Women wearing conical hats were processing freshly landed fish

Women cutting fresh-ocean fishes — Women working at the fish market

Walking along the wooden-planked alley set by the riverbank in Mỹ Tho, I heard voices carried on the damp breeze. Following the sound, I came upon a scene where women in conical hats were lined up, busily working with fish. It seemed to be a landing site within the market, and the floor was piled high with silver-scaled fish glistening in heaps. In Mỹ Tho, a town embraced by a branch of the Mekong River, such abundance is nothing less than the river’s bounty itself.

The women skillfully wielded scissors, slicing open the bellies of the fish and deftly removing their innards. Without so much as a cutting board, relying only on their hands and scissors, their work had the casual air of household cooking, yet at the same time spoke of the harshness of their trade. When they noticed me, their expressions flickered with momentary surprise before melting back into smiles. Whether they had no time to spare for a curious visitor, or whether they found amusement in the presence of a stranger, I could not tell. Either way, they kept their hands moving, never pausing in their labor even as they laughed.

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