Stunning photos of the vanishing tribes of Vietnam

There are a total of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam.

French photographer Réhahn has photographed 40 of them so far, and is planning to document all of them.

The portraits he’s captured provide a glimpse into the vanishing cultures of people who are striving to hold onto their heritage in a rapidly-changing world.

Keep scrolling to see breathtaking photos of some of Vietnam’s most remote tribes.

He explains the villages are often lost in the mountains, and there's no existing information -- in English or Vietnamese -- about how and where to find them.

Although he's originally from France, Réhahn currently lives with his family in Hội An, in central Vietnam.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

He refers to this project -- the Precious Heritage Collection -- as his most significant.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

Documenting the tribes is no easy task.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

Réhahn predicts he'll need two more years to finish photographing the remaining 14 tribes of the country that he hasn't seen yet.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

The photographer says that sometimes it takes him two days just to find the village of a tribe.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

He explains the villages are often lost in the mountains, and there's no existing information -- in English or Vietnamese -- about how and where to find them.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

Once he reaches a tribe, Réhahn spends time listening to the elders' stories and capturing where they live.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

He says their eyes light up when they show their traditional dress and talk about their culture.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

At the same time, the elders are sad because the pride they feel for their heritage is not present in the younger people of the tribe.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

Most young people seem to have no intention of keeping the culture they came from alive.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

This is part of the reason the tribes are vanishing so quickly.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

It's also what inspired Réhahn to set out and capture these tribes and their way of life.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

The photographer hopes to spread awareness about these unique people.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

He says that so many people are completely oblivious to the fact that entire cultures are dying around them.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

'It's as if a part of cultural history is going to sleep forever and no one seems to be doing anything to wake it up.'

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

For example, there are only 397 people of the Brâu tribe left in the country.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

This 78-year-old woman is the last remaining person in Vietnam who still makes the traditional costume of the Ơ Ðu tribe. There are only about 500 Ơ Ðu members left in the world.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

Réhahn says that while most minorities he meets are immensely proud of their culture...

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

... there are those -- both young and old -- who don't value their heritage.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

Some are even willing to abandon it completely.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

Réhahn hopes to become a voice for the people of these tribes, as well as a mirror.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

The photographer feels that if these people see their culture through someone else's lens, it might help them to grasp the importance of it.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

'We know that we often have to look back before we can move forward and how wonderful it would be to remind people of the beauty of their unique cultural legacy.'

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

Throughout his project, Réhahn has also been collecting the traditional costumes of these tribes.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

His goal is to build a cultural ethnic museum in Hội An and display his photos, the costumes, and these people's stories.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle

Eventually he hopes to bring his exhibition to galleries around the world.

 

Réhahn Croquevielle