Assessment of Red Dao local knowledge on herbal bathing and forest protection

Overview

Throughout Vietnam, industrialisation of agriculture has been rampant without acknowledging and respecting local traditional knowledge. Some upland ethnic minority communities are in danger of losing their inherent natural resources as well as their local ecological knowledge and practices relating to forest management and protection. The Red Dao ethnic minority community in Sai Duan village, Phin Ngan commune, Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province in Northern Vietnam, has been facing the same issues. CIRUM has been mitigating these negative trends by, for example, supporting the village community to obtain forestland right certificates and apply their community regulations (customary law) to protect forests. As a result, a model of traditional knowledge and the practice of herbal medicines, especially the Red Dao herbal bathing, has been revitalised and has become a source of income for villagers in a sustainable way. However, this is still at the initial stage. There is a need to raise more awareness within and outside the community and ensure that this knowledge is shared more widely.
In this project, CIRUM plans to conduct field research on local knowledge, customary laws governing forest use and protection for sustainable development, and find ways to apply research results to similar communities. A participatory field survey will help to identify natural nurseries with native mother trees in the forest, which are important to protect as they are rare and valuable species with the high cultural value (i.e. community ritual ceremonies) and have herbal uses. A seminar should be held for local representatives to present their experiences with local officials and other peer communities for seeking possible replication. Using this field research, a case study and photo story will be prepared and shared with IPSI members, aiming for further exchanges and cooperation in the future.