|
Love
Market
Welcome
to Love Market in Sapa Vietnam
 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 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.
Love
market photos:
Other Sapa
Market:
|
