Preserving the "spirit of the countryside" in traditional craft villages.

In the modern era, preserving and effectively utilizing the potential of traditional craft villages not only opens up avenues for sustainable economic development but also contributes to preserving cultural and historical values, as well as the "soul" of the homeland.

Craftsmen in the traditional bronze casting village of Trà Đông (Thiệu Trung commune) create patterns on casting molds.

Nestled among the simple stilt houses on the mountain and hillside slopes, the traditional brocade weaving village of Lan Ngoai (Pu Luong commune) still resounds with the rhythmic clicking of shuttles. Through countless historical ups and downs, with their creative minds and skillful, meticulous hands, the Thai ethnic people here have preserved and maintained the brocade weaving craft to this day. With focused eyes and carefully embroidering decorative patterns on a newly woven brocade dress, Mrs. Lo Thi Minh, who has dedicated her life to brocade weaving here, shared: "The brocade weaving craft in this village has existed for a very long time. The love for brocade in Thai women is nurtured from childhood. As they grow up, girls are taught by their grandmothers and mothers how to dye fabric, spin silk, embroider, and weave to create products for daily life such as skirts, blouses, scarves, and pillows..."

"The brocade patterns of the Thai people here are not elaborate but rich in meaning, featuring images of mountains, streams, rice stalks, birds... arranged harmoniously, reflecting the worldview of the mountain dwellers. Each brocade product is not only a story, a piece of memory woven with patience and love for the craft, but also a piece of the soul of the countryside. In recent years, the production of brocade products has not only served daily needs but also catered to tourists who come to visit and experience. Therefore, in addition to products such as blankets, skirts, and shirts, we have also created smaller items such as bags, wallets, and toys for tourists to buy as souvenirs. We have also created a spacious brocade weaving area, fully equipped with items such as looms, tables, and chairs for drinking water to serve the needs of tourists visiting and experiencing the craft," Ms. Minh added.

Sharing his thoughts on the brocade weaving craft in Lan Ngoai village, Nguyen Nam Phong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Pu Luong commune, affirmed: "The brocade weaving of the Thai people here is a craft with potential for development, contributing to preserving the ethnic cultural identity. In recent times, the commune has encouraged families in the village to actively invest in brocade weaving looms; supported those knowledgeable in brocade weaving to organize classes to pass on the craft to the younger generation; and focused on developing community tourism to attract tourists to visit, experience, and purchase brocade products."

From ancient times, Thieu Trung commune has been known as a land rich in cultural and historical significance, famous for its Tra Dong bronze casting village with many unique and exquisite products. We visited the bronze casting workshop of Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Ba Chau, where the atmosphere was bustling with the sounds of chiseling and hammering from the craftsmen. Through the ages, these artisans have cherished and preserved this traditional craft, striving daily to maintain it. A special characteristic of Tra Dong bronze casting is that, even in a modern society, the craftsmen still use traditional manual methods passed down from previous generations to create their products. Because they work by hand, from selecting pure copper and crafting the molds to the finishing touches, everything requires meticulous attention to detail and absolute precision.

According to Mr. Chau: "In recent years, we have gradually participated in the promotion and connection of tourism with other tourist areas and destinations in the province to make the craft village an attractive and novel destination for tourists. When coming here, tourists will be able to directly participate in the crafting process with the artisans, thereby feeling the rhythm of life, customs and traditions of the land and people here."

Thanh Hoa province, known as the "land of a hundred crafts," has gone through many ups and downs and transformations, but the cultural beauty of its traditional craft villages has been preserved and promoted by generations of people in today's life. Notable examples include: Khuc Phu fish sauce (Hoang Thanh commune), Tu Tru sticky rice cake (Xuan Hoa commune), Phu Quang sticky rice cake (Vinh Loc commune), and Dao ethnic brocade weaving (Cam Thach commune)...

Preserving and developing traditional craft villages not only aims to create jobs and increase income for the people but also to preserve the cultural beauty and soul of the homeland. Therefore, most localities with craft villages have focused on promoting and advertising their products to reach a wider customer base both within and outside the province. They encourage craft households to improve designs, and in addition to products for daily life, they should create products for tourism. Strengthening connections between craft villages and tourist areas and destinations within and outside the province is also crucial to attracting tourists.

Text and photos: Nguyen Dat

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/luu-giu-hon-que-o-cac-lang-nghe-281453.htm