24h dans la jungle avec le peuple Cils… en 24 photos !

24 hours in the jungle with the Cils people… in 24 photos!

Lucie, co-founder of Opportunity for Women, tells us about her incredible trip to Vietnam, to meet the Cils people. With them, she ventured into the jungle to harvest wild honey…

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1. Arrival in Dung Kno village, Vietnam

This is where the weaving cooperative is located where our cushions from the collection are woven. Niamsa !

trendethics-house-duk-thuyen-dong 2. The house of Chu Duk, Thuyen and Dong

Here, we don't speak Vietnamese but a dialect: Cils. When we enter a house, we greet our host by saying "Niamsa"! "Chu" means "uncle" in Cils.

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3. Preparation for departure

Thuyen and I are getting ready to go and harvest wild honey. We are leaving in a small group, accompanied by a team of Caritas , the charity that is our local partner.

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4. The path is only accessible on foot

We go to the forest by motorbike, in order to go down on foot to reach the river.

trendethics-landscape 5. Jungle trees

The terrain is very steep and rugged! After the rain, the horizon disappears in a thick layer of mist…

 

 

trendethics-Chuchu-Duk-2 6. Setting up the bivouac

Chu Chu and Bang build a shelter by covering the bamboo poles with tarps.

7. An open-air fireplace

Chu Duk cuts wood with his blade to make fire.

8. Shellfish fishing

To regain our strength, we decide to prepare a good meal together! Some go fishing to bring back shrimp and shellfish…

9. Forest vegetables

…while others pick fresh vegetables in the heart of the forest!

10. The meal break

It's Ian, Chu Chu's daughter, who is cooking! She prepares us a nice little dish with the ingredients she has harvested, a culinary specialty of her country.

11. Shrimp broth

Shellfish and vegetables are simmering on the stove: it smells good! We're going to enjoy ourselves.

12. The Cils camp

After a well-deserved lunch, we leave the camp, in search of wild honey. The slope is still as steep as ever, so we have to rush forward, holding on to the trees to avoid slipping and avoiding the ant nests!
13. Black bees
Chu Chu spotted a black bee nest in a tree some time ago. He carved his name on the trunk as a marker.

14. On the wild honey road

A heavenly river crosses our path; the water level is low because it is the dry season. The Eyelashes know the forest well. When the vegetation is too dense, they whistle to find their way!

15. Honey harvesting

Once we reach the foot of the tree, we put up mosquito nets to protect ourselves from the bites. It is Thuyen who climbs to the top, at an altitude of almost twelve meters. His equipment consists of gloves, a thick layer of clothing and a bamboo hood. Before climbing, he prays! In the distance, the storm resounds…

16. The honeycomb

Thuyen collected two liters of honey, without using fire, since the ground was not flat and the nest too high. He left part of the nest to preserve the bees. The Cils repeat this tradition three months a year. They master the art of collecting honey without harming the precious insects. In addition, they draw inspiration from patterns encountered in nature to shape their weaves.

17. Return to camp

Custom dictates that the one who climbs carries nothing, while the others carry the equipment and the harvest. The hood is made by hand using the basketry technique. We hurry back because the rain begins to fall…

18. Campfire

In the evening, we make a campfire to warm ourselves up and cook a delicious meal. On the menu: cooked bee larvae, a chicken from Dong's house, herbs from the forest and rice grown by the Cils. As surprising as it may seem, the bee larvae are very good!

19. Return to Dung Kno

After a moment of thanks, we pack up. Thuyen, who is getting married soon, leaves everything in order behind him because, according to custom, this would ward off bad luck. We go back up the slope and the first aches and pains begin to be felt… Thuyen, who grows his rice at the bottom of the hill, is an excellent walker! But the day he was injured, family and neighbors took turns carrying him.

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20. Rice water

The jungle expedition ends with a tasting of rice water. It is a traditional drink prepared by boiling roasted rice in water, with the aim of cleansing the liver after eating forest plants. A delight!

21. Honey processing

At Dong, Chu Duk and Thuyen's, we find the whole family. The honey is transformed until it becomes creamy.


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22. In the kitchen

In the kitchen, I meet Thuyen's fiancée! I leave with some fresh and tasty honey.

23. Secrets of the forest

I have fond memories of this expedition and am grateful to the Cils people for introducing me, for a day, to the secrets of their forest. Thanks to them, I discovered the many plants that grow there and that can be used by humans to eat or to heal themselves.

However, outsiders come to help themselves or destroy the forest without any scruples…

So, in 20 years, the tigers have disappeared; in 40 years, the bears too, and for some years now, their fertile lands have been stolen or bought.

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24. Tribute to the Cils people

What struck me was that the Cils, themselves, are always careful to protect the forest and not collect more than they need. Living alongside them made me realize that the root peoples show us the way to solutions to the ecological challenges we face.

And here it is, time to close Lucie's travel diary. See you soon for new adventures in Southeast Asia!

If you want to continue this journey with us, you can donate on the platform HelloAsso to support the Cil people and help Opportunity for Women develop the local weaving cooperative.

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