The skeletons of new hotels under construction sit upon a ridge line, overlooking traditional villages, rice terraces, and farmland in the Lao Cai Valley, Sapa.

Vietnam’s ethnic minorities have endured colonialism, war, and displacement. Now they face a quieter erasure, as cities expand and traditions fade.

Since August 2025, I’ve been documenting Hmong, Dao, and other Indigenous communities across northern Vietnam, where daily life balances between the old and the inevitable. These images tell of resilience and loss and of cultures adapting to survive on their own terms.

Sitting in the soft light near a doorway, Mimi sits for her portrait. Lao Cai Valley, Sapa.

Mimi, a Hmong woman, kneels to speak to her young grandson. Lao Cai Valley, Sapa.

A damn slows the flow of the Muong Hoa River, Lao Cai, Sapa.

A Hmong Man holds his granddaughter on his lap, in the soft light from an open door. Lao Cai, Sapa.

Mimi, a Black Hmong woman, stirs a barrel filled with fermenting Indigo. A product used to create their traditional colours.

Local Hmong women engage in commerce, selling new indigo fabrics in preparation for New Year. Lao Cai Valley, Sapa.

The Geography of Pressure

The dramatic expansion of tourism and urbanisation across Northern Vietnam necessitates radical geographical re-engineering. This infrastructure investment, including major access roads, dams, and land conversion, generates severe land-use conflict, placing acute pressure on the environmental integrity of the valleys and reducing the arable land available to traditional farming communities.

A Hmong Woman hangs freshly dyed indigo fabrics out to dry on bamboo racks.

A Hmong woman creates patterns on her Patik. This design will be used to make traditional clothing, mats or bags. Lao Cai Valley, Sapa.

Mist hangs low, covering the mountains peaks. Traditional villages are nestled amongst the ancient rice terraces. Lao Cai Valley, Sapa.

A smile breaks across a locals woman’s face when complimented on her craft work. Lao Cai, Sapa

A Hmong Woman splits and twists raw material into twine, which will be dyed and woven into fabrics. Lao Cai Valley, Sapa.

Mimi prepares vegetables for her family meal, in the light of her open front door. Lao Cai, Sapa.

A hmong man and women speak to their granddaughter after sharing a meal. Lao Cai, Sapa.

“These hotels are good
and bad. Good for young
people who need work quickly;
bad for culture and nature.”

Harvested rice terraces trace the valley, in the distance, hotels and an ever-expanding Sapa are hugged by clouds. Lao Cai, Sapa.

A woman washes fabrics in a small basin; behind her, fields are being harvested and burned. The buildings are slowly expanding onto traditional farmlands.

Tourists’ motorbikes choke the winding bends of Tham La Pass, Ha Giang.

Local workers and their children operate heavy machinery to flatten roads. Ha Giang.

A Hmong man, dressed in tradtional indigo colour, sits in the door way of his shop, where he sells dried tabacco leaves. Men Vac.

Locals harvest rice, juxtaposed against an encroaching town settlement. Dong Van.

Locals lay out large tarps to dry corn. Dong Van.

Soft viel of mist creeps onto a remote village at dawn. Ma Pi Leng Pass

The Persistence of Craft

Against the backdrop of external economic pressure, the core traditions of textile and dye remain the central pillar of cultural preservation and economic stability. These meticulous processes, from indigo fermentation and hand-spinning to the application of intricate batik patterns, serve as the primary means of income generation and the most visible marker of identity.

Three young girls carry heavy loads of harvested rice along a winding mountain pass. Du Gia.

Locals burn residue from crop harvests at sunset, filling the encroaching town of Dong Van with smoke. Dong Van.

A Hmong woman, dressed in traditional clothes, parades her cow at a livestock market. Meo Vac.

A group of Local Hmong men look toward other merchants and their cattle. Meo Vac.

A Hmong man displays emotion while bartering over cattle prices. Meo Vac.

Nam Ban sits at the feet of large karst mountains, Ha Giang.

The Interface of Adaptation

The community’s ability to sustain its culture relies on continuous adaptation. Family life centers the passing of generational knowledge, while economic survival demands an engagement with the outside world. Traditional commerce, particularly the critical local markets, acts as the primary interface where ancestral customs negotiate the new realities of regional trade and external tourism.

Cultural Pane: Erosion and Commercialisation of Culture
Ongoing Photography Project by Michael Parfitt
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