Nearly half a century of weaving brocade colors

Keep the profession with all your heart

Born in 1958, graduated from Can Tho University of Education in 1983, Mr. Mohamad used to be a teacher. However, difficult family circumstances forced him to put aside chalk and blackboard, and join his sisters in weaving brocade with his father. Having been attached to the loom since childhood, he understands that each thread and each piece of fabric contains the effort and passion of the craftsman.

Mr. Mohamad said: “Drying thread, spinning thread, and spinning yarn have been part of my childhood. My mother passed away early, my father became weaker, my wife and I continued to keep the profession, because it is the soul of our family and our people.”

Mr. Mohamad introduces brocade products and the type of tourism he owns. Photo: DANH THANH

Since 2000, Mr. Mohamad has established a traditional Cham brocade weaving facility in Phum Soai hamlet, creating jobs for more than 10 local workers and bringing traditional products far and wide. In addition to the main products of sarongs and scarves, he has also created handbags, backpacks, hats, key chains, etc., all of which are exquisite handmade products. At one point, his textiles were exported to Cambodia and Malaysia, helping many Cham households improve their lives, with an average income per capita of nearly 70 million VND/year.

“I have been involved in the weaving profession and Mr. Mohamad’s establishment for more than 10 years. He is always dedicated to preserving the traditional craft of the Cham people, thanks to which the brocade weaving profession has developed and brought stable income to the people,” Ms. Maridah shared.

According to Mr. Mohamad, to create a beautiful brocade, the craftsman must go through many meticulous steps, from soaking the yarn, bleaching, dyeing, drying, warping the yarn and then weaving the pattern, in which dyeing is the most important step. Although today he has switched to using industrial dyes, he still retains the traditional motifs typical of the Cham people, such as hammocks, shuttles, lanterns, saw teeth, flowers and leaves...

These are cultural symbols that have existed for many generations of the people. Each product here is cherished by him as a spiritual child, containing the soul of the craftsman.

From craft village to tourist destination

Not only does he keep his craft, Mr. Mohamad also does tourism from his craft. In 2024, with the support of the local government, he launched the Chau Phong Cham community tourism cooperative. He directly opened tours to visit the weaving workshop, and restored the traditional Cham wedding room for tourists to experience and take souvenir photos.

During each tour, he demonstrates weaving and tells stories about the history of the craft village, the customs and practices of the Cham people here. Tourists are also guided to visit the mosque, the ancient house architecture, and watch Rappana drum performances...

“This is the first time I have witnessed the traditional brocade weaving process of the Cham people. Mr. Mohamad not only introduced each step in detail but also told us stories related to the cultural and religious life of the Cham people,” said Ms. Thai Thi My Duyen, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City.

For two consecutive years (2019, 2020), Mr. Mohamad represented the craft village to participate in the National Festival honoring Vietnamese brocade weaving in Dak Nong, contributing to promoting the image of Cham people in An Giang to the whole country.

In particular, in March 2023, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized the brocade weaving craft of the Cham people in Chau Phong commune as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is a worthy reward for the years of perseverance of those who "keep the soul of silk thread".

Mr. Mohamad was awarded a certificate of merit by the Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Committee (now the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs and Religion), and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and was chosen by local people as a prestigious person.

In the middle of the small house in Phum Soai, the sound of Mr. Mohamad's loom still resounds regularly like the heartbeat of a living heritage. Each brocade is not only a sophisticated handcrafted product but also a piece of Cham culture woven with love, memories and national pride. From those simple threads, the color of Cham brocade is forever durable over time.

“I am only worried that if brocade weaving is not preserved and promoted, it will fade over time. It is not easy to do this job now, but we still encourage each other to try to keep the weaving frame and the craft of our ancestors. As long as I have the strength, I will continue to call on people to preserve this tradition,” said Mr. Mohamad.

THANH HUYEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/gan-nua-the-ky-det-nen-sac-mau-tho-cam-a464804.html