The Origin of the Sapa Bag
Sapa or Sa Pa was established as a hill station in the mountains of Northern Vietnam by the French in 1922. Today, it is a popular tourist destination for backpackers and tour groups alike, most easily reached on a sleeper train from Hanoi. Sapa is a most scenic destination lying amidst hilltops and terraced rice fields, often overhung by clouds. What makes Sapa so unique is its centrality to several hill tribes that live in the region - most importantly the Black Hmong and the Red Dzao, who constitute about 75 percent of the population in and around Sapa. If you visit the mountain town, you will encounter countless hill tribe women, men and children, many of them still clad in their traditional garb.
Black Hmong girls near the town of Sapa
Rice terraces near Sapa
The hill tribe subsistence is mainly based on small scale agriculture. Even for Vietnam's rural standards, the Sapa region is very poor and subject to governmental and non-governmental development efforts.
The simple life-style of the hill tribe people contrasts with their immensely colourful and rich handicrafts that feature beautiful embroidery and delicate batik artwork. Generally, the hill tribe people only make handcrafted items for their own needs, but with the advent of tourism, some women have started to sell their creations in the streets.
The Black Hmong are the largest minority group in the Sapa region. Their clothing is mostly made from indigo-dyed hemp, grown by themselves, that has a deep blue, almost black colour. The Black Hmong women wear short black trousers, a waistcoat with embroidered sleeves and a wide, green and black belt tied around the waist. Their traditional headgear is a round black hat, and they wear leg warmers.
The Red Dzao or Dao are the second largest minority group in the Sapa region. The women's traditional costume consists of dark, indigo-dyed, baggy trousers that feature panels hand-embroidered with a characteristic flower, tree and star pattern on the legs, and a long jacket or blouse with the same kind of embroidery on the lower back part. Women mostly wear red headgear, indicating that they are married - thus the "Red" Dzao.
Two Red Dzao girls
As an admirer of ethnic textiles, I acquired some vintage fabrics in Sapa, among others Red Dzao jackets and trousers and Black Hmong baby carriers and belts. I was utterly fascinated by the affinity of these women with textile crafts, and the time-consuming processes through which they turn their home-grown and dyed hemp into stunning apparel. Back home, with the hill tribe ladies in the back of my mind, I set out to turn my acquisitions into something new - and I came up with the Sapa bag, which is essentially made of a Red Dzao fabric panel and half a Black Hmong belt.
Red Dzao embroidered fabric panel (left) and Black Hmong belt (right)
I am really not sure what the Red Dzao and the Black Hmong would say about me using their traditional fabrics to create a bag - but it is intended as an homage to this very special region in Northern Vietnam with its unique inhabitants!
PS: If you ever have a chance to visit Sapa, I recommend trekking to some of the villages nearby. The Sapa Sisters are a group of Black Hmong women guides, who entireley own their business and thus manage to support themselves and their families. They will give you great insight into their special culture on a trek through the unique Sapa scenery.
