Cambodia’s much loved, and revered, King Sihanouk finally made the way to his final resting place in the lavish, custom built, cremation site in central Phnom Penh on Friday 1st February 2013.  The funeral procession brought together hundreds of thousands of Cambodian’s and the worlds media to pay their last respects to a King that guided the nation through its most prosperous period in the 1950′s and 1960′s and eventually to return after the Khmer Rouge years in the early 1990′s.

The funeral procession commenced from the Royal Palace at 7.30am  and wound its way along Sisowath Quay to Wat Phnom and then back down along Norodom Boulevard to the cremation site, located opposite the National Museum.  Security for the event was extremely tight with most photojournalists confined to a fixed vantage point opposite the Palace.  Few seemed to follow the procession itself.  With careful advance planning I had booked two hotel rooms in strategic locations, affording me access to most of the ceremony as it happened.  Once inside the zone I was allowed to wander quite freely, although I knew that once I left the security area I would not be allowed back in so I confined myself to the section of the Palace, the water front and the National Museum and was fortunate enough to photograph a great deal of the events of the morning.

The ceremony was everything one would expect from a royal funeral – lavish, colourful, meticulous attention to detail, solemn but at the same time extraordinarily beautiful.   The amount of planning and organisation was remarkable and 3 months of preparation led to a most memorable final journey for a King so loved and cherished by many.

 All images are copyrighted to Visions of Indochina and are registered.   No image may be used or reproduced or used with the written permission of Visions of Indochina.

The rather unique and fun-filled ‘Ox Race Day’ is held deep in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam during the annual Khmer Delta Festival, which typically falls on September 17-19.  The festival is a unique tradition of Mekong Delta natives held in An Giang Province, some one hour’s drive south of Chau Doc.  The purpose of this festival is to celebrate the planting of the autumn-winter crops with colorful parades, family dinners, cultural shows, dancing and music.

Highlighting the festival are the spectacular and frequently hilarious ox races that attract thousands of visitors from all over Vietnam and abroad.  The 100 meter races are run in pairs on muddy paddy fields and are open to contestants from An Giang, nearby provinces in the Delta, including Cambodia’s Takeo Province.   Due to the distant location from the main cities of Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh, foreign photographers are rare at this event but we sent Suzanne down the delta to get muddy and hopefully leave with her camera and legs intact!

Despite the crowds and seeming chaos, the racing festival is carefully organized by the local authorities and provides a wonderful spectacle for those that make the effort to venture here.   Again, this is another special aspect of Vietnamese culture and tradition that is rarely portrayed and is therefore an assignment we welcome to cover.

This is one set of images that are best viewed on a large screen.  You may see full page size images of this series in our Portfolio site here.

Photography by Suzanne Chater | Visions of Indochina

]]> http://www.visions-of-indochina.com/latestnews/2012/11/ox-racing-festival-chau-doc-vietnam/feed/ 3 http://www.visions-of-indochina.com/latestnews/2012/11/portraits-of-vietnams-ethnic-minorities/ http://www.visions-of-indochina.com/latestnews/2012/11/portraits-of-vietnams-ethnic-minorities/#comments Fri, 23 Nov 2012 03:06:58 +0000 admin http://www.visions-of-indochina.com/latestnews/?p=1490 Ha Giang province in Northern Vietnam has a special place in the hearts of most photographers that venture there.  Fabrice Wittner is no exception.  We continue to focus on this part of Vietnam by featuring this French photographer’s recent work of Vietnam’s north.   Although based in Paris, Fabrice has spent considerable time photographing varying aspects of life in Vietnam and it is these wonderful portrait images of the ethnic minority groups that have captured our attention.

Utilising the benefits of an off camera lighting set up, Fabrice has done remarkably well to portray these generally very shy race of peoples in a relaxed, home, environment.   During this particular assignment he managed to capture portraits of no less than twelve ethnic minority groups – Tay, Lo Lo, Mong Trang, Pu Peo, Dao Cio Dai, Bo Y, Nung Man, La Chi, Nung, Mong Hoa, La Chi, Co Lao, Pa Then, Dao Do - and has vowed to return to continue this endeavour.  He has his work cut out for him to cover all fifty four ethnic groups in this country, however, we welcome his continued ambitions and hope to feature more of his work in the years ahead.

