Lai Vung spring roll making is a national intangible cultural heritage.

On the afternoon of January 25, Dong Thap province received the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of the traditional craft "Lai Vung Nem Making Craft".

The Nem making profession in Lai Vung was born around 1960. The first person to think of and make Lai Vung Nem was Mrs. Tu Man in Tan Khanh hamlet, Tan Thanh commune, Duc Thanh district, Sa Dec province (now Lai Vung district, Dong Thap province).

Listen to the Nem Lai Vung dish, it is a national intangible cultural heritage, image 1 — Dong Thap provincial leaders awarded the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Certificate to the traditional craft “Lai Vung Nem Making”. Photo: baodongthap.vn

The ingredients to make Lai Vung spring rolls are all familiar and locally available ingredients including: pork, pork skin, vông leaves, banana leaves, banana vines and some common spices in daily food preparation.

After more than 60 years, at first there were only a few households making nem, now the whole Lai Vung district has more than 20 nem production facilities, with many famous brands such as: Giao Tho, Ut Thang, Hoang Khanh, Thanh Xuan, Thanh Son, Co Hiep... attracting more than 300 workers to participate, producing hundreds of thousands of nem every day, with an estimated revenue of over 60 billion VND/year.

In 2012, Nem Lai Vung was recognized by the Vietnam Book of Records as one of the top 10 famous nem and cha specialties of Vietnam. In 2013, Nem Lai Vung was in the top 50 Vietnamese specialty gifts for the first time announced by the Vietnam Book of Records Center. Some Nem Lai Vung production facilities have been granted 3-star and 4-star OCOP product certificates and are among the top local specialty gift items.

Currently, the market for Lai Vung spring rolls is spread throughout the Western provinces, in Big C and Coop mart supermarkets with a branch system stretching from North to South, with the strongest consumption in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Nem Lai Vung has registered for trademark protection and has been granted a 10-year certificate by the Department of Industrial Property for a number of production facilities.

Listen to the Nem Lai Vung dish, it is a national intangible cultural heritage, picture 2 — Activities at a spring roll production facility in Lai Vung town, Lai Vung district, Dong Thap province. Photo: baodongthap.vn

According to Vice Chairman of Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee Huynh Minh Tuan, the recognition of the national intangible cultural heritage for the traditional craft of making Lai Vung spring rolls will contribute to preserving, conserving and promoting the traditional values of the craft village, promoting the responsibility of preserving and promoting heritage among the people.

Dong Thap province currently has more than 100 heritages focusing on folk performing arts, social customs, folk knowledge, traditional festivals and traditional crafts. Of these, 1 heritage is included in the World Cultural Heritage List, which is the Art of Don Ca Tai Tu; 5 heritages are included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Dong Thap Folk Songs, Long Hau Boat Building, Dinh Yen Mat Weaving, Long Khanh A Robe Weaving, Lai Vung Nem).

Khanh Ngoc

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