Part 2: The bilingual flame-bearers

With two languages, they sow trust, inspire solidarity, and transform resolutions into concrete action. They bridge language gaps, bringing the Party closer to the people and binding the people more closely to the Party.

“Special translators”

The humble wooden house of village elder Hạng Dụng Chúng in Hồ Chim 2 hamlet, Na Sang commune, sits just off National Highway 4H. Inside, visitors are struck by the awards, certificates, and medals, from central to local levels, that recognize his decades of contribution. We remembered him carefully arranging two stacks of translated documents from Vietnamese into Hmông to be read over the loudspeakers a few years ago. At nearly 80 years old, his steady voice still rang out over the village broadcast system, a source of spiritual support for the border community. His persistence and self-taught determination left a deep impression.

Born into a Hmông family in Hồ Chim 2 hamlet, Chúng once struggled with Vietnamese, needing to look up every word when reading resolutions. He recalled: “If the Party speaks but the people don’t understand, how can they follow? Making sure people understand, remember, and act, that is my responsibility.” From that conviction, he worked tirelessly to study Vietnamese while translating sections of resolutions into Hmông. At first clumsy and full of corrections, over time he became proficient. “I often use Hmông to explain what villagers must do and must not do: never violate border regulations, never let livestock cross the frontier, always protect markers, borders, and forests together. The same goes for local movements and resolutions,” he explained.

In his later years, Chúng still serves as a pillar for Hồ Chim 2 villagers. With his prestige, he persuades clans and households to respect policies and laws, especially regulations in border areas. Through both words and deeds, he has become a true “bridge” that carries resolutions into daily life.

Trần Hồng Quân, Chairman of the Na Sang commune People’s Committee, remarked: “Respected figures like elder Hạng Dụng Chúng are ‘special translators’ who bring the Party’s resolutions to the people. Fluent in Hmông and knowledgeable about customs, he ensures policies and resolutions feel close and relevant, so people follow willingly.”

Not only in Na Sang, but across Điện Biên’s villages, there are many such “special translators.” In Lói 1 hamlet (Mường Nhà commune), respected elder Lò Văn Thi understands both Thái customs and language, using them to convey resolutions to Thái villagers. Dry documents become familiar and memorable, and people follow them naturally.

Thi shared: “Translating resolutions isn’t just about shifting words from Vietnamese into Thái. The key is using simple terms tied to daily life and customs. Only then will people absorb them and put them into practice. Resolutions stop being paper, they become motivation for building better villages and advancing new rural development.”

“Bridges” to villages

On the gentle hillsides of Tá Sú Lình hamlet (Sín Thầu commune), a new resettlement area is taking shape, bright amid the forest greenery. Concrete roads now connect households, children’s laughter mingles with construction sounds, and joy fills the air. This progress was possible thanks to the pivotal role of Chảo Trố Phạ (born 1995), a young Hà Nhì community leader.

With sincerity and fluency in his native tongue, Phạ went door to door to explain and persuade. The landowners, also Hà Nhì, were initially worried about losing farmland and housing. But after hearing his explanations tied to familiar sayings and life examples, they agreed in just one afternoon.

Phạ went further, recording short clips of resolutions translated into Hà Nhì and sharing them via Zalo and Facebook with village youth. His creative approach brought resolutions closer to the younger generation, fostering broad consensus. This showed that when language is used effectively, especially by young leaders, it becomes a “key” unlocking trust and unity.

Across Điện Biên’s highland villages, the voices of elders, village heads, and respected figures have long served as bridges carrying the Party’s resolutions to the people. They do not only rely on Vietnamese, but more importantly use their native tongues to explain and connect resolutions to daily life. What once seemed dry and distant becomes understandable, memorable, and, most importantly, actionable.

Currently, the province has over 1,250 respected figures, including 554 Hmông, 531 Thái, 63 Khơ Mú, 24 Hà Nhì, and many others. They are the backbone of grassroots mobilization, ensuring resolutions and policies are not confined to documents but become living faith and collective action.

Vũ Văn Công, Deputy Director of the Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, observed: “Respected figures are an effective communication channel. They understand both the language and customs of the people. When they mobilize, the community listens and follows. Resolutions then take root in every village, strengthening security, driving socio-economic development, and building new rural areas in border highlands.”