 You can view more of Fabrice’s work here  Fabrice Wittner site

Incredible Ha Giang province in Northern Vietnam.  Very few individuals that I know of have travelled through this region and most, that do, come to visit the weekend ethnic markets that the area is so famous for, only to zip right back to Hanoi afterwards.  Let me start this blog by saying that, in all my 20 odd years experience of living, breathing and exploring Vietnam, I have to say that Ha Giang, as a province, is unlike any other.  No where in the country can a visitor find such jaw dropping dramatic mountain scenery and a lifestyle so entrenched in tradition and custom that is far, far away from the race to modernisation found in the urban cities and townships along Vietnam’s densely inhabited low lands

The far northernmost province of Ha Giang originally developed with the migration of the H’mong people who arrived from south China about 300 years ago. Ha Giang’s natural environment bears the same characteristics as other mountainous areas; that is, an unfavorable all year round dry climate with little rainfall, constant fog in the winter, and rocky unfertile soils cut across by countless streams. Due to transportation difficulties, the province has long been an isolated border area with little contact between the local ethnic minorities and the provincial governments.  That is changing slightly as road access improves greatly and more and more Vietnamese populate the once remote townships, however, it will certainly be quite some time before Ha Giang goes the way of nearby Sapa – the most commercial tourist town in the mountainous north.

The scenery throughout is magnificent, the craggy mountain ranges covered in mystic clouds make travellers feel like wandering in a fairyland, valleys between the mountains are enhanced by spectacles of coloured villages each with distinctive architectural features and fascinating spots for watching the sunset.  If World Heritage had a cultural hotspot for diversity, this would be it. There are an estimated 20 ethnic minorities in the area. If lucky, or planned well, the weekly markets in the towns Meo Vac, Dong Van, Sa Phin and Ma Le will provide an opportunity to see this wonderful mix of cultures and people.

Be aware that visiting these remarkable markets does take some planning.  Besides Dong Van and Meo Vac the more remote (and often more enchanting) markets, take place according to the animal sign from the lunar calendar.   For example Lung Phin market, near Meo Vac, is held every six days on the particular lunar days of the Monkey and the Tiger.  Sa Phin market which was originally home to the last Hmong King of Vietnam, follows the days of the pig.  With careful planning it is possible to spend time seeing most of these markets if time allows.

Although visitors are rare, remarkably the local ethnic groups of predominately H’mong and Tay (in the low valley areas), pay little attention to the inquisitive foreigner.   They are quite happy to go about their business and let the foreign visitor do the same.  It was pure bliss for this photographer!

Dong Van is the largest town in the area and sits atop the World Heritage listed plateau.  Recognized by the UNESCO as one of the 77 geological parks in the world and the second in Southeast Asia, the park covers four districts of Meo Vac, Dong Van, Yen Minh and Quan Ba, totaling over 2,300sq.km, with nearly 250,000 residents. Up to 80 percent of the plateau is covered by limestone.  Although Vietnamisation has seen the town modernise to a degree, the greatest change in its recent history came about last year when the ancient market in the old quarter was moved to a large, open space some 300 metres away.  The market still thrives, but for those that remember the old market with its terracotta roofs and charming merchant homes, the ambience of a time past has certainly been lost forever.  Whilst the authorities plan for rejuvenation the Old Quarter remains another Vietnamese heritage site that will, sadly, either be completely lost to development or will fade from obscurity, only the tales of former traders keeping the past alive.

Because of the harsh and somewhat diverse climate it is imperative that ones journey to Ha Giang is timed for certain periods of they year.  Generally speaking the late spring months of April and May and into early summer (June) are fine periods to travel.  It will still be hot but lesser threat of rain.  It is also the time to see the next rice crop being planted in some areas with harvesting about to take place in June so the region is ablaze of colour and activity.    October is also another prime time to visit but in recent years the north has been lashed with constant rains in October/November period so there are no guarantees.  My person recommendation would be to avoid winter (Dec – March) as mountain visibility will be poor and the whole region is covered in a perpetual mist that never seems to dissipate. 

It is partly due to the climate and the time it takes to travel to and around the province that Ha Giang may never experience mass tourism.  For now this is definitely a blessing in disguise as I would wish to see and experience it no other way. 

