Gia Thanh preserves the craft of making conical hats.

The rural areas of the Central Highlands of Vietnam still preserve many traditional craft villages, among which the conical hat-making craft in Gia Thanh commune, Phu Ninh district, has a tradition of nearly 100 years. Through many generations, the conical hat has been preserved by the people here as a gift from their homeland to friends near and far... Each conical hat has contributed and continues to contribute to preserving and maintaining the traditional culture of this region.

The craft of making conical hats in Gia Thanh has been passed down from generation to generation.

The late summer shower made the path to Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tich's house in Zone 4 slippery and difficult to navigate. Seemingly accustomed to visiting groups coming to learn about the craft of making conical hats, Mrs. Tich, while instructing her 8-year-old grandson in shaping the leaves, quickly sewed a complete hat in time for tomorrow's market.

She said, "This is a family tradition passed down from our ancestors, so I want my children and grandchildren to learn and preserve this craft for future generations. Everyone in my family, from the elderly to the young, knows how to make conical hats. The children help me prepare and iron the leaves, while the skilled ones make the rims and mold them... In this way, the craft of making conical hats has become deeply ingrained in the hearts of every resident of Rền village, enduring through time."

Making a complete conical hat requires meticulous effort and skill. Hat makers must perform nearly a dozen intricate steps, from shaping the leaves, ironing them, pressing them flat, then making the brim, sewing the hat... Once sewn, the hat is removed from the mold, then the thread is cut, the hat is reinforced, the filling is inserted, and the crown is sewn. Each Gia Thanh hat is made of two layers of leaves, with a layer of bamboo sheath or reed sheath between the two layers to create thickness and sturdiness, protecting it from rain.

The inside of the hat is skillfully threaded with colored threads by the craftsman to secure the straps. Before reaching the buyer, each hat is coated with a layer of oil to make it durable, beautiful, and waterproof. A beautiful hat must have a smooth brim, even stitching, and stitches evenly spaced along each brim.

Taking us on a tour of some hat-making households in the village, Ms. Trieu Thi Nhuong - Head of Gia Thanh conical hat-making village - shared: “At the end of 2005, the people in the commune were excited when the Provincial People's Committee recognized it as a craft village. The hat-making craft is mainly concentrated in areas 3 and 4 with about 40 households. Although the income is not really high, it is a stable profession that contributes to creating jobs for the people. From the elderly to young children, everyone can take advantage of their free time to make hats. Some materials such as bamboo, reeds, and bamboo sheaths are utilized by the people from their own gardens, thus reducing many costs. Therefore, hat weaving has many advantages compared to other handicrafts.”

Gia Thanh's conical hats will be displayed and exhibited at the Hung Kings Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival in 2024.

More than just a place producing a long-standing and distinctive traditional handicraft, Gia Thanh conical hat village is also a repository of folk art, production experience, and community customs. Along with the annual market days, Gia Thanh hat makers now enjoy greater success as more people know about and seek out their products due to the durable and beautiful quality of their hats.

It is precisely because of this unique characteristic that in recent years, Gia Thanh conical hats have become an attractive handicraft village tourism product, linked to learning about and experiencing local culture, contributing to enhancing economic value and preserving traditional crafts. The craft village has become a popular destination, especially for international tourists. Thanks to intensified tourism promotion, the conical hat has spread far beyond the village boundaries to all parts of the country, and is chosen by many tourists as a gift.

Along with seedless persimmons, the conical hat has become a branded OCOP (One Commune One Product) product of this predominantly agricultural, mountainous commune facing many difficulties. To continue preserving and developing the hat-making craft, the villagers hope for more attention from the authorities at all levels in supporting product distribution, contributing to increasing value and income, thereby creating motivation for the younger generation to stay involved and help the craft village reach further.

Hong Nhung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/gia-thanh-giu-nghe-lam-non-216662.htm