A little bit of the old profession remains: The famous basket weaving profession

Only a man in a coastal village in Da Nang City knows how to weave bamboo baskets from flexible bamboo stems that can withstand the wind and waves of Hoang Sa. Now he weaves basket boats to order for export, but his heart is filled with many worries.

BAMBOO BASIL KEEPS THE SEA

After many appointments, I finally met Mr. Ly Huu Tien (49 years old, residing at group 103, Tho Quang ward, Son Tra district) in a small camp along Hoang Sa road, on the windy coast of Da Nang . He had just returned from the sea. His main occupation was weaving basket boats for fishermen to stick to the Hoang Sa fishing grounds to catch seafood. However, the rise of composite basket boats pushed him into unemployment, becoming a crew member who "accompanied" the ship owners, hanging around near the shore for a few days to earn a little money.

Mr. Ly Huu Tien, the last bamboo basket weaver and repairer of Tho Quang fishing village

HOANG SON

"It's sad to say. Before, my job had a good income and was sought after because in many fishing villages, only a handful of people knew how to weave basket boats. Fishing villages in Quang Nam bordering Da Nang also came to place orders. A few years ago, Mr. Liem in this village got old and weak so he retired, and his sons also switched to other jobs. Only I remained because I missed my ancestors' job," Mr. Tien began the story.

About 30 years ago, after mastering the craft of splitting bamboo and weaving basket boats, Mr. Tien moved from his hometown in Duy Vinh commune (Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam) to the coastal village of Tho Quang to start a business. Being a person with skillful hands and bright ideas, the basket boats he weaves are favored by many fishermen. People who work offshore fishing in Hoang Sa often ask him to weave baskets because his bamboo selection, weaving techniques, and rim cracking... make the baskets very durable. "Many fishermen say that my baskets are stable against the waves, especially not swayed by the wind and drifted away by the wind when working at sea. The baskets I weave are more durable, if used carefully, they will last for a decade before breaking," he said.

Having been involved in the profession for half his life, Mr. Tien does not remember how many basket boats he has made. He said that it is the joy and pride of his life of shaving bamboo and weaving boats. Because the presence of basket boats, no matter how small, in the vast ocean has contributed to protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

"It's fun to go abroad, but…"

Right from the moment I asked the fishermen in Tho Quang about the craft of weaving basket boats, I was immediately directed to Mr. Ly Huu Tien, not only because he was the last person to follow the craft, but also because of his talent. Talking about the skills of a craftsman, he can be absorbed for hours without getting tired. "Weaving a beautiful basket or tray is already difficult. So weaving a giant basket so that it is balanced and beautiful, cracking the rim firmly, oiling it to make it durable... is a process of learning and accumulating experience," Mr. Tien said.

This job is hard and requires the worker to be diligent. When he first started, his hands were always bleeding from being cut by bamboo and machetes. To complete a basket (about 10 days), the weaver not only sweats but also bleeds… People who are not passionate about it, even after 2-3 years of studying, may still not be able to do it.

Mr. Tien concluded that once he was proficient and determined to pursue the craft of weaving basket boats, it would not fail him. "One skill, one skill", although the craft did not bring wealth, but with prices ranging from 7 million VND/small basket to 30 million VND/large basket with motor, Mr. Tien still had a decent income to raise his 4 daughters to study properly. But then technology developed, besides the lighter, more durable composite baskets being brought to the market, fishermen could also make their own baskets by covering the outside of the basket that Mr. Tien had previously woven with composite. And they continued to use that basket to go out to sea. As for him, the job of weaving basket boats gradually lost customers.

Unique image of cat mascot on basket boat

On the occasion of the recent Lunar New Year, to create more check-in locations for residents and tourists, the Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang tourist beaches painted cat faces (the mascot of the Year of the Cat 2023) on 10 basket boats located at Bien Dong Park, Son Tra District. The cat paintings on the basket boats received high praise from tourists for the aesthetic combination of basket boats and paintings.

"Fortunately, the tourism industry in the localities has grown stronger. The use of basket boats to transport guests and perform has helped the profession survive. For example, some establishments in the Bay Mau coconut forest

(Hoi An City, Quang Nam) often perform basket shaking and also order me to weave baskets," Mr. Tien said. Thanks to orders like that, plus the occasional people coming to ask him to weave baskets to export abroad, he still has work to do. "Perhaps, few places in the world have a unique basket like in Vietnam. Many times when making baskets on the beach, foreign tourists are very excited. They flock to see and then order, buy and bring back home," Mr. Tien continued.

In 2022, Mr. Tien wove 4 basket boats for export to Laos and 1 to Australia. In previous years, his basket boats followed tourists to countries such as Germany, France, Japan, etc. Thanks to orders like these, his basket weaving profession still has a place to live, although it is fragile. "Exporting baskets abroad is fun, but in the long run, I worry that bamboo baskets will no longer be used. Many people ask me if I have a successor. I answer: if you find me a young man who is really willing to sit down and split bamboo, shave bamboo strips, weave baskets, etc., I will pass on the profession," Mr. Tien said sadly.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nghe-xua-con-mot-chut-nay-noi-nenh-nghe-dan-thung-chai-185230225014320344.htm