Full scale images of Ha Giang, entitled Portrait of Ha Giang and Journey through Ha Giang can be seen in our portfolio site  

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 Bagan became a central powerbase in the mid 9th century under King Anawratha, who unified Burma under Theravada Buddhism. It is estimated that as many as 13,000 temples and stupas once stood on this 42 sq km plain in central Myanmar, and Marco Polo once described Bagan as a “gilded city alive with tinkling bells and the swishing sounds of monks’ robes”. Approximately 2,200 remain today, in various states of disrepair. Some are large and well maintained, such as the Ananda Pahto, others are small tumbledown relics in the middle of overgrown grass. All sites are considered sacred, so when visiting, be respectful including removing shoes as well as socks before entering or stepping onto them. Bagan’s golden age ended in 1287 when the Kingdom and its capital city was invaded and sacked by the Mongols. Its population was reduced to a village that remained amongst the ruins of the once larger city.

The infamous Con Son prison complex was established by the French colonial authority early in the nineteenth century.  From then until 1975 the French colonial administration, followed by the Saigon government, incarcerated political prisoners in brutal conditions, often in tiny underground boxes known as ‘tiger cages’.  The Hang Duong cemetery holds the remains of the many prisoners that died there.

Throughout the colonial period and its use by the Saigon regime, Con Dao’s only inhabitants were the prisoners, their guards, and a small contingent of soldiers and administrators. The true extent of the appalling treatment of inmates only became known after victory and reunification in May 1975.   Today, numerous vestiges of these prisons remain open as museums for the visitor and they provide a fascinating  insight into a little known aspect of  Vietnam’s war history.

Despite its violent past, Con Dao today is arguably Vietnam’s most pristine natural environment.  The island is a shining example of good conservation. 80% of the land area of the archipelago is a National park offering primary jungle teeming with interesting life such as the endemic black squirrel and the crab eating macaque.  Con Dao National Park is now considered one of the best examples of marine conservation in Vietnam, complete with regulations to limit fishing activities and prohibit destructive fishing, and is a model for marine conservation throughout the country. There are plans for eco-friendly development within the park’s boundaries.

The numerous beaches are sweeping, lapped by blue, azure waters, and very typically empty of visitors, except during the Vietnamese summer months (June to August) when tourists swamp the island with the local airline increasing its flight capacity from 4 to 8 flights per day.  

The one major resort on the island, Six Senses, seamlessly blends into the bay it sits on like nature intended.  It is a prime example of modern day hotel development that carefully and tastefully enhances the lure of the destination rather than detract from it.  My focus on this particular assignement was to use the property as the backdrop (or forefront in this case) and interject a more distinct Vietnamese scene with the placement of a model dressed in ‘ao dai’ – Vietnam’s traditional dress, to showcase the beauty of the setting with its heritage.

The inclement weather at the time may not have made for ideal ‘beach type’ scenes, however, the dramatic cloud cover and touches of light through the mountains set the mood for my work of the day.   Where one side of the island was awash with roving clouds the other side was in a deep clear blue sky, hence the feel that the photos below were shot during different periods.

There is no doubt in my mind that Con Dao is a destination like no other in Vietnam.  Whilst the emptiness and peaceful environment does feel rather ‘strange’ for over populated Vietnam, the close proximity to nature and the (for now) careful development of the island’s residential and tourist areas, I doubt if I will ever give the beaches of Phan Thiet, Nha Trang and Danang another look.  Those locations, destroyed by crass development, pale in comparison to the sheer natural beauty and solitude of Con Dao.  

The island leaves a lasting impression on you.  How can one not be enthralled by this delicate beauty of an island.  The big question is, however, can Con Dao really avoid the pressures of development that have so swamped the Vietnam coastline?  For the time being I can only hope so as it deserves so much more respect.

The martial art form was nearly completely wiped out during the Khmer Rouge genocide years of the mid to late seventies. After surviving the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime, the Grand Master, San Kim Saen, returned to Cambodia in the late 1990s with a goal to bring back the art of Bokator to his country. Scouring the country, he found less than ten Bokator masters who had survived the war years. He later opened his school in Phnom Penh, where he still teaches Bokator to about three hundred students. Several of whom have since been promoted to black karma (belt).

Unlike kickboxing, which is a combat sport, Bokator was designed to be used on the battlefield. It uses a diverse array of elbow and knee strikes, shin kicks, submissions and ground fighting. Practitioners are trained to strike with knees, hands, elbows, feet, shins, and head. Even the shoulders, hip, jaw, and fingers can be used to fight an opponent to submission or death. Weapons are also used, primarily the bamboo staff and short sticks.

