In the old days, people wore wooden clogs and went barefoot.

Việt Nam•08/08/2023

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - In the past, due to a life of scarcity and backwardness, many people had to go barefoot, but there was also a group of people who could wear wooden clogs. And the image of wooden clogs and barefoot in those days evokes in each of us many unforgettable memories of a bygone era.

Memories of a bygone era

Barefoot, or going barefoot, means not wearing anything on your feet. Looking at sketches and photographs from the French colonial period, it shows that most Vietnamese people in the past went barefoot, from adults to children, from men to women, from farmers to cart pullers, postal workers (delivering documents), and even soldiers.

Wooden clogs are a small, simple, yet very familiar item that has left its mark on the cultural heritage of the nation. (Illustrative image)

Not only in remote areas, but even in the suburbs of the capital city, people "walk barefoot, wearing their clothes patched over their shoulders, strolling through the markets of the day and the morning" (Nguyen Khoa Diem). When walking barefoot, the feet are in direct contact with the ground, and if they step on thorns, pebbles, or sharp objects, it is very painful, sometimes even causing bleeding. In coastal areas with long stretches of sand, the summer heat is scorching, so to cross it, people have to break off a bunch of leaves and branches. After walking a short distance, if it gets too hot, they put some leaves down on the ground to rest before continuing. Ethnic minorities living in mountainous areas with rocky and thorny paths still walk barefoot, even when attending festivals or going into the forest to cultivate fields and cut trees.

For the Kinh people in the plains of Quang Ngai in the past, they went barefoot to till the land, cultivate fields, harvest, carry rice, and carry firewood. Some people living in the plains went on itinerant trading, traveling dozens of kilometers daily on foot. Goods were not yet developed, shoes were not common, and buying a pair of shoes or sandals was not cheap, and plastic sandals were unavailable, so they had to go barefoot. Some even wore full long robes but still went barefoot. People jokingly called going barefoot "wearing leather shoes," meaning the skin of one's feet. Like hands, the feet are very sensitive, but enduring such conditions caused them to become calloused and lose sensation. However, there was a type of footwear that was neither particularly luxurious nor particularly humble: wooden clogs. In the old days, without plastic or rubber sandals, people wore wooden clogs.

Wooden clogs from the old days

Wooden clogs might seem outdated, but they have their advantages. Wearing them keeps your feet clean and airy, and the skin feels more comfortable against the wood than with shoes. Clogs can also evoke a sense of elegance and grace, especially when worn with a traditional Vietnamese dress (áo dài) and a headscarf. Of course, because the soles are made of wood, wearing them on uneven surfaces can easily lead to slips and falls.

The poet Nguyen Khoa Diem, in his famous poem "Suburban Land," wrote the line, "I absentmindedly read sad poetry to the sound of wooden clogs shaving." In the old days, men and women commonly wore traditional Vietnamese blouses and wooden clogs. Wooden clogs, of course, had wooden soles and a single strap for the foot, which could be made of fabric, leather, or some other flexible yet durable material. Until the 1960s, plastic or molded rubber sandals were not yet common. On Le Trung Dinh Street (now Le Trung Dinh Road, Quang Ngai City), there were often shops selling wooden clogs. Teachers and students wore clogs to school. These clogs were probably imported from manufacturers in the South. Men's clogs were simply elongated, mango-shaped, with a flat sole. Women's clogs were carved to fit the foot, usually with high heels, and the strap was often attached with a piece of silk fabric or molded plastic. The clog's surface was sometimes painted in dark colors with decorations or in its natural wood color. At the heel of the clog, a piece of fabric or rubber can be attached to make it comfortable to walk in, prevent clacking, and provide anti-slip properties. These are the types of clogs that are mass-produced for sale.

Wooden clogs are available for purchase, but not everyone can afford them, so many people make their own. The tools for carving clogs are sometimes just a machete; a saw, chisel, and plane are even better. A rectangular piece of wood is carved and shaped to fit the foot, the top surface is left flat, the bottom is carved with a heel, and the toe is trimmed to prevent tripping. A rectangular piece of cloth or leather is cut to make the strap, a small piece of tin is used as a retaining band, and small, wide-sharpened nails are hammered in – and voilà, a pair of wooden clogs is ready to wear. Any type of wood can be used for clogs, whether it's good quality wood, precious wood, or soft, porous, and lightweight wood. The thickness of a wooden clog is usually about 5cm.

Looking at ancient paintings, one can see that the Japanese, alongside their famous kimonos, also wore wooden clogs like the Vietnamese. They were considered polite, but sometimes, even with shoes, sandals, or clogs, one couldn't be polite. This was when crossing rivers or streams, or walking on muddy paths; the only way was to take off the shoes, sandals, or clogs, tie them to the belt, and continue walking. Sometimes, even on muddy paths, it was inconvenient. For example, in Ngo Tat To's work "Turning Off the Lights," during the French colonial period, Mr. Nghi Que had a pair of Chi Long shoes. He often dozed off during parliamentary meetings, hence the nickname "Nodding Nghi." When he dozed off at the table, he would often take his feet out of the shoes and put them on the chair, fearing they might be stolen, so he would tie them to his belt for security. In the past, wearing beautiful clogs could be similar: take off your feet, doze off, and beware, when you wake up and put your feet down, you might only find the ground!

Wearing clogs sometimes requires discretion. When I was a teenager, my older brother and I happily carved clogs to wear, thinking it looked very "fashionable." Our uncle saw this and scolded us: "Wearing clogs clacking in front of elders is disrespectful!" Because in the old days, that clacking sound was only used by elders as a kind of... intimidating gesture, something everyone feared.

CAO CHU

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