Today I went to the riverside to look for bamboo shoots to cook, but the dry season has been too long, the ground is so hard and the bamboo shoots won’t grow. I dug everywhere, but found nothing.
I guess the shoots are still too shy to come out before the rain comes. So I ended up going home empty-handed.
It's shady under this bamboo grove, but so quiet. This place used to be full of life, in the afternoons, kids would play soccer here. Now, all I can hear is the sound of bamboo swaying and dry leaves falling in the wind.
These bamboos stand close together, leaning on one another. So strong, From when I was a child until now, they’ve always looked the same. They’ve witnessed every change in this village, they celebrate with us during harvest, and feel the sadness with us during a long drought.
Sunlight filters through the gaps in the bamboo leaves. It’s beautiful, but it hurts.
When I look down, I see the ground cracked from the drought.
This place used to be muddy and wet because it was so close to the river.
Now, everything is dry.
It feels like we’re waiting for rain… rain that never seems to come.
Here is the river...
It used to be crystal clear and full of fish. The women would sit on the rocks, washing clothes and chatting. We kids spent our days swimming and splashing in the water.
Now, there’s barely any water left. It’s murky, and trash is caught in the branches.
No one wants to come here anymore.
The bamboo roots grip the soil tightly along the riverbank.
They say these bamboo groves are what keep the land from collapsing during heavy rain.
But now, the story has changed.
When the big rains come, the river overflows and reaches all the way up to the bamboo stalks.
The ones that used to protect the village... are now the ones getting flooded too.
The bamboo grove curves overhead, forming a natural tunnel.
In the past, when it rained, the water from up here would rush straight down to the river. That was a blessing.
But now, that same rush of water has become a big problem for us.
All I can do is hope...
That the next rainy season brings new bamboo shoots, and brings cleanliness back to this river again.
Do you still have a bamboo grove and a small river like this near you? Share your story in the comments,
