Preserving the traditional brocade weaving craft of the Mong ethnic group in Pa Co commune

Colorful brocade fabrics with delicate patterns are woven by the skillful hands of women in Pa Co 1 hamlet, Pa Co commune (Mai Chau).

Ms. Mua Y Ganh, a brocade weaver in Pa Co commune, said: There are very few brocade weaver artisans left. In modern life, ready-made clothes and brocade fabrics produced on assembly lines are sold widely in the market at low prices. Therefore, the flax growing and brocade weaving professions of the Mong people are gradually fading away. Mong women know the profession but rarely practice it.

Since 2018, the community tourism model has been built and developed in some hamlets, making Pa Co an attractive destination. Besides the attraction of natural landscapes, experiential tourism products, including traditional brocade weaving, are loved by many tourists. From here, the weaving profession has been restored, the products are increasingly diverse, not only for making clothes, scarves, and hats for family use, but also largely meeting the needs of tourists to buy souvenirs and gifts.

Like other Mong women, Ms. Sung Y Thanh in Pa Co 1 hamlet, Pa Co commune, followed her mother to grow flax, spin yarn, and master sewing and embroidery before she got married. Ms. Thanh shared: To create brocade products or traditional costumes, it takes many stages. Each stage from growing flax, spinning yarn, wax printing, indigo dyeing, embroidery, sewing... requires meticulousness and dexterity of the worker. Therefore, in the past and now, whether a Mong woman is talented, hard-working, and skillful or not is judged by her linen weaving skills.

The flax growing season in Pa Co takes place around March and April every year. The flax crop is harvested around July and August. People dry the flax in the sun and then strip it into fibers. The flax fibers are pounded into a mortar and then tied together, rolled into round rolls and washed. After that, they are boiled until the flax fibers are soft and white, then dried in the sun. At the end of the flax making process, the Mong people use a reel to separate the fibers before hanging them on a loom for weaving.

After weaving into fabric, women use a heated copper pen to draw on the beeswax layer to create patterns printed on the fabric and then dye it indigo. When the fabric is dark, it is dipped in boiling water, the beeswax melts, leaving light blue patterns. Next is the embroidery stage, the patterns on the background of Mong people's costumes are mainly squares, diamonds, rectangles... which are handmade and take a lot of time.

Also through tourism activities, hand-woven products have attracted much attention. Some establishments have come to learn and introduce, connecting to consume brocade weaving products. In the area of ​​2 communes, a number of craft groups have been formed to bring women together to do the work. Ms. Sung Y Ganh, a member of the craft group in Pa Co 1 hamlet, said: Since participating in the work of creating goods, I have been more proud and aware of preserving the traditional profession of the Mong people. This is also a significant source of income to support family life.

According to Ms. Sung Y Thanh, brocade weaving is now not only done by some older women, but also by middle-aged women, and girls are also actively participating. They are also guided and taught to preserve the craft and pass it on to the next generations. Up to now, homestay households continue to promote the role of connecting craft village tourism to diversify the experience activities for the destination. In the commune, a traditional brocade weaving village and a number of weaving groups have been established; 2 points of display and introduction of brocade souvenirs made by artisans of the craft village and craft groups, 100% of the products are handwoven.

Craft villages and craft groups also proactively promote and bring products to local tourist service establishments to introduce and promote consumption, while helping to promote weaving products containing the cultural quintessence of the Mong Pa Co ethnic group to reach further and further.

Bui Minh

Source: https://baohoabinh.com.vn/16/201253/Bao-ton-nghe-det-tho-cam-truyen-thong-dan-toc-Mong-xa-Pa-Co-.htm