When fighting, bokator exponents still wear the uniforms of ancient Khmer armies. A krama (scarf) is folded around their waist and blue and red silk cords called sangvar day are tied around the combatant’s head and biceps. In the past it is said that the cords were enchanted to increase strength, although now they are just ceremonial and most fighters tend to place the krama around their head (more to absorb the sweat).

Bokator includes Khmer traditional wrestling, kick boxing and weapons. In true Bokator fights, the fighters do not wear gloves and can choose to fight on the ground, with bouts ending in submissions or chokes.

The ground fighting is not nearly as effective as the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or western wrestling, but it is arguably the only ground fighting art in Southeast Asia.

The first ever national Bokator competition was held in Phnom Penh at the Olympic Stadium, from September 26–29, 2006, with a more recent International event, with black belt Bokator fighters from France, held near Phnom Bakheng among the temples of Angkor. 

Despite the slow, growing awareness of Bokator as a modern day sport, it remains under the shadow of Thai kickboxing, although many are of the opinion that Thai kickboxing was merely adapted from Cambodian cultural arts during the period of occupation, although all countries in South East Asia had a system of martial arts and all probably borrowed or stole from each other.

It was the intention of this particular shoot to help promote awareness of the sport through visual media. Most of the images here were taken among the temples of Preah Khan and along the gallery walls of the Bayon, which depict scenes of martial combat that hark back to the true origins of Bokator.

View full screen images of the Bokator photoshoot in our assignment gallery portfolio

Feature on the forgotten martial art form of Bokator, meaning to fight with the lions, from Siem Reap, Cambodia

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Myanmar (Burma) is the most religious Buddhist country in the world – with the highest proportion of monks and nuns in the population, and somewhere between 80 to 90 percent of people practicing Buddhism.  The ultimate goal of a Buddhist is the attainment of Nirvana, a state of enlightenment where all desire and suffering have been eliminated.  The belief is that suffering is caused by desire, and suffering can only end when desire is eliminated.  Monks are able to become closer than anyone else to understanding enlightenment through meditation and true mental discipline.  Buddhism is based upon the importance of love, tolerance and compassion, and devout Buddhists strive to make merit through charitable and honourable actions. 

Every Burmese Buddhist boy between the age of 7 and 13 is expected to enter the monastery as a novice monk for a period of a few weeks to several months.  He has a choice to return to life outside the monastery at any time, or he can stay on as a monk, if he so chooses.  By age 20, he is no longer considered a novice, and as Buddhism has a strong emphasis on individual achievement, a monk is free to leave or return to the monastery as he chooses.

The initiation ceremony to become a novice monk is considered to be the most important part of a male’s life, and is highly auspicious for his family.  Many from poorer or more rural backgrounds take up the chance to do this as it also means a free education for their child, with guaranteed shelter, food and clothing provided for.  The novice monks all grow up together from a young age in their monastery, forming a brotherhood of close connections.  They eat, pray, become educated, play and live together, and for potentially decades they form a new family.

The monks of Myanmar wear red/maroon coloured robes, unlike monks in other Buddhist countries in South East Asia who usually wear saffron coloured robes.  The monks shave each others hair off their heads with a razor very frequently to help him lose the vanity associated with hair (eg. combing and styling) as this is an unproductive thought.  They start their day by waking up at 5am in the morning, and form a line at the entrance of their monastery and begin the morning collection for alms and food.  Shop and house owners have rice, curry, fruit, money or some other donation ready to give to the monks as they come around with their collection bowls, and it is considered important and good fortune for a Buddhist citizen to give to the monks every morning.  Monks take two meals in the day – breakfast and lunch.  No more meals are consumed after this until the following morning when the monks return for the morning collections. 

The rest of their day is filled by learning and reciting prayers, teachings and sessions with elder monks to help understand the philosophies behind the lessons and teachings of the Buddha.  There are monasteries which are also part of large schools for general education, and sometimes monks mix in with other children and students to attend these schools.  For the novice monk, there is also plenty of time in the day for playing games, and it is common to see groups of monks playing physical outdoor games as well as skill and precision based board games. 

