The Bahnar family is passionate about traditional crafts.

(GLO)- In Kgiang village (To Tung commune), the couple Dinh Thi Hien and Dinh Bi were both honored as Meritorious Artisans in the traditional handicraft category - a rare thing among ethnic minority families in the province. They have "passed on the torch" to help the Bana community preserve the craft of weaving and brocade weaving.

A talented couple who have persevered in preserving their craft.

We visited the family of artisan Dinh Thi Hien (born in 1965) when the sun was already high in the sky. Beside her loom, which had darkened considerably, Mrs. Hien was still nimbly threading the yarn to weave brocade skirts. Sitting nearby, Mr. Dinh Bi (born in 1954) was intently weaving baskets. This simple image of the couple is familiar to the locals and leaves a lasting impression on visitors to the village.

Ms. Dinh Thi Hien teaches her children and grandchildren the technique of weaving brocade. Photo: HT

After more than 40 years dedicated to weaving, Ms. Hien has accumulated experience and preserved traditional techniques to create many products with exquisite and beautiful patterns. She enthusiastically participates in traditional costume shows and introduces brocade weaving techniques at competitions and cultural events, most notably the Vietnamese Ethnic Groups Culture Day in Hanoi in 2019.

She still maintains the traditional practice of growing cotton, spinning yarn, and dyeing thread herself. Occasionally, she ventures into the forest to find leaves, stems, and plants in the mountains to use as colors for the thread.

"This process is time-consuming, but it creates durable brocade products that retain the core traditional colors of the mountains and forests, making them popular with locals and tourists alike," Ms. Hien shared.

Mr. Dinh Bi is also renowned for his weaving skills. Meticulously shaping each bamboo strip, Mr. Bi explains: To create woven products, you need bamboo or rattan strips for the straps. The strips must be whittled evenly and thinly to ensure tightness when woven. For patterned baskets, you have to find a type of plant in the mountains and soak it in water to create the black color for the strips. Depending on the pattern, the level of intricacy varies; you might weave two parallel black lines around the body of the basket or create more complex shapes.

Mr. Dinh Bi's patterned baskets are popular with locals and tourists alike. In 2024, building upon traditional weaving techniques and materials, he created a vase that won first prize at the Kbang District's weaving and brocade making competition.

Passionate about passing on knowledge to future generations.

For many years, Mrs. Hien and her husband have actively taught and shared their experience so that their children, grandchildren, and villagers can work together to preserve and promote the craft of weaving and brocade making.

In late 2021, when the Bahnar brocade weaving conservation and development project was implemented in the commune, Ms. Hien, along with an artisan from the same village, directly instructed many project trainees on weaving techniques, focusing on preserving and promoting the weaving of traditional patterns.

At over 70 years old, Mr. Dinh Bi still diligently preserves the traditional weaving craft of his ethnic group. Photo: HT

Despite his advanced age and declining health, Mr. Dinh Bi still dedicates much of his time and effort to teaching the men in the village the technique of weaving patterned baskets. Mr. Dinh Ring (from Kgiang village) said: "I knew how to weave patterned baskets before, but in recent years, thanks to Mr. Bi's guidance, I can weave more beautiful baskets. Now, I cooperate with Mr. Bi to pass on the craft to the young people in the village."

The family of artisans Dinh Thi Hien and Dinh Bi is a key figure in the local cultural development movement, actively participating in activities to preserve traditional culture, promote handicraft products, and contribute to the development of local tourism . The commune regularly cites Ms. Hien's family as an example for other families to learn from.”

Head of Culture and Social Affairs Department of To Tung Commune, Ha Cao Giang

According to Mr. Dinh Van Nghien, Secretary of the Party Branch of Kgiang village, the family of artisans Dinh Thi Hien and Dinh Bi has always been at the forefront of preserving and promoting traditional crafts. "In particular, all four of their children are continuing to maintain the traditional craft and have demonstrated remarkable skill in weaving and brocade making," Mr. Nghien added.

Ms. Dinh Thi Hai, Ms. Hien's daughter, has been passed down the techniques of weaving traditional patterns, showcasing the beauty of the Bana people's life and culture. As a result, her brocade products are popular with customers and have won many awards at competitions.

“With the desire to create new products from traditional brocade weaving that can attract more customers today, I made the ‘Brưng Scarf’ made entirely from natural cotton fibers, featuring beautiful and distinctive patterns of the Bahnar people. This product was certified as a 3-star OCOP product by Kbang district in 2023,” Ms. Hai shared.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/gia-dinh-bahnar-tam-huyet-voi-nghe-thu-cong-truyen-thong-post569416.html