The Story Behind The Name Of Cốc Tộc Village.

In the Ba Bể region, there is a name that sounds both strange and intriguing: Cốc Tộc village. If one only looks at the Sino-Vietnamese meaning, many people might separate “Cốc” as a ravine or valley, while “Tộc” refers to a clan or a group of people with a common origin. From that, “Cốc Tộc” can easily be understood as the dwelling place of a group of people in a valley or ravine. But for the locals, the story behind this name is much closer and more rustic.

Photo: Homestay Ba Be Jungle Houses

According to the local Tày dialect, Cốc Tộc is believed to originate from the name of a type of tree. The people in the village explain that “cốc” can be understood as root, while “tộc” is associated with a type of tree called dọc. The original name mentioned is “Gốc Giật,” or some interpret it as the name of a tree that has grown in this area since ancient times.

Photo: Homestay Ba Be Jungle Houses

There are also other fun and folk interpretations. Some guess that in the past, there was a clan that lived under a large tree, hence it was called “Cố Tộc” or “Cốc Tộc.” Others say “Gốc Giật” is just a way of calling it in the Kinh language, without a specific meaning. Others counter that if one does not know what kind of tree it is or what it is used for, one should not assert too confidently. These exchanges make the name Cốc Tộc more vibrant: it is not just a geographical name, but also a memory, a word of mouth, a way for the locals to tell about their birthplace.

Photo: Homestay Ba Be Jungle Houses

What is valuable is that although there is not yet a completely unified explanation, most opinions point to a common point: Cốc Tộc is not merely the Sino-Vietnamese meaning of “tribe in the valley,” but could be a local name associated with trees, land, and the memories of the Tày people here. Therefore, this name carries the traces of the local language, the nature around the village, and the stories passed down from generation to generation.

Photo: Homestay Ba Be Jungle Houses

Perhaps, to understand Cốc Tộc most accurately, it is necessary to continue asking the elders in the village, those who still remember the names of the trees, the old ways of calling, and why the ancestors named the village that way. Because each geographical name in the mountainous region is not just a name on a map, but also a small piece of history of the community. And Cốc Tộc, whether understood as “Gốc Giật,” the name of a type of tree, or as a remnant of an ancient Tày name, still deserves to be recorded as a precious part of the village's memory.