Diligently preserving the craft
In a small stilt house in T2 village (Kim Son commune), artisan Dinh Van Rat (63 years old, a Bana ethnic minority) diligently works day after day with bamboo tubes, reeds, pieces of wood, etc., meticulously crafting various traditional musical instruments.
Mr. and Mrs. Dinh Van Rat (Kim Son commune) take advantage of their free time during the agricultural off-season to weave baskets and earn extra income while preserving the craft passed down from their ancestors. Photo: D.D.
Mr. Rất started crafting musical instruments at the age of 15, taught by the village elders and women how to select materials, carve holes, tune strings, and develop a good sense of pitch to produce a clear, resonant sound. The materials used are mature, sturdy, and insect-free bamboo and other similar plants. After drying, he meticulously carves and measures each detail. Each product has its own level of difficulty, sometimes taking from two weeks to a month to complete. Currently, he crafts various types of musical instruments, such as: Preng (a type of zither), klía (a type of flute), pră (a two-stringed instrument), lơng không, plang, t'rưng…; in addition, he also knows how to weave various items: Nong, nia, guì… for daily use.
“The musical instruments I make are usually custom-made, costing from a few hundred thousand to over 2 million dong each, depending on the type and level of craftsmanship. As for the woven products, I don't sell them at the market; I just hang them in front of my house. Anyone passing by who likes them can stop and buy them to decorate or use in their home. For me, doing this craft isn't about making a profit, but about preserving the cultural soul of our nation,” Mr. Rat confided.
In Ha Van Tren village (Van Canh commune), the rhythmic clicking of the loom still echoes in the small stilt house of Mrs. Dinh Thi Bong (49 years old, a Bana woman). For many years, amidst the modern pace of life, she has remained dedicated to her loom and colorful yarns, weaving brocade fabrics that reflect her ethnic identity.
Previously, Mrs. Bong only wove for use in festivals and weddings; now, with the increased demand for brocade clothing, she weaves more to sell. Each brocade dress takes several days to weave and costs between 1 and 3 million VND. To date, she has sold nearly 15 sets, earning extra income to support her family. For her, weaving is not only a source of pride but also a way for women in the village to preserve traditional culture.
In Hamlet 1, An Trung (An Vinh Commune), Mr. Dinh Van To (75 years old, a H're ethnic minority) still diligently practices the traditional craft of basket weaving passed down from his ancestors. Since the age of 12, he has known how to separate threads and weave patterns and diamond shapes evenly and securely. For over 60 years, he has maintained the craft of making baskets, trays, and other containers for daily use and to sell to people in the commune.
“Each product takes a few afternoons to a few days to make, selling for a few tens to a few hundred thousand dong. The money isn't much, but it's enough to help support my children and grandchildren. I just hope the younger generation will be willing to learn the craft, appreciate it, and preserve the traditional craft of our people,” Mr. Tó said.
Promoting traditional crafts in conjunction with tourism.
In recent years, many localities have focused on restoring and promoting the value of traditional craft villages and trades, linking them with community tourism development.
Ms. Dinh Thi Bong (Van Canh commune) weaves a brocade fabric ordered by villagers. Photo: D.D.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Viet, Chairman of the People's Committee of Van Canh commune, said that the commune currently has about 78 people maintaining the traditional brocade weaving craft. In recent times, the government has encouraged artisans to pass on their skills and open training classes for the people; and requested associations and organizations to support the consumption of the products.
"To ensure the sustainable development of brocade weaving, the commune recently directed the Department of Culture and Social Affairs to promptly implement the project to build a community tourism destination associated with preserving brocade weaving in Ha Van Tren village, both preserving culture and helping people increase their income," Mr. Viet said.
Mr. Dinh Van Nghin, Chairman of the People's Committee of An Toan commune, said: The commune is implementing a general planning project for the commune's development until 2035. From there, the locality is calling on businesses to invest in a festival and culinary tourism area, a community tourism center, and an ecological zone in Hamlet 1…; at the same time, restoring some traditional crafts of the Bana people and guiding them to create a variety of souvenir products to serve tourists. With a stable market, people will become more attached to their crafts, creating a harmonious combination of conservation and development.
According to Deputy Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion Tran Van Thanh, in the coming time, the Department will coordinate with other departments, agencies and localities to review, compile statistics, and develop a plan to preserve traditional craft villages and handicrafts of ethnic minorities in the province.
In addition, the Department will integrate policies supporting livelihoods, vocational training, and community tourism development into projects under the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; promote awareness and encourage young people to learn vocational skills and be creative based on traditional values, contributing to preserving cultural identity and promoting sustainable economic development in ethnic minority areas.
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/giu-lua-nghe-thu-cong-truyen-thong-o-vung-cao-post569623.html
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