The young man breathed life into bamboo into exquisite products worth tens of millions of dong
Báo Dân trí•01/10/2024
(Dan Tri) - Based on bamboo materials, Mr. Le Ngoc Du has created many elaborate, sophisticated works of high value.
From hairdresser to "Uncle Cuoi" on social media Born in 1987, Le Ngoc Du - also known as "Uncle Cuoi DIY" - lives in Bau Nang commune, Duong Minh Chau district, Tay Ninh . Before coming to the handicraft profession, Du and his twin brother had a stable life as hairdressers. But when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, hairdressing was disrupted, so he had to temporarily stop working. That free time brought him back to his passion for making handmade toys. "Since childhood, my brother and I have been skillful and often made toys from what was available in the garden. So when I couldn't do hair, I started chiseling and tinkering," he shared.
Mr. Le Ngoc Du is a famous handicraft maker on social networks (Photo: NVCC).
He started with familiar materials such as bamboo, reeds, coconut shells, with simple tools such as a knife, scissors and sandpaper. At first, he researched and did it completely by hand. Only later, when he had the conditions, did he invest in a drill and a polishing machine to support his work. However, what he always cherished was retaining the natural characteristics of bamboo. "I try to use as little polishing as possible so that the product still retains the soul of the material," he shared. For that reason, it took him a lot of time to find suitable materials. According to Mr. Du, depending on the size and complexity, the time to complete a product can last from a few days to half a year. Complex designs require not only sophisticated techniques but also the selection of natural materials that match the original idea. However, finding materials is not always easy. "Sometimes it takes a lot of time to find bamboo branches with natural shapes so that the product exudes its own soul," he added.
Making handicrafts not only helps him earn extra income but also brings joy to his life (Photo: NVCC).
When the bamboo source in Tay Ninh was not enough to meet his creative needs, he ordered more bamboo from the North, choosing trees with special shapes, deformed due to living in harsh environments. His creativity did not stop at simple toys. One day, he accidentally recorded the process of making toys and posted them on social networks. Unexpectedly, these random videos were warmly received by everyone. Although it was only a "side job", his passion for making handicrafts grew deeper and deeper. Among the works he made, the most famous product is the wind chime of a stork catching fish, reaching nearly 40 million views on social networks. Starting from "homegrown" materials During the process of making handicrafts, the work he was most satisfied with was the Giant Monkey, over 6 meters high, taking two months to complete. The frame was made from wood, the monkey's hair was made from 130 bundles of cogon grass, and the face and limbs were shaped from straw. He proudly shared: "This is the first work I made in Tay Ninh and received a lot of compliments." The work is currently on display at Ba Den Mountain Tourist Area, a famous tourist destination in Tay Ninh.
His products are meticulously crafted down to every detail (Photo: NVCC).
He shared that making handicrafts not only helps him earn extra income but also brings joy to his life. Up to now, he has created hundreds of handicraft products, from simple ones like bees and ants to more complex ones like wind chimes or dragons. Simple items cost from a few hundred thousand dong, while elaborate, sophisticated ones can cost up to tens of millions of dong. Currently, he continues to create and post new works on social networks. He hopes to have more opportunities to bring his products to the world so that everyone can know about the ingenuity and creativity of Vietnamese people.
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