About David Lazar :

David Lazar is a photographer from Brisbane,Australia, who is primarily a musician (pianist and film composer). He took up photography in 2005, after travelling extensively, and has received acclaim and notice through his galleries displayed on the pbase web site.

David’s more recent accolades include finalist in the Lonely Planet Photo Competition in 2010 and finalist in Asia Geographic ‘Poetry in Motion’ Competition 2010. David primarily enjoys expressive people shots and encompassing the subject’s natural environment within the frame.

David first ventured to Myanmar in January 2010, and returned again in 2011, after being drawn into beauty of the country and the generosity and peacefulness of the people. He travelled with an ambition to explore and learn about the country, and to capture portraits of the people of Myanmar, as well as monks in their every day life. Seeking out monasteries and temples in various cities and towns in Myanmar he has built a stunning photographic portfolio of portraits and daily life you now see here. David’s time with the younger and more curious novice monks tended to present a more playful element to his photography and hence he has captured these moments alongside the meditative and contemplative characteristics, which are fundamental to Buddhism.

You may view more of David’s work in other destinations via pbase and more on the Burma assignment in our gallery below. 

View full computer screen images of David’s work in our Portfolio site.

A photo essay on the monks of Burma by photographer David Lazar

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Although World Heritage protected, the bay has suffered from over fishing and large scale tourism this past decade, making it just that bit harder to find a place of solitude to enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Regular day trippers drive in from Hanoi to spend a day on a reconverted junk boat only to return mid afternoon, missing the very best times to be out on the water – twighlight and at dawn.  A number of boat operators have been running overnight sailings for those that want to experience the bay at its very best and least crowded.   For the photographer this is the only way to see the majesty of Halong Bay.

My first photographic foray to Halong Bay was in 1995 and, even though I returned literally dozens of times in the years afterwards, I never really captured the beauty of the place on camera. Many of my trips took place during the winter period when the bay is almost covered in a damp, perpetual mist.  Moving forward to 2011 I decided that now was the time to give it serious coverage.

Rather than be restricted to the movements of a boat shared by other passengers I chartered a private two cabin boat to have a free reign of where I wanted to go and where the light best presented itself.  Although still encompassing the Halong Bay region, I set out to head to Bai Tu Long Bay, almost in the opposite direction of many of the other boats so that I could work without the threat of large numbers of tourist boats blocking the scene.

Landscape photography itself is not my particular forte, hence I decided to bring a model with me to add a human and fashion element to the shoot and also to diversify the range of images I could take.  This proved to be a blessing as the heavy winds that carried through the trip meant that the vessel I was on could not raise its red sails, depriving me of a planned photographic scene, although I finally got around that dilemma to a degree as you see in a number of these images here.

The winds meant I was in for some logistical challenges but, in hindsight, provided me with a visual element of drama and motion that I wouldn’t have been able to capture otherwise.

In certain, safe anchorage points in the bay there are oyster pearl farms and floating fishing village communities – the main form of transport between their homes and the larger boats being the ever-present sampan.   With the beams of a striking morning light reigning down on us I photographed the model, in her traditional dress, rowing the boat through the azure waters of the bay.   The backlit scene of the karst formations against her white and black dress made for a striking set up to photograph and resulted in the most pleasing shots of the trip.

In all, I felt I covered a hybrid selection of fashion, heritage and landscape in this shoot of Halong Bay so the end result was one of great satisfaction.

For the camera gear aficionados, it is worth mentioning here that I shot mostly with the new Nikon 24mm fixed lens wide open at f/1.4.  I did this primarily to soften the scene and tone up the beautiful bokeh rather than shoot point sharp with the entire scene in focus.   I was amazed at the result of this exquisite lens and certainly wouldn’t have had the same degree of success without it.

View these images and others on full screen in our ‘on assignment’ portfolio section.

Model : Vina Vu (Danang)

Images of Halong Bay aboard the Indochina Junk boat with Vietnamese model, Vina Vu

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Saigon resident photographer, Suzanne Chater, recently paid a visit to these fields and compiled a wonderful collection of imagery for Visions of Indochina.   The deep colours and gorgeous early morning light are very much evident in her work here.

Although quite well documented by photographers, we believe these are some of the most striking images of the activity to date.

We have added Suzanne’s images to our ‘On Assignment’ section in our portfolio sub site for higher appreciation in full page view.  Check it out .