In the context of changing markets, the traditional fishing gear weaving craft village of Hung Hoc (Nam Hoa commune, Quang Yen town, Quang Ninh province) is about to become a thing of the past.
Hundreds of years of craft gradually fading away
About 10km from the center of Quang Yen town, the spacious road leading to Hung Hoc craft village seems to be covered in a dark color.
The loneliness does not only come from the quiet space, with a few cars passing by in a hurry. It also comes from the eyes of the old men and women on both sides of the road watching the hundreds of years old craft village gradually disappear.
Mr. Hoang Van Chien (Zone 4, Nam Hoa Ward) is one of the few remaining fishermen who still keeps the last bit of passion for the profession alive.
The characteristic muscular arms of an old coastal man quietly arrange each item: traps, baskets, traps, etc. in front of the porch.
Mr. Chien next to traditional fishing gear products that have been left exposed to the elements for many days without being sold. (Photo: Quang Son)
"For each type, I only produce a few samples to keep. If I make a lot and no one buys them, I have to give them away for free," Mr. Chien shared with a sad voice.
Pointing out the whole road of more than one kilometer, Mr. Chien said that in the past, the whole village had hundreds of households doing this job, but now only about 3 households still do. In front of the porch and yard, an area of up to hundreds of square meters, his house is filled with bamboo and rattan taken from the old forests of Vang Danh (Uong Bi) and Hoanh Bo.
According to Mr. Chien, the value of the raw materials to make the fishing gear is up to 150 - 200 million VND. However, his workshop is now just like a warehouse because he only receives occasional orders, mainly from acquaintances.
Along the road to Hung Hoc village, there are only a few houses still making traditional fishing gear. (Photo: Thanh Phong)
"Since the regulation prohibiting near-shore fishing, traditional basket boats, baskets, and nets have almost no buyers. Currently, I mainly make composite boats with prices ranging from 6 to 10 million VND, selling them to some acquaintances who work as fishermen on the river. The monthly income of about 10 million VND is only enough for basic family expenses," said Mr. Chien.
According to Mr. Chien, in the past, the atmosphere in the village was always bustling, from the elderly to the children all participated in labor and production. Young men carried bamboo and rattan, cutting them into small pieces depending on the product, children who could not speak yet knew how to weave.
During peak days, the whole village worked with lights until almost midnight, often having to split into shifts, one person eating and resting while another worked. Currently, market demand has decreased, young people cannot follow the family profession, so they have to work in companies and factories.
"A trap costs about 20,000 to 50,000 VND, 2 cong (150,000 VND/working day - PV) can produce about 10 traps. In fact, the profit is not much, and it cannot even be sold. Currently, this job is only for the elderly to do to ease their nostalgia for the profession," said Mr. Chien.
Mr. Chien sadly remembers the atmosphere of the craft village in the old days. (Photo: Quang Son)
Not far from Mr. Chien's house, Mr. Nguyen Van Vo and an assistant are also busy completing composite boats to deliver to customers on time.
In a similar situation to the majority of people in the village, Mr. Vo's family has a long tradition of making fishing gear. Currently, this has become a "side job" as his family only focuses on making boats according to orders.
Sharing about having to change jobs with full of regret, however, when he just stopped talking to reporters, when asked about his desire to maintain the traditional profession, Mr. Vo's sad eyes suddenly flashed with pride.
Holding the handicraft products in his hands, Mr. Vo introduced that many people in his family have been recognized as artisans of the craft village. Previously, the products were considered to be of high quality and value. However, due to the decline in market demand, young people cannot keep up, so now almost no one is making them.
What "direction" to preserve traditional craft villages?
Currently, the traditional profession no longer ensures a livelihood, however, the remaining people like Mr. Vo and Mr. Chien still have a burning desire to preserve the cultural image and ancestors of the coastal region through the activity of making fishing gear.
"Previously, some schools allowed students to come to extracurricular activities and learn how to weave fishing gear. At that time, I felt very happy and was willing to support the space, workshop, and effort," Mr. Chien shared.
Handicraft products are displayed in Mr. Nguyen Van Vo's house. (Photo: Thanh Phong)
Accordingly, the people of Hung Hoc village expressed their desire to have a model of cultural experience space so that future generations will not forget their origins. At the same time, popularize the typical folk culture of the people of the Eastern coastal region.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Doan Van Tien, Vice Chairman of Nam Hoa Ward People's Committee, said that the fishing gear weaving profession in the locality has almost disappeared. Even in the report sent to the superiors, this agency could not provide information about the craft village's activities.
"Most of the craft villages have stopped operating, shifting their structure to producing products or finding other jobs. The reason is that since 2017 and 2018, when regulations were put in place to stop near-shore fishing activities, hand-woven fishing gear has not been used much," said Mr. Tien.
According to Mr. Tien, currently, the construction and preservation of craft villages are facing many difficulties when practical demand is no longer high. From more than 200 households making fishing gear, now there are only a few families producing on a small scale.
The leader of Nam Hoa Ward People's Committee said that the geographical location of the locality is not near natural landscapes that are favorable for tourism development. Fishing gear products were previously only used by local fishermen. Therefore, it is not easy to mobilize people to continue their profession and attract investment.
"Currently, aquaculture and fishing activities have been mechanized, the demand for handmade products has decreased. The artistic and display value of the products is not high, so it is difficult to find investors," Mr. Tien added.
Source: https://danviet.vn/co-mot-lang-nghe-o-quang-ninh-dan-lam-thu-gi-ma-cu-chat-o-nha-ban-ro-cham-lo-that-truyen-20250327171407917.htm
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