In the heart of Hanoi, the iconic Long Biên Bridge stands as more than just a physical link between city patches—it's a bridge between two worlds. Above its surface, the city's vibrant chaos plays out daily, with hundreds of bicycles, motorbikes and pedestrians moving to the rhythm of urban life. But underneath, hidden from the bustling surface, lies a secret world—a community of resilient souls, the "River People."
Descending a modest ladder at the bridge's midpoint, you step into hectares of wild banana plantations, a tranquil space that shields the homes of twenty-four families along the Red River's edge. These families, nearly a hundred strong, are the invisible threads woven into the fabric of Hanoi. Their modest houses, constructed from wood and plastic, provide the only shelter they can afford in a city that demands more than they can give.
Within this hidden universe, twenty-four stories unfold—moments of joy, fear, sadness, love and laughter. These families hail from different corners of rural Vietnam, bound together by circumstance, their pasts buried or willingly left behind. Hong, a formidable figure, manages the community, navigating the responsibility of distributing donations with grace and resilience.
As the sky above Ha Noi prepares to release rain upon the thirsty ground, Hong invites us into her floating bamboo abode—a room devoid of luxuries, where the floor becomes our seat and a cup of sour tea serves as a shared ritual. Here, beneath the surface, the River People's stories echo through the air, demanding to be heard, understood and woven into the narrative of a city that often forgets what lies beneath its vibrant exterior.
It was an honor to sit with this resilient community and through the sale of these images, we raised funds to support their journey towards a brighter future.
The echoes of their stories will forever be with me.
Cameras: Hasselblad XPan | YashicaMat | Canon 5 MarkII
Fujifilm
