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Around the world in 2000,
via Asia and Madagascar.

China (1 Guizhou)

Bec
2004-09-18 12:28:48

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in China for modern distribution networks and supermarkets have not yet taken over.

I like to stay in small hotels where people are easy to meet. In Kaili I met the hotel manager and her daughter who also worked there. When I told them that I had stopped in Kaili on my way to Yunnan because I was interested in minorities and wanted to visit the nearby Miao village of Langde, they proudly told me that they were of the Dong nationality. They looked very Chinese to me at first glance but they took time to point out the differences by calling in Han and Miao members of the hotel staff to show me what was obvious to them. (They don't really have red pupils, I just did not set my flash right!)

The various minorities I intended to visit are of course easier to recognise when dressed up in their traditional national costumes like these Miao ladies who were going back to their village after giving a song and dance show in a local auditorium. Even then, it is not always easy if you don't know their language for some of the costumes look alike and some nationalities have several sub-groups that dress differently.

Langde
To get here, I took a bus for about 20 kms south-east from Kaili and then set out on foot on a side road leading up to the village. I was lucky as usual and got a ride on a motorcycle for about 3 kms.

The village is built on a steep hillside to avoid wasting valuable farmland. Every remaining square meter that could be terraced was cultivated.

At first I felt uneasy coming to look at these people without an interpreter but their smiles and open manner quickly put me at ease. The granny on the left with her grand daughter hesitated a little when I asked (by sign language), if I could take her picture but she did stop and pose for me. Younger villagers were not shy at all and everyone seemed to welcome my visit.
The ground floor of these lovely Miao houses are used as storerooms. People live on the next floor that always has an open room-veranda with a great view.

Langde village was quite beautiful with its old houses and rocky staircases and the people were just wonderful. After following this gentleman with his load of rice up the stairs for a while, I coughed hard to make him turn around and he gave me this nice smile when I made signs of taking his picture.

The world is getting smaller all the time. Even this remote village had satellite TV! I would not be surprised to see them get a satellite internet connection in a couple of years.

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