The drum-making village of Bac Thai is bustling with activity at the end of the year.

As one of the long-standing drum-making households in Bac Thai village, Mr. Bui Van Nghiem's family has recently received numerous orders from customers within the province and neighboring provinces such as Nghe An and Quang Tri. To ensure sufficient finished products are available for customers, his family has had to mobilize three additional skilled craftsmen to help with the work.

Mr. Bui Van Nghiem is busy producing orders for the year-end season.

“We have two main production peak periods each year. The first is from May to July in the lunar calendar, serving the summer festivals. However, the busiest period is from November to the full moon of the first lunar month of the following year. This is because the end of the year is when the demand for festival preparations, especially for Tet (Lunar New Year), Christmas, and the full moon of the first lunar month, increases significantly, so we have to dedicate all our manpower and resources to ensure timely production,” Mr. Nghiem said.

To meet customer delivery deadlines, Mr. Nghiem and his team make the most of their time. From drying cowhides, sanding, packing boxes, attaching rattan ropes, to making drum rings… every step is carried out continuously, day and night.

The sounds of chiseling and planing wood create a lively atmosphere in the traditional drum-making village of Bac Thai.

Not far away, Mr. Bui Van Nhuong's family is also focusing all their manpower on making drums. It is known that this Tet holiday, his family has received more than 10 large and small orders from within and outside the province.

“The resounding drums are the call of culture, of festivals, and of spring. Therefore, no matter how busy we are, we must always prioritize quality. This is not just a means of livelihood, but also a responsibility to preserve the brand passed down from our ancestors. Looking at the finished drums, we see our contribution to the traditional Tet atmosphere, and our hearts are filled with excitement and pride,” Mr. Nhuong expressed.

Mr. Bui Van Nhuong's drum manufacturing facility (wearing a gray shirt) supplies dozens of different types of drums to the market.

According to Mr. Nhuong, while finding raw materials is difficult, the stages of completing the drum require even more meticulousness, attention to detail, and hard work from the craftsman. “To make a durable, beautiful, and resonant drum, you have to go through at least 10 main stages, taking 7-10 days. The most important is the material selection; next is assembling the drum body and making the drum frame to fit perfectly; finally, the drumhead assembly – requiring strong hands and precise leather pulling techniques to ensure ideal tension, creating the round, resonant sound characteristic of Bac Thai drums,” Mr. Nhuong explained.

Reportedly, there are 25 households in Bac Thai village engaged in the traditional drum-making craft. According to local residents, to meet the production demand during peak seasons, drum-making households must prepare raw materials months in advance. They travel throughout the former Ky Anh and Cam Xuyen districts to find and buy large-trunked rattan for drum frames; old jackfruit wood for drum bodies; or the hides of old cows for drumheads...

These large drums, produced to order, have become the hallmark of the Northern Thai drum brand.

“To make a durable drum that is resistant to termites and produces a resonant sound, high-quality materials are essential. This is also a factor contributing to the popularity of Bac Thai drums in the market. We are proud that the sound of Bac Thai drums has traveled throughout the country, serving religious and cultural activities,” said Bui Van Dong, a drum maker in Bac Thai.

With a reputation and brand built over a hundred years, an average drum-making household in Bac Thai village can produce 80-150 drums per year. Small drums are priced from 700,000 to 1 million VND per drum, while larger drums range from 3 to 20 million VND per drum. The selling price of Bac Thai drums depends not only on size but also on the specific requirements of the customer.

The Đồng Tiến commune authorities regularly encourage residents to preserve traditional crafts and build a brand of high-quality, reputable drums.

Mr. Bui Van Diem, Secretary of the Bac Thai Village Party Branch, shared: “The drum-making craft has been associated with Bac Thai for many generations, creating the identity and soul of this land. In the context of industrialization, we still strive to maintain the quality and traditional techniques. The village is encouraging households engaged in the craft to continue training young artisans, while also seeking opportunities to promote trade to expand the market, ensuring that the Bac Thai drum brand continues to be preserved and developed sustainably.”

Comment (0)