Prize-winning pictures show a life revolving around coconuts

A photo contest capturing the beauty of Ben Tre shows how daily life revolves around coconuts in the Mekong Delta province.

The first prize was won by Saigon photographer Nguyen Thanh Hop for a photo titled "Vao keo tranh giay tu go dua" which shows artists gluing an artwork made with coconut fiber on a backlit table. The art form is known as tranh giay dua (coconut paper painting).

The "I love Ben Tre" photomarathon was part of the fifth coconut festival that took place in the southern province from November 14-20. The festival honors Ben Tre’s coconut palms, products made with different parts of it, and local life surrounding the palm. Photos had to be taken in the province from November 15-17.

In second place was a photograph of women dancing at the opening ceremony of the festival, wearing thekhan ran, a traditional checkered black and white shawl, and the ao ba ba, a traditional southern garment. The photo, titled "Duyen dang Ben Tre" or Graceful Ben Tre, was taken by photographer Nguyen Bach Thao of Vinh Long Province.

The contest received 800 submissions by 395 photographers from 25 provinces and cities across the country. 

Two students wearing the traditional non la (conical hat) and ao dai walking to school through a coconut grove is one of three photos that won the third prize. Ben Tre photographer Nguyen Van Hoan called this picture "Doi ban den truong" or Two friends going to school.

Ly Hoang Long, chairman of the Art Council of Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA), one of the photo contest's judges, said: "This panoramic photo captured Ben Tre's daily life amidst its coconut palms, the economic strength of the province.”

Ben Tre, known as the land of coconuts, makes use of every part of the palm for making many handicraft products, including its leaves and trunk.

A photo of a local rowing a boat filled with coconuts, taken by photographer Nguyen Phuc Trung, called "Ben Tre que toi" or My hometown Ben Tre, won another third price.

This photo of workers sorting and throwing water palms from one boat to another was taken by Saigon photographer Nguyen Minh Tan. The photo is called "Tap ket dua tren ben song Thom" or Gathering coconuts by the Thom River.

A woman lays out banh phong chuoi or banana crackers on nets to dry under the sun.

The photo, called "Don nang" or sunbathing, was taken by photographer Nguyen Manh Ha of Dong Nai Province.

This picture of a local drying coconut fiber to make coir (ropes) was taken by Dang Chau Anh Phong from Thua Thien Hue Province.

Nguyen Huy Son from Saigon named this photo “Hoa dua” or Coconut flowers. It shows a man making flowers with coconut leaves and other materials.

This photo of a local drying coconut rice paper, a specialty of Ben Tre, was taken by Nguyen Thanh Hung from Kien Giang Province. He called it "San pham tu que dua" or Produce from coconut capital.

By Huynh Phuong

Source: VNExpress.net