Tribes

Mae Hong Son is a charming hill town nestled in a valley close to the border of Myanmar (Burma). Surrounded by mountains and misty forests, it is a great base for trips into the tribe villages. Some of these places are actually refugee camps for fleeing tribes from Eastern Myanmar, like the famous Padaung tribe known as "long necks" and another Karen tribe called "long ears". Some have called these camps "human zoos" and it is not hard to figure out why: entry fees, souvenir shops and swarms of tourists. But you can get your mind around the fact that the people are super friendly, easy going, and the tourist income actually gives them a better living than back in Myanmar. So if you choose to go, consider it more as an opportunity to get some insight on the Burma issue instead of pretending it is a visit to a happy-dappy tribe village.

East of present day Kande have the Tamberma people through centuries protected themselves by living in one family fortresses, so called Tata Houses. The small defense complexes are built with sticks and mud, and are decked out with watch towers which doubles as silos and sleeping chambers. The houses are built very functional with everything within the house, so they could withstand long sieges. Though the people don't have to fear slave traders today, some families still live in the fortresses. In 2004 the Tata Houses were enlisted as a UNESCO Heritage site - Togo's one and only. It's possible for a fee to visit the houses, also the inside and roof. It's a good idea to bring a guide, who can explain the many weird things, like the fetishes which usually decorate the entrance (can be hired at the gate near the Kande).

The people of Vanuatu are not shy to show you their way of life. A visit to a Kastom village will no-doubt involve some traditional dance, like the Namba dance on Tanna island. The chief will call the men together by banging the tam-tam, and soon after they will all appear buck-naked with only a bundle of leaves, a so-called Namba, covering their private parts. They will clap, sing, jump, and stamp their way through the tribal dances right on the dirt under the canopy of a giant banyan tree. It is an amazing performance to watch and has a refreshingly authentic feel to it, far from those tacky tourist shows you can see elsewhere in the South Pacific.

The mountains of northern Vietnam are populated with minorities. Every smallish township has their own market once a week and attracts different kinds of colourful tribe people that comes in for shopping, browsing, finding a wife, or just stocking up on this week's rice wine. Some of the best markets "near" Lao Cai Town is Bac Ha (Sunday) which is one of the biggest and most touristy, not saying that many come, Can Cau (Saturday) beautiful set on the mountain side, Coc Ly (Tuesday) small but interesting, Muong Hum (Sunday) located in a lush valley, and Muong Khuong (Sunday) a great trading fair with a real outpost felling, since it's very close to China. Keep in mind that it takes many hours from Lao Cai town on winding mountain roads to get to these far out markets, but it's sure worth it.

At first sight Kon Tum town could be any place in Vietnam. Narrow Vietnamese houses build in cement, motorbikes and schoolkids in uniforms, but then you pass an impressive wooden Cathelic church. As you keep going and reach the edge of town, the neighborughood morph into a traditional tribe village and if you keep going you will finally reach green fields that extend all the way to risen mountains in the horizon. The Central Highlands are home to several of Vietnam's 54-or-so ethnic tribes and rigth on Kon Tum's doorstep live two of them, Bahnar and Jarai. The Bahnar are the closes ones, living in the villages connected to Kon Tum town, while Jarai live further out. Both have impressive community houses, so-called rong, while the Jarai also intrigue with their unusual burial tombs. We are not the first who have noticed this, but Kon Tum people (both Kinh Vietnamese, Bahnar and Jarai) are among the friendliest in Vietnam and very chatty.