Hands extending the memories of Sen Village

Green from love and respect

In recent years, visitors returning to the Kim Lien National Special Relic Site can easily feel the changes in the space here: Greener, cooler, fresher and much more beautiful. To achieve this scene, in addition to the efforts to renovate and embellish the facilities, we must also mention the silent contributions of workers who take care of the trees and gardens.

Tree caretakers play an important role in creating the landscape at Kim Lien Relic Site. Photo: Diep Thanh

In Uncle Ho's hometown, there are currently 25 workers taking care of the trees, headed by Ms. Hoang Thi Thuy, who has been doing this job for the past 7 years. Talking about her work, Ms. Thuy smiled proudly: "Although it is really hard, every time I see tourists coming here satisfied because the trees are green and the space is clean, I feel happy too. We always try to make everything perfect."

To achieve that "perfection" requires the silent and arduous efforts of the workers who tend the trees. A working day starts from 6:30 to 10:30 in the morning, then from 13:30 to 17:30 in the afternoon, regardless of rain or shine. Their job is not simply to water the plants or sweep leaves, but also to ensure absolute safety and neatness in every corner. Dry branches must be swept away immediately, and the concrete floor must be sprayed clean of moss to avoid slipping on rainy days.

Cool green color on the way to Uncle Ho's hometown. Photo: Diep Thanh

Ms. Thuy said: “During the peak days of the festival, the work never stopped, each day there were 40-50 groups of visitors, the brothers continuously cleaned and decorated the landscape. There were months when there were almost no days off, but everyone encouraged each other to try hard for the common task, for the image of Uncle Ho's homeland.”

The difficulty is not only the hard work, but also the nameless worries about each tree and each flower pot in the relic site. Ms. Thuy confided: “In the 7 years of doing this job, I have considered each tree as my own child. Every time a tree is infected with pests, I feel uneasy. There was a time when the banyan tree that Uncle Truong Chinh planted seemed beyond saving. We were so worried that we watered it every day, injected medicine, dug up the roots to treat it, but it never recovered. But then luckily, Uncle must have seen how devoted we were, so he blessed us, and the tree miraculously recovered.”

The grass in the relic site will be cut once a month. Photo: NVCC

Every summer, the work multiplies as the trees grow rapidly and must be pruned continuously. The trees are 7-8 stories high, the green team climbs ladders to prune under the harsh Central sun. The watering system cannot be used automatically because there are too many pots, every day the ladies have to pull the hose to water each pot. On peak days, when there are many customers, the hose is stepped on continuously, pulling it is... exhausting.

Taking care of Uncle Ho's home garden is both a duty and an honor for everyone here. Ms. Thuy confided: "Each season has its own produce. When there are ripe lychees, mangoes or longans, we harvest them to burn incense for Uncle Ho and share the blessings together. On Uncle Ho's birthday, the whole group makes a small cake to offer to him, and on his death anniversary, on the 23rd of the 7th lunar month, we prepare a chicken and sticky rice feast. Those moments are truly warm and special. We feel like we are Uncle Ho's relatives. Perhaps many people think so, so many tourists ask us, must our family background be very special to be able to work here?"

Gardeners at Kim Lien Relic Site place birthday cakes to celebrate Uncle Ho's birthday on the morning of May 19 every year. Photo: NVCC

The work of the workers at Kim Lien Relic Site is not simply to take care of the trees and clean the garden, but also to express their love and respect for Uncle Ho. And from this quiet work, they feel happier and more proud to contribute to preserving the place where he lived and passed through.

“Despite the hardships, the sun and rain, and the sickness, being here – amidst the soul of the countryside, amidst the breath of Uncle Ho – I feel very lucky,” said Ms. Thuy, while her hands were still nimbly trimming the towering tree canopy in the harsh sun of May. And because of that, every lotus season, every group of visitors, somewhere in that space filled with green trees, there is love, silent sacrifice and unspoken pride of those who “keep the green soul” of Uncle Ho’s hometown.

The space of Kim Lien National Special Relic Site is increasingly appreciated for its landscape and space. Photo: Diep Thanh

Keep the soul of the countryside through the years

Under the green canopy of trees in Uncle Ho's hometown, there is a team of restoration workers who silently cherish each ancient house every day, preserving intact every mark of time here. The team consists of 15 workers, of which Mr. Dinh Van Han (born in 1957, Xuan Lam village) is one of the oldest, and has also been attached to this special job for more than 10 years.

Every fence, fence, and trellis... in the constructions in Uncle Ho's hometown are made according to the old model. Photo: Diep Thanh

Mr. Han slowly told about his work with all the care and caution: “We do not renew, only repair what is damaged according to the old model. Each panel of the curtain is made from bamboo, which must be burned with charcoal to remove all the fibers. The paving stones or the well floor are natural stones typical of the homeland, carved and arranged in layers, rows, ensuring that the ancient, pristine features are not lost.”

All items, from the well covers, the curtains to protect from the sun and rain, to the paths and the ground, were skillfully restored by the team of workers to look exactly as they did when Uncle Ho was a child. In particular, the sugarcane roof was the most difficult and challenging item. Mr. Han said that sugarcane leaves are increasingly rare, and he has to order them from the mountainous districts, each time taking dozens of tons. Sugarcane leaves are sharp, easily causing pain and itching, but they are the only material that can be used to keep the original traditional model.

The simple thatched houses in Uncle Ho's hometown are a special highlight, contributing to creating memories for many generations of people when visiting this place. Photo: Huy Thu

To complete the thatched roofs in the relics of Uncle Ho's paternal and maternal hometowns, the team of workers had to work non-stop for a whole month. The lack of skilled workers made this process even more difficult. There were times when the sun was blazing hot or it rained heavily day after day, but they still persevered little by little to keep Uncle Ho's roof intact and beautiful. Thatched roofs are susceptible to mold and termites, so almost every year the team had to repair and maintain them regularly to avoid deterioration.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hue - Head of the Collection, Inventory, Display and Preservation Department of Kim Lien Relic Site confided: “For the uncles and aunts in the restoration team, each sugarcane leaf and each bamboo stick is carefully selected. They do it not only with their skills but also with their love and respect. It is this carefulness that helps the relic space always appear vivid, close, and evokes memories of Uncle Ho's childhood with his relatives."

Mr. Dinh Van Han examines and checks bamboo weaving items at Uncle Ho's hometown. Photo: Diep Thanh

For Mr. Han and his colleagues, the work is not simply repairing a house, but preserving a part of the soul of the homeland, extending the beautiful memory of President Ho Chi Minh to future generations. And every time the work is completed, standing and looking at Uncle Ho's house intact amidst the vast green of the homeland, Mr. Han feels truly happy and proud to have contributed a small effort to such a meaningful thing.

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Source: https://baonghean.vn/nhung-ban-tay-noi-dai-ky-uc-lang-sen-10297691.html