Gen Z pursues traditional occupations.

Quietly returning to their traditional craft villages, these young people are reviving the centuries-old cultural heritage with unique innovations. They are not only continuing the craft but also giving it a new voice in contemporary life.

Young people are returning to traditional crafts and stimulating local tourism development. Photo: Le Trong Khang

Experiments based on old foundations

A rather interesting collaboration between photographers Le Trong Khang, Tran Thi Yen (Ma Chau silk village), and Nguyen Viet Lam (Thanh Ha pottery village) on a set of souvenir gifts with a distinct Quang Nam flavor has surprised many people.

The Ma Chau silk scarf set, along with items made from Thanh Ha pottery featuring landscapes and cultural identity of Quang Nam province, are hand-painted or embroidered on silk, or glazed with natural glaze for pottery. This trio of young people from Quang Nam are bringing the products of this collaboration to many tourist destinations in Da Nang city.

Tran Thi Yen and Nguyen Viet Lam are both well-known figures among enthusiasts of traditional handicrafts. Both in their 20s and descendants of elderly artisans in the craft village, they are deeply concerned with how to preserve their ancestors' craft.

Thanks to Tran Thi Yen's efforts, Ma Chau silk has become a material of choice for renowned Vietnamese designers at international fashion weeks. Not stopping there, she has gone on to experiment with silk in more product lines.

Distinguished artisan Huynh Ri has been teaching young people in Kim Bong carpentry village. Photo: Hoi An Cultural and Arts Center.

Similar to Yen's aspirations, Nguyen Viet Lam (born in 1996) is gradually diversifying the product lines of Thanh Ha pottery. Still based on the traditional handcrafted pottery of the village, which is over 500 years old, Thanh Ha pottery has added glazed pottery and unique souvenir items, contributing to establishing the position of traditional village products.

Da Nang city currently has up to 60 traditional craft villages, stretching from the mountainous areas to the plains. Each area has its own traditional crafts and villages associated with unique cultural values. What is commendable about young people returning to the craft villages of Quang Nam province is that they have created many opportunities to promote the products of these villages through various methods.

People's Artisan Nguyen Van Tiep - Vice President of the Vietnam Traditional Craft Village Association, said that when young people are inspired, they will understand that traditional crafts are closely linked to the national cultural identity, and there will certainly be those who choose to stay and dedicate themselves to them.

Quang Nam province has produced many handicrafts that have made their mark in the export market and have become unique souvenirs of the region. And the contribution of young people is significant.

Modernizing traditional craft village products.

In Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village, most products are now equipped with technological chips. This is also the first village in the country to attach blockchain chips to traditional handicraft products. The "cultural stories" of each Non Nuoc stone carving product are revealed through smartphones. From the product's conception to the crafting process, information about the creator, the origin of the materials, etc., is recounted in a coherent manner.

Students visit and experience the Thanh Ha pottery village. Photo: LE TRONG KHANG

According to a representative from the Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village Management Board, the village currently has approximately 384 production facilities of varying sizes, employing around 1,500 workers. More than half of these workers are young people from the local area. They are the driving force behind the easier application of digital technology to the products and the wider dissemination of the "cultural story" of the village's products.

"They research and create beautiful products in various sizes, filming and photographing themselves, and interpreting information to incorporate into the products, thus increasing labor productivity. In the future, households in the village plan to invest in 'robotic arms' that can replace up to 90% of the processes," shared a representative of the Non Nuoc Stone Sculpture Village Management Board.

Digital technology, with its various features, has contributed to promoting traditional craft products and bringing products that were previously confined to the local area to customers in Hanoi, Saigon, and even abroad through e-commerce platforms.

Furthermore, traditional craft villages are striving to become impressive destinations for tourists. Developing community-based tourism around craft villages is a goal that Da Nang city has set for the future.

Mr. Van Ba ​​Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang city, said that currently, community tourism destinations are mainly run by young people. For traditional craft villages oriented towards developing craft village tourism, the role of young people is even more important. Experiential workshops for tourists, as well as young people acting as tour guides in the craft villages, will create unique features to develop craft village tourism.

The draft Political Report of the Executive Committee of the Da Nang City Party Committee, 22nd term, calls for the development of high-quality tourism and services, linked with the preservation and promotion of revolutionary traditions and cultural heritage, making Da Nang an attractive destination for the world. This includes promoting agricultural and rural tourism linked to local culture and ecological experiences. It also calls for building community tourism models, traditional craft villages, and smart agricultural farms; and encouraging the development of forest-medicine-ecotourism and community-based tourism models in areas with suitable conditions...

Source: https://baodanang.vn/gen-z-lam-nghe-truyen-thong-3301156.html