Jute growing and weaving of the Mong people

The Mong people have a long tradition of jute growing and weaving. This work requires a lot of labor, perseverance and skillful hands of women.

Mong women weaving.

Usually in late March and early April, when it starts to rain, the Mong people start sowing jute seeds. Jute seeds are sown very densely so that the plants grow straight and thin, without many branches or twigs because thin jute plants will produce better quality fabric.

Jute plants must be harvested more than two months after sowing. If harvested too early or too old, the yield and quality of jute fibers will be reduced. People cut off the leaves and tops and then arrange the jute stems vertically on the porch for 10-14 days until the stems are completely dry. Then, the jute stems are bundled into bundles. The jute plants are broken in half and the bark is separated from the core. The jute bark is split into small fibers, each plant usually produces 8-12 fibers, the longest fiber can be up to 1.6 m long. The jute fibers are bundled and then trampled or pounded with the feet to remove the membrane on the bark, making the jute fibers soft and clean.

Mong people's jute products.

Splicing jute is a time-consuming and patient process. The tail of a jute strand is split in half about 10 cm long, the end of the next jute strand is inserted and twisted tightly so that the seam between the two strands cannot be seen. Mong women often wrap bundles of jute around their waists and arms and use their free time to join the jute. To make the jute stronger, the Mong people created a special tool for spinning the yarn called "Che tu". This tool requires rhythmic coordination of the legs and arms, and can spin 4-5 jute strands at a time. Then, the jute is wrapped around a horizontal square frame made of bamboo called "khau ly" to straighten the jute. At the end of this stage, the Mong people bundle the jute into bundles. The jute is soaked overnight in filtered ash water, boiled in filtered ash water for several hours to soften and whiten. Then it is washed again with clean water and dried; The jute is boiled three times, and beeswax is added to soften and smooth the jute fibers in the last boil. Boil for several hours, then remove the jute fibers and dry them. The jute fibers are made soft and shiny by placing the bundle of fibers between a round log and a flat stone. The woman then stands on the stone and bounces left and right like a seesaw. This process makes the jute fibers softer and shinier. The "khâu lỵ" frame is used once more to stretch the fabric and then roll the fibers into rolls.

The softened jute fibers are placed on the loom. When weaving, the knots are on the top side, so the jute fabric has a right and a wrong side. The weaving process lasts for several months. After being removed from the loom, the jute fabric is boiled in filtered ash water for several hours until it becomes soft and white, then washed and dried, this process is repeated many times to make the fabric as white as possible. Finally, the jute fabric is rolled with wooden logs and flat stones to soften, flatten and brighten the fabric.

Jute weaving shows skill and diligence, and is a criterion for evaluating the talent, morality, and character of Mong women. In addition, jute also has a very important meaning in the spiritual life of the Mong people. They believe that only by growing jute and weaving can they maintain their connection with their ancestors.

Source: https://bandantoc.caobang.gov.vn/tin-tuc-hoat-dong/nghe-trong-day-det-vai-cua-nguoi-mong-654342