In Đà Bắc, Hòa Bình, tourism has been developing through community-based models, supported by NGOs and local initiatives. With its lake, forests, and rich cultural life, the area has become a destination for visitors seeking “nature” and “authentic” experiences.
For many Dao and Mường communities, this has meant new opportunities to welcome visitors into their villages and generate income from tourism. At the same time, these changes are accompanied by more complex shifts: touching on everyday practices, cultural traditions, and relationships with the surrounding environment.
Over the past two weeks, we returned to Hòa Bình, a place we have visited many times throughout this project, to reconnect and consult with the community. These visits are an important part of our process, ensuring that the work continues to be shaped together, not taken away.
We’ve been working alongside participants from Dao and Mường communities as collaborators and storytellers. With cameras in hand, over the past 2 years, participants captured moments that feel important to them, pieces of everyday life, memories, skills, landscapes, and the changes they are experiencing over time. They then chose the photos and stories they love most, deciding for themselves what is worth showing, and how it should be seen.
Some stories speak of pride and continuity. Others hold tension, uncertainty, or quiet shifts. Together, they form a mosaic of perspectives that no single voice could fully represent.
We’re beginning to gather these stories into a collaborative exhibition, shaped together with the participants. It’s not just about what is shown, but about who gets to decide what is seen, and how their stories are told.
Follow our work and stay updated to be the first to learn more about the upcoming exhibition, where these stories will be shared more widely.
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Photo Credit: Âu Anh Vũ
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Vietnam Outdoor Tourism Research Project
A 2-year international collaborative action research project funded by The British Academy including researchers from Vietnam (VinUniversity, Vietnam National University), the UK (University of Cumbria) and local collaborators of the Hmong, Mường, Giáy, Dao and Tày community in Vietnam.
💌Email: vietnamoutdoorresearch@gmail.com
🌐Website: https://vnort.com/
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