
underwater.
We
went with Dieu Chinh Hien, Deputy Head of the Department of Culture of Quynh
Nhai District on a boat ride from Pa Uon pier to enter the Son La Hydroelectric
Reservoir and visit the former location of Quynh Nhai District, which is now
underwater. Along the 30km voyage, Hien could tell us exactly the names of
places, hamlets, streams and mountains now underwater. Looking at the faraway
mountain, Hien said: “Tang Ke Range,
2020m above sea level, looked much smaller when the water level rose. Under
where we are sitting are the fields of my family.” When reaching a
milestone marking the former Quynh Nhai District’s centre, Hien seemed to find
something.
His
hands trembled when they touched a clump of green grass. He quickly took a
blade of grass into his mouth and cried out: “Luckily mieng trau grass still exists. It’s more than ten years since
I last tasted it.” It turned out that Hien wanted to find the type of grass
closely linked with his childhood in this journey.
The milestone marking the centre of former Quynh Nhai District is situated where there used to be the radio-television station of Quynh Nhai District. Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Mieng trau grass grows on the islet with the milestone marking the centre of former Quynh Nhai District. Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Green Mieng trau grass grows near the milestone. Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Dieu Chinh Hien collects Mieng trau grass, which is closely linked with his hometown. Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Mieng trau grass is cleansed with water from the Da River in Quynh Nhai. Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Mieng trau grass has pointed leaves, brown roots and only grows near the Da River which runs through Quynh Nhai District. Photo: Thong Thien/VNP
Mieng trau grass grows in the remains of the former Quynh Nhai District, which is now under the Son La Hydroelectric Reservoir. Photo: Thong Thien/VNP
The Thai people often use a knife to collect Mieng trau grass with roots. Photo: Thong Thien/VNP
When processed, white roots are removed and brown ones are kept. Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Mieng trau grass is a special vegetable of the Thai people in Quynh Nhai. Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Mieng trau grass served with salt and ginger is an intriguing dish. Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Old
Lo Na Ho in Muong Chien Commune acknowledged that no Thai person in Quynh Nhai
is ignorant of Mieng trau grass. In the past, when there were disasters that
made animals hide in Tang Ke Mountain, fish in Da River hide in underwater
clefts, and plants not grow, the Thai people in Quynh Nhai suffered from
famine. It was the grass growing along the Da River during flooding season that
saved them from starving several times.
Ho
also added that Mieng trau grass only grows between April and September, during
the rainy season, when floods in the upper Da River carry red alluvium to this
area. Ho served in the French resistance war and travelled to many basins of Ma
River (running through Son La and Thanh Hoa provinces), Nam Na River (Lai
Chau), Hong River (Lao Cai) but he never saw Mieng trau grass growing in these
areas.
After
the trip to Son La Hydroelectric Reservoir, we came to the new Quynh Nhai
District and were treated to a big meal of Mieng trau grass by Hien. Grass was
uprooted and cleansed before being mixed with salt and ginger. The dish
delivers a strange aroma and a rich taste together with the heat of ginger.
Though
the new Quynh Nhai District is just about 30km away from the former one, Mieng
trau grass does not exist on any bank of stream or river there. As he has made
his way to all villages and hamlets, Hien found nowhere the Mieng trau grass
grows but for the milestone marking the former Quynh Nhai District. Many Thai
people in Quynh Nhai District have managed to take boats to this area just to
get some Mieng trau grass and enjoy the taste of their homeland.
Story: Thong Thien
Photos: Viet Cuong – Thong Thien
By VNP