My childhood was associated with anvils and hammers.
One early winter afternoon, as we approached the blacksmith's forge of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Xuan's (66 years old) family in Kiem Tan craft village, we heard the continuous sound of hammers striking and the whirring of grinding machines.
In a space of about 20 square meters , Ms. Xuan and her daughter, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham (40 years old), are nimbly hammering red-hot steel bars. With rhythmic movements, one hammer blow after another, sparks fly around until the steel takes shape...
Wiping away the sweat from her brow, Mrs. Xuan recounted to us the hardships and difficulties of being a blacksmith.
Growing up in a family of blacksmiths, Ms. Xuan's childhood was closely associated with hammers, anvils, and the flames of the forge. Her father, Mr. Tu, was one of the most famous blacksmiths in Kiem Tan village, revered by the locals as the "founder of the craft."
After school, Ms. Xuan often stayed home to help her father with his work. With her intelligence and quick wit, by the age of 15, Xuan had mastered most of the blacksmithing process, from lighting the furnace to hammering, welding, and sawing. The first product she made herself was a sickle; although its design wasn't perfect, it's an unforgettable memento.
Growing up, she followed the craft and has been dedicated to it ever since. Every day, Ms. Xuan diligently works by the furnace to create exquisite handcrafted products, becoming a veteran "hammer" in the village.
According to Ms. Xuan, the blacksmithing profession requires the craftsman to have good health, dexterity, as well as perseverance and creativity.
Having dedicated over 40 years to her profession, Ms. Xuan has had many joyful and sad experiences, and even accidents such as burns and cuts, but her love for her work remains strong.
While telling her story, Mrs. Xuan recited a line from the poem "The Blacksmith's Forge" by Khanh Nguyen: " Among a hundred trades, I chose the blacksmith's trade / Sitting down, my back gets sooted, I wipe soot across my nose / For eight hours, my feet are covered in charcoal dust, my face is covered in dust …". Despite her hands being stained and calloused, Mrs. Xuan's hammer still wielded immense power.
According to Ms. Xuan, any profession requires dedication and integrity, and blacksmithing is no exception. A blacksmith must always uphold their word, producing products that are durable, beautiful, and practical. Because she cherishes the profession that has supported her family, she wants to preserve it and pass it on to her children and grandchildren. "As long as I have my health, I will continue blacksmithing. I will only retire when I feel I can no longer do it," Ms. Xuan shared.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lai (64 years old), the younger sister of Ms. Xuan, also lives in Kiem Tan village and remains dedicated to the blacksmithing trade. Ms. Lai believes that blacksmithing is also about shaping people, so every craftsman is wholeheartedly committed to their products, as it represents the reputation and brand of their family and themselves. The craftsmen of Kiem Tan village also engrave unique symbols to mark their brand. Each product from Kiem Tan village bears the number 22. This number was chosen by the village's founding ancestors because they believe it holds profound meaning, representing power and authority.
Keeping the passion for the profession alive.
The work is arduous and seems only suitable for men, but what makes Kiem Tan blacksmith village special is that the majority of its blacksmiths are women. Currently, women account for more than half of the blacksmiths still working in the village.
Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, the women blacksmiths of Kiem Tan encourage each other to meticulously craft each product, preserving the reputation, the craft, and the profession of their forefathers… While sharing stories of their village and their own lives, they remain passionate and proud, yet also harbor concerns and a desire for a sustainable future for their craft.
The constant, rhythmic sound of hammers throughout the year has become ingrained in the memories of Mrs. Xuan, Mrs. Lai, and many other elderly people in Kiem Tan blacksmith village. During its heyday, people lived and earned their living with the sound of hammers. The image of the husband hammering while the wife sharpened knives became a beautiful and familiar sight in the craft village.
Not only do the women of Kiem Tan blacksmith village love their craft, but they also accumulate experience to improve techniques, diversify products, and meet market demands.
The blacksmiths' forges are often ablaze with fire year-round, yet they still can't keep up with orders. There are days when they have so much work that the blacksmiths have to work through the night to meet delivery deadlines. Many families have become well-off and have savings thanks to this trade.
Previously, people in craft villages mainly worked by hand. Now, machinery has begun to be used to reduce manual labor. However, this does not mean that all stages of production are replaced by machines, because the "soul" of the product still depends on the skills of experienced blacksmiths.
Word of mouth has spread, and the products of Kiem Tan craft village are still made to order and shipped to provinces and cities throughout the country, providing a stable income of 6-10 million VND/month for those working in the craft.
Thanks to the meticulous attention to detail in each product, the Kiem Tan woodworking brand continues to stand strong in the market due to its sharpness, sophistication, durability, and beauty.
Time flies, and seasoned blacksmiths like Mrs. Xuan are few and far between. Age and the competition from mass-produced industrial products have led many to abandon their forges and extinguish their fires. Few young people today choose blacksmithing as a long-term career. The youngest who still maintain their passion for the craft are around 40 years old.
Even the descendants of the blacksmiths in the village, who know a little about the craft, are choosing other, less strenuous jobs to make a living. Blacksmithing, once thriving and flourishing in society, is now difficult for craftsmen to sustain due to industrial development.
"If women don't truly love the profession, no one would choose to become a blacksmith because it's hard work. All day long, they're drenched in sweat from the heat of the fire and covered in coal dust. That's why my children all chose other jobs, only helping me when there are many orders," shared Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lai.
According to Pham Quang Oai, Party Secretary and Head of Kiem Tan village, the Kiem Tan (or Gom village) blacksmithing and carpentry craft was recognized as a traditional craft village in 2015. Currently, only four families in the village are still "keeping the flame" of the craft alive.
"The villagers and local authorities hope that the Party Committee and local government will pay more attention to preserving and promoting the traditional crafts of our homeland. They should focus on guiding and training the younger generation in these crafts, and at the same time, have appropriate mechanisms to support households engaged in these crafts. Only then can we retain the young workforce and avoid the risk of traditional crafts disappearing," Mr. Oai said thoughtfully.
According to Deputy Chairman of the People's Committee of Tu Ky District, Duong Ha Hai, in order to increase the income of workers in craft villages, the district's localities have actively supported the search for markets to consume their products. The district has selected a number of craft villages to include in its local tourism development plan.
Currently, some traditional craft products are being put on e-commerce platforms, which helps people sell their products while also promoting the local traditional craft. The blacksmithing craft in Kiem Tan also has the potential to develop tourism.
Life has changed, opening up many avenues for earning a living, and as a result, the number of people pursuing the blacksmithing profession has gradually decreased. However, for women like Mrs. Xuan and Mrs. Lai, who remain passionate about the craft, the aspiration and determination to "keep the flame" of blacksmithing alive continues to drive them, ensuring that day after day, the forges still resound with the sounds of hammers and anvils, keeping the flame of the craft from dying out.
NGUYEN THAO-THANH CHUNGSource: https://baohaiduong.vn/nhung-phu-nu-tu-ky-giu-lua-nghe-quai-bua-398021.html
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