The "keeper of the soul" of the Doi Tam drum

Having existed and developed for over 1,000 years, Doi Tam drum-making village in Tien Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province (now Ninh Binh province) is renowned as a gathering place for talented drum-making artisans who have contributed to preserving the essence of Vietnamese culture. Meanwhile, in his ancestral homeland, for over 30 years, along the roadside of Ao Ven hamlet, Zone 15, Vo Mieu commune, a son of Doi Tam has persistently kept the flame of his hometown's drum-making craft alive, hoping to preserve the tradition. He is veteran Dinh Van Chien, who has established himself in his ancestral homeland for over three decades with his family's traditional drum-making craft...

Mr. Chien said: "The craft of making Doi Tam drums requires the craftsman to be skillful and meticulous. To produce a complete drum, it is mandatory to go through three stages: making the drumhead, the drum body, and assembling the drum."

Drum-making requires the hide of an old buffalo. After careful processing, the hide is used for either the large or small drum depending on the specific area of ​​the buffalo. Measuring and cutting must be extremely meticulous and careful. In this craft, a single mistake can ruin the hide significantly.

The wood used for the drum body must be mature jackfruit wood to prevent warping, cracking, and breakage. The mortise and tenon joint of the drum body is also meticulously crafted with high precision to ensure a tight fit without gaps. After assembling the drum body, the craftsman will use traditional lacquer to seal the small gaps.

The process of shaping the drum is the most difficult part of the craft. It's not simply a matter of stretching a buffalo hide over the drumhead and manually fastening it with wooden or bamboo nails; shaping the drum requires the craftsman to have a keen ear to accurately assess the drum's sound.

According to Mr. Chien, there is a long-standing rule that the craft of drum making can only be passed down to sons, not to daughters, sons-in-law, or outsiders, in order to preserve the secrets of the craft village and prevent them from being lost or forgotten.

However, in recent years, the drum-making craft of Doi Tam has seen groundbreaking developments, with many innovative products that suit the needs and tastes of customers, ranging from drums used in temples and pagodas, traditional opera drums, school drums... to Mid-Autumn Festival drums for children. Mr. Chien has kept pace with the ups and downs of the craft, diligently and persistently building his brand in his ancestral homeland.

The drums from the workshop, ready for market, come in a variety of sizes and designs. Each product is a testament to his dedication to the traditional drum-making craft of his hometown, Doi Tam.

National Assembly

Source: https://baophutho.vn/nguoi-giu-hon-trong-doi-tam-254734.htm