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| An artist making traditional hand-painted paper-mache masks |
Today was my second day in Hoi An. I spent the morning at the Ancient Town, which unlike the previous night, was a bit less bustling and frantic. The blue skies, pastel yellow walls, and the people going about their chores offered interesting avenues for photography. I even visited some of the ancient houses, assembly halls, museums and even saw a cultural performance. Later in the day, I went to the coconut palm eco farms on the outskirts of Hoi An, taking a tour in a basket boat with a lady named Tinh. I closed the day with a visit to
Rehahn's Photography Gallery as well as the Precious Heritage Art Gallery.
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| Any architecture against blue skies is always stunning |
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| A local fisherman, at the Cam Thanh Village, casting the net |
The highlight of the day was seeing Vietnam through Rehahn's lens. He came to Vietnam in 2011 like a tourist. He clicked a picture of a 78-year old lady who took him on a boat ride. There was no looking back since then. He has spent the last eight years, traveling to far-flung corners of Vietnam, covering 49 of its 54 ethnic tribes. The beauty of his photographs is not that they're visually stunning, but his photographs bring alive the soul of his subject. Through his travels, he has returned, not just with photographs, but with connections which he has formed with members of many of these tribes. Often, the tribesmen gift him traditional costumes that he proudly displays in the museum. Alongside, there are short stories of his experience traveling to these remote locations and meeting with these tribes. Once the work is published and monetized, he travels back to show the work to the people who he photographed, often giving them a gift. For example, he gave the 78-year old lady her own boat, which was her dream!!
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| A Story of the 78-year lady, who was Rehahn's first photography muse in Vietnam |
I was so amazed by his Rehahn's commitment to go where no one has gone and showcase the unique and endangered cultures of many of these tribes. Each tribe's unique culture is fast being assimilated into a homogenized identity, due to increasing contact with the outside world. Some tribes have just 50 members remaining, with their spoken and written language, traditional art forms (like weaving), food, etc dying at a rapid pace.
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A Snapshot of Rehahn's Work
I think the world has grown increasingly complex as it has grown more and more connected. It is useful to revisit the roots, that are still prominent in the culture and ways of living of these tribes. There is beauty in living simply that we may soon forget at the hands of our economic and technological advancement. While Hoi An is celebrated because of its efforts to preserve the physical aspects of the town, I think Rehahn's work is fighting to preserve the soul of the country.
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| A Museum that is rightly called the 'Precious Heritage Art Gallery' |
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