Hammock weaving - A place to preserve the soul of the countryside

In each dried banana string, each hand-woven hammock eye is a cultural trait, a place to preserve the soul of the Southern people: simple, hard-working, profound and full of emotions. In the South, culture is not found in great things, but in every daily life.

That culture is encapsulated in lullabies and in rustic banana hammocks, where the images of mothers and grandmothers, the women who silently preserve the family and the soul of the homeland, are clearly imprinted.
SIMPLE BUT PROFOUND

In a small, peaceful corner of Tan Phong Islet, Ms. Doan Thi Phuong (residing in Tan Thai Hamlet, Hiep Duc Commune, Dong Thap Province) still sits on her porch every day, diligently weaving hammocks from dried banana strings with her hands, calloused by time. Having been involved in the hammock weaving profession for 45 years, Ms. Phuong not only creates a handmade product, but also silently preserves a part of the soul of the countryside.

Tourists are very impressed with the banana rope hammock weaving craft at Tan Phong Islet.

Ms. Phuong recounted her days of weaving hammocks with a nostalgic look in her eyes. In the 1980s, when rural life was still lacking, people here took advantage of available materials in their gardens to serve their daily needs. Among them, banana fibers taken from young banana trees, which had not yet produced bunches, were used as raw materials to weave hammocks.

“Back then, there was no money to buy fabric hammocks. Almost every house had banana trees, so people often cut down banana trees to make hammock rope. Hammocks woven from banana rope were economical, cool, and durable,” Ms. Phuong recalled.

Vice Chairman of Hiep Duc Commune People's Committee Tran Van Trung said that in the coming time, the Commune People's Committee will create favorable conditions for traditional occupations, including banana rope hammock weaving in Tan Phong Islet, to be maintained and developed.

In addition, local traditional occupations such as hammock weaving will become a highlight attracting tourists to visit and experience Tan Phong Islet, thereby contributing to improving people's lives and building the image of Hiep Duc commune to develop more and more.

Not only a daily use item, the banana vine hammock has become a symbol associated with the childhood of many generations of Southern people. The image of children sleeping soundly on a hammock lined with a sedge mat, gently swaying to their mother’s lullaby, is an unforgettable warm memory. Ms. Phuong shared: “My two children also grew up on hammocks made from banana vine like that. Every noon and every afternoon, listening to their mother’s lullaby, they fell asleep without realizing it.”

According to Ms. Phuong, to make a beautiful and durable banana hammock is not a simple matter. First of all, you have to know how to choose the right type of banana that is still young and has not yet bloomed, because the rope is tough at this time. After cutting the rope from dry banana leaves, it will be washed and dried in the sun for 1-2 days, enough to dry but not dry and brittle.

After drying, each rope is split into 10-12 thin strands, then spun and beaten into the main thread used for weaving. Each hammock requires about 11-12 main strands to weave the finished product. “When weaving, you have to be steady and precise in dividing the hammock slats, so that when lying down, you will not feel any pain or backache.

“The rope must not be too thick or too thin, each strand must be even,” Ms. Phuong said, meticulously weaving each hammock knot skillfully. The completed banana rope hammock is about 2.8 - 3 meters long, depending on the user’s request. On average, it takes her 30 hours to weave a finished hammock.
KEEPING THE SOUL OF THE COUNTRY THROUGH EACH BEAT OF THE HAMMOCK

Perhaps nothing reminds the Westerners of their childhood more than the image of a hammock hung on the porch, a child sleeping soundly on a sedge mattress, peacefully listening to the lullaby of his grandmother or mother. That simple image has become a cultural feature of the river region.

Ms. Doan Thi Phuong with her skillful hands has created hammocks imbued with the identity of her homeland.

According to Ms. Phuong, hammocks woven from banana rope have many advantages over hammocks woven from fabric because they are cool, do not sag, and do not cause back pain. On average, a hammock can be used for 2-3 years and if well maintained, it will last even longer.

In addition to traditional hammocks, she also created small hammock versions as souvenirs. These products are especially loved by tourists when visiting Tan Phong Islet, not only because of their uniqueness, but also because of the soul of the countryside, a story, a “slice” of Southern culture.

Although her monthly income from hammock weaving is only a few million VND, Ms. Phuong still keeps the profession as a part of her memories and responsibilities. For her, each completed hammock is not simply a product to sell, but a piece of the soul of the village, where the sound of hammocks swinging is an unforgettable part of her memories.

“I do this because I love the job, I love the old features because it is a part of my hometown’s memories. I want my children and grandchildren to know about the old job, know about the hammock woven from banana rope, hear the sound of the hammock and the sweet lullabies,” Ms. Phuong confided.

In this river area, it is not only the fruit-laden orchards or the cool green canals that make up the beauty of the homeland, but also people like Ms. Phuong, with their diligent, meticulous hands and hearts preserving the "fire of the profession", who have contributed to making Tan Phong Islet rich in identity and full of humanity.

FRIENDLY

Source: https://www.baodongthap.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/202509/nghe-dan-vong-noi-luu-giu-hon-que-1049504/