500-year-old mat-making village in Quang Nam has its certificate revoked

On October 15, news from the Office of the People's Committee of Quang Nam province said that Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Quang Buu has just signed a decision to revoke the recognition certificate of An Phuoc mat weaving village (Duy Phuoc commune, Duy Xuyen district).

According to the People's Committee of Quang Nam province, the reason for revoking the title is that this craft village does not meet the criteria specified in Decision No. 43/QD-UBND dated December 30, 2022 of the People's Committee of Quang Nam province on recognition of traditional occupations, craft villages, and traditional craft villages.

An Phuoc Mat Village has a history of more than 500 years but is gradually fading away. Photo: Dang Ba Thinh

Specifically, this craft village is not developing, no longer creates products with national cultural identity, and there are no longer artisans associated with the craft to pass on the craft to the next generation...

Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee requests Duy Xuyen District People's Committee to revoke the recognition certificate and report to the province for synthesis and monitoring. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall preside over and coordinate with Duy Xuyen District to update the list of occupations, craft villages, and traditional craft villages in the province and monitor and urge the implementation of this decision.

According to legend, the mat weaving profession appeared in An Phuoc more than 500 years ago, when the founder of the profession from Thanh Hoa came here on a journey to open up the South in the 15th century.

People in An Phuoc village have woven many different types of mats such as Hieu Bong mat, Mat Lay (drawing letters on the mat), Bong Loi mat, and Siamese mat. Mats from An Phuoc village have sophisticated patterns and harmonious, balanced colors.

An Phuoc mat village, along with Ban Thach mat village, An Phuoc in Quang Nam, was once bustling with vast green sedge fields. Mats were carried by merchant ships to La Vang - Quang Tri. Many families made their fortune from weaving sedge mats. In An Phuoc village, there are families who have been making mats for 14 generations.

In 2004, the People's Committee of Quang Nam province recognized An Phuoc mat weaving village as a traditional craft village.

However, due to the meager income from mat weaving, in recent years people have abandoned the profession, causing the traditional An Phuoc mat weaving profession to be at risk of extinction.

Khanh Ngoc

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/lang-nghe-det-chieu-hon-500-tuoi-o-quang-nam-bi-thu-hoi-bang-cong-nhan-post317009.html