I have spent some time in Vietman, I went there twice and I stayed in Sapa for 10 days.

A young French photographer was doing a documentary about the H’Mongs, she helped me introduce myself to them and then I could take pictures more easily.

As for the Zao, I started taking pictures only after they were used to see me around.

Here are a few pictures of local women wearing their adornments.

This is a very proud Zao woman in Sapa, North Vietnam.

Zao don’t let foreigners take pictures easily. It took me a few days to “make friends” which means to hang around them and talk to them.

She eventually agreed.

These girls are Hmongs minority of Sapa as well, and like the Zao woman above they go around Sapa trying to sell their jewellery and clothes.

Basically selling is the alternative to throwing away in the fire. Minorities don’t keep their clothes for instance but with the tourist interest they are able to make some money.

Again Hmongs at the Market in Sapa. You can see her beautiful silver earrings which are also very heavy.

This lady is a Flower H’Mong at the Sapa Market

      

You can see their heavy silver earrings and their metal plastron.