The great desire of Mong artisans to preserve the art of beeswax painting on fabric

Beeswax painting on fabric is an art form that preserves the unique worldview of the Mong people. In an effort to spread folk art, artisan Mua I Dia still has a great desire.

Folk art is preserved in a "mother-to-son" way.

Beeswax painting on fabric is a long-standing traditional craft, imbued with the cultural identity of the Mong people .

The art of beeswax painting on fabric of the Mong people has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, affirming the unique historical, cultural, artistic and aesthetic values ​​of a long-standing traditional craft.

Mrs. Mua I Dia, a 56-year-old artisan in Pa Co commune, Phu Tho province (formerly Pa Co 1 hamlet, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh ), is one of those who is diligently preserving this cultural feature.

We met Mong artisan Mua I Dia at the exhibition space of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions within the framework of the National Achievements Exhibition "80 years of the journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness" in Hanoi .

According to Mrs. Dia, the art of beeswax painting on fabric has been passed down through many generations, mainly from mother to daughter.

From a young age, Mong girls are taught by their grandmothers or mothers how to spin linen, weave fabric, and paint with beeswax.

  Artist Mua I Dia promotes the art of beeswax painting on fabric of the Mong people at the exhibition space of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions within the framework of the exhibition of national achievements “80 years of journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness”. Photo: Le Anh Dung

The artisan Mua I Dia herself was taught the traditional way of drawing and dyeing fabric by her mother since she was 12 years old, and then she continued to teach the method to her daughter and daughter-in-law.

“Patterns on fabric are not too difficult for those who are familiar with them. Mong girls aged 11-12 can also learn and make simple patterns,” said Ms. Dia.

The meticulousness of the beeswax painter on fabric

To create a complete beeswax painting on fabric, the Mong people have to go through many elaborate stages.

First is the preparation of the fabric (usually made from flax fibers), hand weaving, and soaking in wood ash to make the fabric pure white and help the dye adhere better.

The beeswax is then melted at 70-80 degrees Celsius, and the artist uses a bamboo pen with a triangular copper tip to dip into the beeswax and draw on the fabric. This step requires patience and skill. The Mong women often sit by the fire to keep the beeswax hot.

After painting, the fabric is dyed with indigo, the part with beeswax will retain the white color.

Finally, the fabric is boiled in boiling water to melt the beeswax, revealing the striking white patterns on the distinctive indigo fabric background.

Mrs. Dia shared that painting beeswax on fabric is now easier than before thanks to the pre-printed pattern stencils, faster and more even than painting by hand. However, she still prefers to paint by hand, even though it takes a lot of time.

She especially loves patterns like the sun, ferns, and peach blossoms - motifs imbued with the imprint of nature that the skillful hands of Mong women breathe life into every piece of fabric.

There are some types of beeswax patterns that are quite complex, the artist must patiently remember every detail to complete them.

“This painting looks like a big peach tree, it can be hung in the house as a Tet painting. It took me 3-4 days to finish, not to mention the time for dyeing and boiling,” said Ms. Dia when showing us the peach blossom painting on a piece of cloth about 2m long.

The brush is a bamboo stick with a triangular copper tip. Mrs. Dia noted that it must be copper to retain the beeswax. Photo: Le Anh Dung

New value for traditional profession

Mrs. Dia's great joy is seeing the traditional profession being preserved and promoted by the younger generation.

"The kids in my neighborhood also like to do it, from 15 to 20 years old they all do it," she excitedly boasted.

In the past, the Mong people used beeswax painting on fabric mainly to make their own dresses and shirts. The Mong women’s skill and meticulousness are judged by the costumes they make themselves.

Nowadays, the Mong people know how to make many different products such as handbags, souvenirs, etc. to sell to tourists. The art of beeswax painting has brought income to many families.

Starting to make products to sell about 20 years ago, on average, Ms. Dia earns about 3 million VND per month from this job.

Sales gradually improved. Occasionally, tourists came to her house to buy.

However, orders are not regular. Every day, Mrs. Dia's main job is still farming, housework, etc. When she has time, she takes the time to draw beeswax on fabric and then bring it to Pa Co market to sell.

Not long ago, Mrs. Dia's youngest son ran a homestay to help her sell products to tourists, but the sales volume was still not much.

“There used to be a cooperative in my area, but it stopped operating. There was no stable outlet, so we still had to make and sell our products ourselves. We had to ask around to find customers and sell them. It was very hard,” said Ms. Dia.

Her biggest wish now is to continue to paint more beeswax on fabric, to have more customers come to Pa Co market to buy her products, and to have people support her "output" so that she can sell more products and have a more stable income.

Despite many difficulties, for Mrs. Dia, her love for the art of beeswax painting on fabric is so great that "she will stop when she is old and can no longer do it".

The recognition of the art of beeswax painting on fabric as a national intangible cultural heritage is not only a source of pride for the Mong ethnic group but also a testament to the diligence, dexterity and perseverance of Mong women in the highlands.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/ao-uoc-lon-cua-nghe-nhan-nguoi-mong-gin-giu-nghe-thuat-ve-sap-ong-tren-vai-2438829.html