Come to the Southern Women's Museum to learn about the brocade weaving craft of the Ma ethnic group.

dệt thổ cẩm - Ảnh 1. — Artisan Ka Rin (left) and her daughter Ka Huong weave brocade at the Southern Women's Museum - Photo: VAN TRUNG

The exhibition "Traditional brocade weaving of Ma ethnic women" introduces valuable artifacts and documents about the traditional brocade weaving of Ma ethnic women in Ta Lai commune, Dong Nai province, to honor the silent artisans who preserve the soul of Ma ethnic culture in the contemporary flow.

Honoring the traditional brocade weaving craft

Coming here, visitors can learn about the daily life and beliefs of the Ma people, the hand-weaving process with a simple loom, and the technique of dyeing yarn from natural materials (such as turmeric and the bark of the Indian laurel tree)...

Visitors can also admire wedding costumes, household items, creative products applied in modern life such as handbags, scarves, jewelry...

In particular, the family of artisan Ka Rin and her daughter, Ms. Ka Huong - a family with 3 generations involved in the traditional brocade weaving profession in Ta Lai commune - were present at the museum to introduce the brocade weaving profession.

Mrs. Ka Rin is the daughter of folk artist Ka Bao - who has contributed a lot to teaching traditional brocade weaving to his children, grandchildren and the young generation of the Ma ethnic group.

“My family has three generations involved in the traditional brocade weaving profession. My mother taught me the craft, and then I taught it to my children and grandchildren. Weaving brocade is very hard work, requiring the weaver to be patient, healthy, have skillful hands, and be creative. One must meticulously pick up the threads to create each flower pattern. On average, it takes nearly a week to weave a shirt or skirt. Large pieces of fabric or blankets take more than half a month.

I am determined to keep the profession and pass on the “secret” of the profession to my daughter, just like I used to learn weaving with my grandmother and mother when I was a child. Despite modern life, the Ma people in Ta Lai are always proud of the products they weave with their own hands” - Ms. Ka Rin shared.

dệt thổ cẩm - Ảnh 2. — Artisan Ka Rin has been involved in brocade weaving since childhood, then taught it to his children and grandchildren - Photo: VAN TRUNG

Early in her career, Ka Huong followed her mother into the souvenir business for tourists. She learned English to communicate with tourists. This led to her working as a tour guide at the Center for Ecotourism and Environmental Education in Cat Tien National Park.

“Since I was a child, sitting next to my grandmother and mother, watching the weaving, fondling each roll of wool and thread, I began to learn each movement from the easiest to the most difficult. Then I learned to weave, creating many different types of products. As a young person who learned the weaving profession, I really want to contribute a little of my youth in spreading the fire, awakening love and appreciation for the cultural values of the Ma people,” said Ms. Ka Huong.

dệt thổ cẩm - Ảnh 3. — Ms. Ka Huong is proud to continue her mother's brocade weaving profession - Photo: VAN TRUNG

Moment Photo Awards

On this occasion, the Southern Women's Museum awarded the 2025 annual photo contest with the theme Moments , honoring the beauty of Vietnamese women.

After one month of launching, the organizing committee received nearly 1,250 photos from 99 authors with 64 photo sets (532 photos) and 717 single photos.

The organizing committee unanimously selected 7 photo sets and 10 single photos from 12 authors to award prizes. In which, the first prize for single photo was awarded to author Nguyen Trung Truc with the photo "Hoa Thao Truong " . The first prize for photo set belonged to author Nguyen Van Tuan with the photo set "Medical examination and treatment at Binh Duong General Hospital ".

dệt thổ cẩm - Ảnh 4. — The organizing committee awarded first, second and third prizes in the single photo category - Photo: VAN TRUNG

dệt thổ cẩm - Ảnh 5. — Authors received first, second and third prizes in the photo series category - Photo: VAN TRUNG

According to the organizers, the Ma ethnic group lives mainly in Lam Dong and Dong Nai provinces. In Ta Lai commune, Dong Nai province, the Ma people have created a cultural space, in which the traditional brocade weaving craft emerges as a core cultural expression, a unique intangible cultural heritage.

Weaving is a system of indigenous knowledge passed down through generations of Ma women. From the age of 8-9, girls begin to learn the first techniques from their grandmothers and mothers. Ma brocade patterns are rich, from winding rivers, deep eyes, animals, plants...

The exhibition on traditional brocade weaving of Ma ethnic women will take place until April 18, 2026.