Every house hangs Uncle Hồ’s portrait

On the narrow concrete road that can only fit two motorbikes passing each other, we returned to Co Pục village, Hua Thanh commune (Điện Biên district), where over 80 Khơ Mú households live. Passing by each house, it’s easy to spot the familiar portrait of Uncle Hồ inside. What stands out is that no matter whether the house is spacious or small and humble, the portrait of Uncle Hồ is always placed in a prominent position.

Proudly showing us around the solidarity houses that helped the villagers escape poverty, Quàng Văn Dũng, the village leader, said: “The village has 82 houses, and 100% of the families hang Uncle Hồ’s portrait. Most of the pictures are bought by the people themselves, while the solidarity houses received the portraits and flags of the Fatherland from the local authorities and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province.”

The solidarity house of Quàng Văn Thương was completed in 2024. Inside the house, the portrait of Uncle Hồ is placed on the beam right in the middle of the house. Anyone who enters immediately notices it.

Thương shared: “When we received the new house, our family was also gifted the national flag and a portrait of Uncle Hồ. I was deeply moved. Thanks to the Party and Uncle Hồ, our people have the life we have today. Our family always cherishes and preserves the portrait, as well as maintains our respect and gratitude towards Uncle Hồ.”

Not far from there, the house of single mother Lò Thị Đôi was bustling with the sound of concrete mixers. In April, with financial support from the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, her family began construction of a new house. The foundation is now nearly completed, and they plan to finish and hand over the house by the end of May. Despite this, Đôi had already set aside the central place for the altar and to hang Uncle Hồ’s portrait.

Đôi shared: “I am very happy to have received support from the Party and the State to build a new house. Now that we have a stable home, I feel more secure and remember Uncle Hồ’s teachings to work hard and overcome poverty.”

In Nậm Tắt village, Nà Bủng commune (Nậm Pồ district), the Mông ethnic minority people have been preserving Uncle Hồ’s image in their hearts in many different ways over the years. For them, Uncle Hồ is always a beloved father figure. Although many households cannot afford to buy the portrait themselves, the border guard officers have given them portraits, which are always carefully preserved and hung on the wooden walls.

“Thanks to the Party and the State, Nậm Tắt now has more convenient roads, and we will soon have electricity. The people are grateful to the Party and Uncle Hồ, so they voluntarily hang his portrait to remember him,” said Vàng A Chừ, Deputy Chairman of the commune People’s Committee.

Spreading movement of learning Uncle Hồ’s noble example

Speaking of Uncle Hồ, village leader Quàng Văn Dũng recalled that, although no one ever mentioned it, the Khơ Mú community has always been labeled as lazy. He acknowledged that this was an important reason why poverty had persisted for so long. However, in recent years, the Khơ Mú people in Co Pục have changed a lot. While they have not yet become rich, and some households still face difficulties, most households now have enough to eat and wear, and their children are able to attend school regularly.

In 2023, the village still had 16 poor households. In 2024, 6 households received government support to build new houses, and 6 more households were expected to be supported in early 2025. After each household receives a new house, they voluntarily decide to strive to escape poverty. According to Dũng, a very meaningful activity by the authorities and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province is to give each family receiving a new house a national flag and a portrait of Uncle Hồ. This not only helps spread love and gratitude towards the national leader, but also serves as a reminder to each family member to keep striving, learning, and working according to Uncle Hồ’s teachings.

For many years, hanging Uncle Hồ’s portrait in every home has become a beautiful cultural habit of the ethnic people in Điện Biên. Through Uncle Hồ’s image, families also educate their children about the heroic revolutionary tradition of the nation. The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and political-social organizations in Điện Biên, as well as armed forces in the province, continue to implement many activities to present portraits of Uncle Hồ and the national flag to the people during important events. This special gift is warmly welcomed and cherished by every family.

Thào Mạnh Hùng, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Hua Thanh commune (Điện Biên district), said: “Every year, the Front has many programs to support and give gifts, solidarity houses to the poor and families in special circumstances, especially those living near the border. Along with these gifts, we always present a portrait of Uncle Hồ and the national flag, which help reinforce the love for the nation and gratitude towards Uncle Hồ. In 2024, the commune is running a program to gift portraits of Uncle Hồ to border families and those receiving new houses. We are preparing nearly 20 portraits to present to the families receiving solidarity houses at the end of May.”

Although Uncle Hồ has passed away, his image, both great and humble, still holds a significant place not only in the homes of every family but also in the hearts and minds of the people. Not only by hanging his portrait, but every May, the local people actively participate in campaigns to learn and follow Uncle Hồ’s example with practical actions. In many ways, their expressions of love and pride for Uncle Hồ also contribute to strengthening the education of revolutionary traditions for future generations.