 Sapa
is also famous for its love
market, which takes place on
saturday evenings. The love
market of Sapa used to be
the place to find a partner
to get married. With the
tourism, the real love
market does not take place
anymore. Currently you can
only see a representation of
the
love market. Do not miss
it anyway if you are staying
here a saturday night.Young
Red Dzao hill tribe used to
come to Sapa to sing songs
to the opposite sex. Girls
sang the songs hidden in the
dark, when a boy found them,
and if they matched
together, they disappeared
into the forest for three
days. Some of them got
married after that.
 While
Dao women are indeed highly
industrious, the men, it
seems, prefer to spend most
of their time drinking,
smoking opium or sleeping,
only occasionally slapping
the rump of a lethargic
bovine moving more slowly
than they are. Few of their
songs, though, are about
drinking, smoking opium,
sleeping or slapping rumps.
Currently you may spot some
young locals singing in the
dark, but they are not
looking for a partner, they
are looking for you. They
will sing a song, and ask
for a tip afterwards.
Every Saturday, the
picturesque mountain village
of Sa Pa comes alive with
shoppers who know what they
want: love. They travel from
near and far to size up the
goods of the day, hoping
something will tickle their
fancy.
 Tall
or short, sweet or sultry,
they are all on the
sapa market,
looking for love. Love
markets (cho tinh) take
place in the northern
mountain provinces of Lao
Cai, Ha Giang and Son La. A
rare opportunity to mix,
mingle and find a match,
they are often a
not-to-be-missed social
event. For many young
villagers, the love fests
are a vital marital
resource, given that many
live in villages where all
the inhabitants are blood
relatives.
Here’s how it goes: singles
strut their stuff through
the market, hoping they will
be lucky enough to be asked
out on a date. What follows
is not as simple as dinner
and a movie – amorous
couples must abide by the
ways and mores of their
ethnic nationality.
 Unlike
the steady flow of
sensuality at Sa Pa, some
loves must stand the test of
time. Khai Vau market in Ha
Giang province takes place
only once a year, on March
27 in the lunar calendar, a
date known as Phong Luu
(Prosperity Day), which
gives the market its name of
Cho Phong Luu (market of
Prosperity). According to
legend, the market’s
beginnings date back to the
unrequited love between a
young boy and girl. They met
in Meo Vac, but as they were
from different tribes, were
forbidden to be together.
In true Shakespearean
fashion, a bitter quarrel
erupted between the
families, and the couple was
forced to end the affair.
Unable to bear the thought
of never seeing each other
again, they decided to meet
on the same day every year
in Khau Vai. Today, the site
of the forbidden rendezvous
is home to the love market.
The market is not just for
marriage hopefuls. In this
rural area, it is also the
social event of the year,
where old friends meet up
and new ones are made. No
matter their age, everyone
looks forward to the chance
to chat over sticky rice,
grilled cassava or rice
dumplings. Although the
market does not officially
start until March 27, the
celebrations begin the
evening before. March 26 is
a night of song and dance,
the performances expressing
fervent wishes for eternal
love. Romantic melodies fill
the night air.
There is one day in the year
I dedicate to you
I have no gold or silver
Just my true love
Come with me if you believe
in me
 The
dancing and singing continue
into the early hours, often
persuading men and women
into each other’s arms. That
first magical night, some
are lucky enough to leave
the market with their new
partners and walk hand in
hand through the forest. But
others are simply nervous:
tomorrow is the big day,
after all. Many have waited
months for the chance to
find their soul mate. The
day of the Market of
Prosperity is alive with
different moods: happiness
at meeting old friends,
anxiety as others wait to
meet someone new.
Whether they find a partner
or not, the happy memories
of the day linger in the
minds of many of these
mountain people. And anyway,
there is always next year.
Because at this market, the
goods are always ripe.
Vietdiscovery(st) |
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