Chơ Ro Holds onto Its Old Soul - Part 1: Urban Life in the Village

Before the storm of urbanization, the traditional stilt houses and costumes of the Chơ Ro people (Vinh Thanh Hamlet, Ngai Giao Township, Chau Duc District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province) now only exist in memory.

From Ho Chi Minh City, after nearly three hours traveling on National Route 51, we arrived at Ngai Giao Township. Teacher Dao Quoc Trung (a history teacher at Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province Boarding School for Ethnic Students) came to greet us and took us to Vinh Thanh Hamlet, where many Chơ Ro people live. “We’re heading to a poor village; I hope you don’t mind,” said Mr. Trung.

Where Have the Traditional Stilt Houses and Chơ Ro Costumes Gone?

Vinh Thanh Hamlet is nestled next to the township. The rows of one-story houses are closely packed with high walls along the paved road. The children huddle together on the street, speaking in Vietnamese. It is hard to recognize this place as one where generations of a minority group have lived if not previously informed. Our eagerness to see traditional stilt houses and costumes in the midst of the urban plain quickly faded. We were disillusioned by the reality.

According to Chơ Ro tradition (Chau Ro, Jơ ro, Dơ ro, Chrau Jro...), many families of the same lineage used to live together in long stilt houses. However, there are no more traditional stilt houses here. The roads have been paved with concrete. The local authorities have provided housing and sanitation support through government programs 134, 135, and other ethnic development policies. Since Vinh Thanh was a strategic hamlet during the war, every road construction required numerous specialized forces to thoroughly check for unexploded ordnance.

Ms. Duong Thi Sang (40 years old, Head of Vinh Thanh Hamlet) said: “The essence of stilt houses was to avoid wild animals, but since I was born, everything has integrated into the lifestyle of the Kinh people. No one builds stilt houses anymore.”

Urbanization has changed the Chơ Ro people's lives. Previously, they used ox carts for transportation, but now they use motorbikes. “Most of the local people work in agriculture, with their fields quite far away, in Lo Lo Da Bac (Da Bac Commune, Chau Duc District). In the past, they only grew corn and beans, and later added pepper and coffee, combined with animal husbandry to increase income. But now, the younger generation in the village prefers working as factory workers,” Ms. Sang noted.

Teacher Dao Quoc Trung also worked as a factory worker and mason before he was 16. He explained that factory work offers a stable salary, around ten million VND per month. In contrast, farming, even in a good year, could yield only 10 - 20 million VND. “Educated people work in offices; those without education work in factories or go abroad for labor export. The time when ethnic people could live depending on nature is over,” Mr. Trung remarked.

The "Invasion" of Smartphones and Karaoke Machines

In the evening, with a full moon at the village's edge, Vinh Thanh is bathed in moonlight. From the end of the hamlet, the sound of singing mixed with loud music from karaoke machines can be heard.

Karaoke machines and loudspeakers are increasingly common, and people in the village have started renting out mobile karaoke equipment. The Chơ Ro people enjoy socializing with friends and have a particular passion for entertainment. However, traditional rice wine is now replaced by beer, and old Chơ Ro folk songs are replaced by popular modern music.

Smartphones have also changed the lives of the Chơ Ro people. Children mostly stare at their phones, and adults, when they come home from work, only turn on the TV instead of continuing the traditional "traditional storytelling" (chih prau). Due to entertainment needs, integration, and particularly the development of installment services, every household tries to buy modern conveniences, install wifi, and subscribe to 4G...

“Evenings spent around the fire telling the story of K Lêu seeking water sources for the village’s descendants have now become… a dream for those who wish to preserve Chơ Ro culture. The younger generation gradually abandons moonlit games, lacks knowledge of which wild vegetables to cook traditional dishes (like canh boi), and the widespread access to good and bad information on the internet has led many ethnic youth to drop out of school and fall into social vices,” Mr. Trung shared.

Mr. Trung’s family prepares meals with dishes like braised fish, boiled pork, and stir-fried vegetables, just like other families in the lowlands. He says that traditional Chơ Ro dishes are rarely cooked now because they require a lot of preparation time and increasingly scarce ingredients. Dishes like lam rice, canh boi, and rice wine only appear during festivals or special occasions.

According to Mr. Trung, there are no Chơ Ro villages in Southeast Vietnam that still have stilt houses or wear traditional costumes. He said: “Traditions may now only exist in some traditional beliefs. For example, in Chơ Ro families, when a wife gives birth, the husband must handle all affairs; if the wife is cared for by her parents, it is considered a grave fault.” (to be continued)

The Origins of the Chơ Ro People

In the past, every evening, the Chơ Ro people would recount folklore (traditional storytelling) to their children and grandchildren. They used nature imagery to teach their children honesty and good behavior. The most told story was about K Lêu and the two Chơ Ro lines. K Lêu is considered the one who brought water to the people. He went hunting in the forest with his dog. When he reached a certain point, the dog barked loudly and wouldn’t leave. K Lêu then stuck his arrow in the ground, and suddenly, water gushed up. Wherever he went, the water followed. When he reached Xuan Son, the water split into seven streams and merged again as he continued. This is the Xuan Son Falls (Ray River Falls). When he reached the sea, a crocodile helped him ashore. This is the origin of the Chơ Ro people along the Ray River. The other direction is the Chơ Ro people along the Xoai River (Sao Xoai), from Long Thanh (Dong Nai) to Phu My Town (Ba Ria-Vung Tau).

Life is No Longer So Different

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung, a religious and ethnic affairs officer (Ngai Giao Town People's Committee), said there are nearly 1,340 Chơ Ro people in the area. With various policies supporting economic, cultural, and social development, the material life of the people is gradually improving. Unfortunately, alongside development comes the loss of unique cultural identities, such as architecture (tangible) and language (intangible).

“Currently, the lifestyle of the Chơ Ro people in the town is not significantly different from that of the Kinh people. If there is a difference, it is only in the presence of artisans or large annual events and festivals at the Bau Chinh Cultural House (Bau Chinh Commune) nearby,” Ms. Dung said.

*Pham Thu Ngan/ Thanh Nien Newspaper*

This article was published in the printed edition on 13/08/2020. Read the full article here.