Preserving the craft of weaving sedge in An Giang

A facility that makes beautiful handicrafts from sedge. Photo: Contributor

The sedge weaving profession in Giang Thanh commune has existed for hundreds of years, closely associated with the lives of Khmer people in the border area. From the alum soil fields, wild grasses that grow naturally are exploited, dried, and crushed by people to create household products such as eggplant, mattresses, etc. Gradually, the profession has not only become a traditional cultural feature, but also a sustainable livelihood for many generations.

However, the uncontrolled exploitation, combined with the encroachment of the Mimosa tree, has caused the area of Lepironia sedge to shrink, the habitat to change, and the red-headed crane, a rare bird listed in the Red Book of Vietnam and the world, to gradually disappear. Faced with this situation, in 2016, Kien Giang province (old) decided to establish the Phu My Species Habitat Conservation Area with an area of over 2,700 hectares, of which the core area is over 1,000 hectares, to preserve the only remaining Lepironia sedge ecosystem in the Mekong Delta, while ensuring a stable source of livelihood for the people.

The goal of the reserve is not only to protect biodiversity, maintain the number of over 100 red-crowned cranes returning to roost each year, but also to develop traditional craft villages associated with sustainable livelihoods. Exploitation activities are strictly managed, combining scientific research, community education , developing eco-tourism and promoting handicraft products from sedge.

In Phu My, almost every Khmer woman knows how to weave. For example, Ms. Tran Thi Xem (Kinh Moi hamlet) has been involved in the profession for more than 20 years, since she was just over 10 years old. Every day, at 3am she wakes up to go to the field to pull sedge grass until 9-10am before returning, then continuing the steps of drying, pressing, dyeing and weaving. The work is light but requires dexterity, so it is usually reserved for women and children in the family. “Weeding must be done properly, otherwise the roots will be broken, the stems will be crushed, and the grass fibers will be uneven,” Ms. Xem shared.

According to Mr. Ly Hoang Bao, in charge of handicrafts at Phu My Habitat Conservation Area, in the past, people mainly wove cushions and bamboo mats for daily use. But now, thanks to training and design support, products have become more diverse, from fashionable handbags, household items, interior decorations to environmentally friendly packaging. Thanks to that, the sedge weaving profession not only preserves the soul of Khmer culture, but also meets market demand.

Currently, about 200 workers (90% of whom are Khmer women) are making a living from this profession. Each person has a stable income of about 3 million VND/month, a good level for people in border areas. The products of the craft village are purchased by the company, with an output of about 200,000 products/year. The main consumption markets are in Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, tourist destinations in the West and exported to Europe, Japan, China...

Mrs. Thia's family is a living testament to the persistence of the craft. At the age of over 70, her hands are still skillful in weaving. She said that the craft was passed down from her mother, then to her daughter and now to her two little granddaughters. "They are all skillful, they can weave at the age of 5," Mrs. Thia smiled gently. Notably, in 2018, Phu My sedge weaving village was recognized as a traditional craft village of Kien Giang province (old). Along with that, the establishment of the Sedge Women's Cooperative has expanded production and consumption opportunities.
From just making simple items for daily life, Phu My sedge weaving has now expanded far and wide, contributing to poverty reduction, preserving Khmer cultural identity and at the same time conserving the unique ecosystem, where red-crowned cranes still return every flood season.

NGUYEN TRINH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/giu-nghe-dan-co-bang-o-an-giang-a190554.html