Basket weaving in Rờ Kơi

05/07/2023 06:17

With skillful hands, the artisans in Rờ Kơi commune (Sa Thầy district) have transformed bamboo and rattan into unique baskets and trays. This not only helps maintain the traditional weaving craft of the Hà Lăng people (a branch of the Xơ Đăng ethnic group) but also contributes to increasing income and improving the lives of the people.

In front of his house, artisan A Đeng (80 years old, Gia Xiêng village) is busily completing the final steps of a basket. In Rờ Kơi commune, he is famous as one of the most skilled and fastest weavers in the commune. Stopping his work, artisan A Đeng said: “The weaving craft of the Hà Lăng people has existed for a very long time. Our products are sold widely throughout the province, and customers really like our woven items.”

According to artisan A Đeng, the traditional weaving craft of the Hà Lăng people has been passed down for hundreds of years. According to custom, when a son grows up, his father teaches him the weaving craft. Just by looking at the baskets, or the sieves and winnowing trays, one can tell the skill, diligence, and hard work of the Hà Lăng men. Therefore, by the age of 20, he had already mastered weaving baskets, sieves, and winnowing trays for daily use.

Artisan A Đeng with his unique woven products. Photo: NS

The Ha Lang people have many types of baskets, the most common being the "Kak" – a lidless but tightly woven basket of various sizes used to hold rice, vegetables, and household items. The "Ktup" basket is used to sift and winnow rice after it has been threshed. Particularly noteworthy is the "Krok" basket, meticulously and skillfully woven from rattan, with a lid, resembling a modern-day backpack. Historically, the "Krok" basket has been an indispensable item for Ha Lang men when going into the forest; used to carry rice and birds and animals during hunting trips. Worn on the shoulder, the "Krok" basket sits comfortably on the back, making it lightweight and easy to move.

Unlike artisan A Đeng, who mastered weaving from a very young age, elderly A Ling (83 years old, from Đăk Đe village) only learned weaving after retirement. A Ling shared: “When I retired, I was 54 years old. That’s when I started to learn weaving, going to my brother’s house across the road every day to learn from the basics to the most difficult things. It took me more than a year to master and weave a simple basket or carrying frame completely.”

According to Elder A Ling, completing a product like a basket or sieve requires many steps, such as gathering bamboo and reeds from the forest. Then, they must be split into many small strips before weaving. For products requiring intricate patterns and designs, the preparation process takes even more time. The artisan must spend a lot of time calculating, counting, and dividing the threads to create the most beautiful woven product.

Nowadays, in addition to familiar items like baskets and trays, skilled artisans also make models of communal houses and gong bags to sell to customers inside and outside the commune.

The artisans of Rờ Kơi commune are working together to weave baskets in time for delivery to customers . Photo: NS

Having learned the craft from the elder A Ling, A Tiai (30 years old, from Rờ Kơi village) has become one of the most skilled young weavers in Rờ Kơi commune. A Tiai excitedly said: “Among the woven items of the Hà Lăng people, the basket is one of the most difficult to make. For baskets that require two layers of weaving, the artisan must be diligent, patient, and especially skillful. As for the ‘high-end’ baskets – those with unique patterns and designs – the maker must know how to think and arrange the composition to create a quality product that reflects their ethnic culture,” A Tiai added.

Ms. Y Chít, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Rờ Kơi commune, said: "Currently, the entire commune has nearly 90 people who know how to weave, and 30 people earn an income from this craft. The products made by these artisans, such as baskets, trays, and winnowing baskets, are popular with customers inside and outside the commune and are frequently ordered. However, many young people in the commune are not very interested in weaving. Therefore, to prevent the craft from fading away, the commune encourages people to maintain the traditional craft and pass it on to the younger generation to preserve it."

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