When mentioning Nui Do in Tan Thuy Quarter, Xuan Lap Ward, many young people passionate about exploration are often excited by Bat Cave, while paying little attention to the farming life of the Hoa ethnic community living along the ancient volcanic mountain.

Officials of Tan Thuy Quarter, Xuan Lap Ward, discuss with farmer Sy Lam (far right) about crop conversion suitable for the rocky land around Nui Do.

It is precisely for this reason that the story of crops taking root in the dark volcanic soil, closely associated with the settlement process of the local Hoa community, adds further depth to the picture of life in this area.

As Honest and Resilient as Mountain Rock

We temporarily set aside the mysterious and pristine beauty of Nui Do, also commonly known as Bat Cave Mountain, as we were drawn to the cement concrete road encircling the mountain, lined with spacious houses decorated with lanterns, red calligraphy papers, and durian trees heavy with fruit. This impression became even stronger when officials of Tan Thuy Quarter agreed to guide us in exploring the life of the Hoa ethnic community living around this ancient volcanic mountain.

Tan Thuy Quarter has four residential groups, with 269 households and around 420 hectares of production land. Among them, the Hoa ethnic community accounts for the majority of the population, with 225 households. Mr. Chi Vinh Song, Secretary of the Party Cell and Head of the Fatherland Front Work Committee of Tan Thuy Quarter, said that the production land around Nui Do belongs to Residential Groups 1 and 2, and part of Residential Group 3. In the past, this area mainly grew vegetables, bananas, and tobacco. Today, the Hoa ethnic community together with Kinh households have converted the land to durian cultivation. Traditional crops such as rambutan, mangosteen, pomelo, coffee, pepper, and banana are no longer as common as before.

It is valuable that young people come to Nui Do in Tan Thuy Quarter to explore Bat Cave and introduce experiential tourism destinations. Meanwhile, those who come here to learn about farming life, land reclamation, and the settlement process of the Hoa community will gain deeper insight into the land and people of this area.

Mr. Chi Vinh Son, Secretary of the Party Cell and Head of the Fatherland Front Work Committee of Tan Thuy Quarter, Xuan Lap Ward.

Mr. Su Tac Phi, a reputable community figure and Head of the Farmers’ Association Branch of Tan Thuy Quarter, shared that from 1960 to 1962, the Hoa ethnic community began settling in this area to reclaim land around Nui Do, growing vegetables, bananas, and tobacco. At that time, although farming tools were still rudimentary, such as machetes, hoes, sickles, and hand saws, the Hoa community transformed rocky land covered with wild vegetation into green fields of corn, beans, tobacco, and bananas. They also applied traditional experience to drive away birds and animals from the mountain and surrounding forests that came down to damage crops.

As the economy was still largely self-sufficient and roads to the outside were mainly footpaths, life was full of difficulties. However, the Hoa households that arrived earlier never complained about hardship. Instead, they were always willing to help later arrivals build houses, lend chickens or pigs, or provide food when needed. Therefore, although they carried family names such as Su, Sy, Chi, Ho, Vong and others, the Hoa people around Nui Do still regarded one another as members of one family. In the fields, everyone worked diligently until late evening before returning home.

“In the process of clearing land, households with more strong workers could pry rocks and pile them into fences or large heaps in the fields, thereby gaining more production land. Those who wanted to open fields toward Nui Do and needed access paths were always allowed by the households below to pass through. Because the Hoa community always looks toward building an increasingly prosperous, close-knit, and united community, they have always known how to support and help one another in life,” Mr. Su Tac Phi shared.

Turning Rock into Blossoms

The land around Nui Do has a distinctive dark black color, mixed with a slight brick-red shade from the ancient volcano. This type of soil helps crops take firm root, withstand storms and erosion, and adapt well to crop conversion.

Mr. Ho Xam Hoi, Head of Tan Thuy Quarter, said that in agricultural production, the Hoa ethnic community often observes the effectiveness of each crop to jointly green the land at the foot of Nui Do. In the early years of land reclamation, at the beginning of the rainy season in April and May, the whole area was covered in green corn, various beans, and bananas. During the dry season in November and December, it turned bright yellow with tobacco. From 1990 to 2009, the area around Nui Do was covered with coffee, pepper, and fruit trees. Since 2010, durian trees have gradually filled the rocky fields here.

According to Mr. Ho Xam Hoi, the Hoa community has a habit of learning from one another in farming. When they see a crop generating high economic efficiency, they plant it together and accept the risks together. As a result, when crops yield well and prices are favorable, the entire community becomes more prosperous. When a crop loses value or no longer suits market demand, everyone shifts together to a new crop. This community spirit has been deeply rooted across many generations of Hoa people in Tan Thuy Quarter. They are not greedy, but they also do not want their own fields to fall behind their neighbors’, making it easy for production movements to take shape.

Farmers in the rocky land of Tan Thuy Quarter had long hoped to develop durian on a large scale. However, due to limited capital and experience, the conversion process was slow. Only when many households could no longer withstand prolonged poor harvests and falling prices of coffee and pepper did the Hoa community discuss and boldly make the transition. Experience accumulated from friends and relatives in other localities, or from agricultural extension training courses, was shared among them. Those with limited capital intercropped durian in vacant spaces within their existing orchards. Those with better conditions converted their entire land area to durian cultivation to facilitate care and management.

Mr. Sy Lam, from Residential Group 2 of Tan Thuy Quarter, said that whatever crops the older generation of Hoa people planted, his family also followed. When they realized that certain crops were no longer effective and could not bring prosperity, he continued to learn from them and convert accordingly. Thanks to this approach, although he owns only one hectare of durian land inherited from his parents when he started his own household, his family now earns around VND 500 million per year.

The older generation of Hoa people considers younger people like Mr. Sy Lam to be quick-witted, capable, and fast at adapting to new things. However, according to Mr. Sy Lam, the experience, life wisdom, and resilient spirit of the previous generation are the most valuable lessons that young people need to learn. Simply looking at the lush orchards and spacious houses at the foot of Nui Do today is enough to feel that value.

Đoàn Phú

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/