Women in Pot village preserve the traditional brocade weaving craft.

In Pot village, it's not uncommon to see elderly women sitting on their porches, watching over their grandchildren while weaving scarves, dresses, loincloths, and blankets to give to their children and grandchildren. In this way, these skilled older women not only indulge their passion for looms, colorful threads, and rich patterns, but also spread their love for the traditional brocade weaving craft of their ancestors to the younger generation.

Ms. Dinh Thi Lot (Pot village, Song An commune, An Khe town) proudly shows off a brocade dress with many beautiful patterns and designs that she wove herself. Photo: Ngoc Minh

Ms. Dinh Thi Lot (born in 1949) said: She has three sons and two daughters. Her daughters-in-law and daughters all know how to weave brocade, but due to being busy working to develop the economy , they have little time to weave. For more than three years now, since her youngest daughter gave birth to her first child, she has stopped working in the fields and stays home to look after her grandchild. While the grandchild is sleeping, she sits at the loom to weave.

“The craft of weaving brocade is not physically demanding, but it requires patience, meticulousness, and a lot of time. Simple items like baby carriers, blankets, and headbands take 5-15 days to weave, while women's dresses and men's loincloths with intricate patterns and designs take nearly a month, or even 2-3 months to complete. Products with uniform and sharp patterns are more valuable,” shared Mrs. Lot.

Having dedicated nearly 60 years to weaving brocade, Mrs. Lot creates many durable and beautiful products with unique patterns and designs. She keeps all the woven products for her family's use and gives them as gifts to her children, grandchildren, and relatives. “Life is becoming more modern every day, while the younger generation is not as interested in traditional brocade weaving. Over time, this craft will fade away. I try to weave a few sets to give to relatives as a token of my affection as a grandmother and mother to my children and grandchildren. Through this, I hope that future generations will learn to preserve and cherish the traditional brocade weaving craft of our ancestors,” Mrs. Lot shared.

According to ancestral customs, the family of Mrs. Dinh Thi Lot (pictured on the right in Pot village, Song An commune, An Khe town) traditionally grows cotton to share with the deceased so they can continue weaving brocade in the afterlife . Photo: Ngoc Minh

Pointing to the end of the garden where cotton plants were interspersed among the corn, Mrs. Lot confided: “This year I am 75 years old, and after about 20 minutes of weaving, my back aches and my hands and feet are tired. With the experience and techniques I have learned, I have taught and guided my children and sisters in the village. When I go to meet my ancestors, I will be at peace. According to the customs of the Bahnar people in Song An commune, when a person dies, whether male or female, in addition to receiving jars, pots, bowls, and plates, they are also given a handful of cotton seeds to continue growing cotton, spinning yarn, and weaving cloth in the afterlife, as our ancestors believed. Because of this, cotton plants are always present in the garden, and the art of weaving brocade will be passed down to future generations.”

Ms. Dinh Thi Nhop (far left, Pot village, Song An commune, An Khe town) learns how to weave intricate patterns from other women in the village. Photo: Ngoc Minh

From a young age, Dinh Thi Nhop was taught by her grandmother and mother that girls must learn the art of weaving brocade, so that later they can weave dresses and shirts for themselves, their husbands, and their children. Therefore, every time she saw her mother weaving brocade, she would attentively watch and learn by observing. With the dedicated guidance of her grandmother and mother, coupled with her own diligence in researching and learning, by the age of 15, Nhop had mastered the techniques of fluffing cotton, spinning yarn, using the shuttle, threading the needle, and weaving dresses and shirts with colorful and eye-catching patterns.

“In the past, women used to spin cotton fibers from cotton plants and dye them with natural dyes from roots, fruits, peels, and leaves. Nowadays, natural materials are scarce, and the traditional yarn-making process is no longer practiced. Instead, women buy colored threads and wool to weave. We usually weave brocade during our free time, in the evenings; without being told, we sit at the loom and diligently weave skirts, blouses, and loincloths, completing some unfinished steps. From there, the brocade weaving craft has been passed down through the skillful hands of generations of women in the village,” Ms. Nhớp proudly said.

Taking advantage of their free time between farming seasons, from morning till night, the women and mothers in Pot village, Song An commune, An Khe town, diligently guide their children in weaving cloth. Photo: Ngoc Minh

According to Dinh Thi Que, head of the Women's Association in Pot village, Pot village has over 110 female members, 80% of whom know how to weave brocade. This achievement is thanks to the local government, the higher-level association, the Party branch, and the village People's Committee regularly promoting and encouraging villagers to preserve and develop good customs and traditions; encouraging people to wear traditional clothing at cultural and artistic exchange events, holidays, national unity festivals, and other festivals; and encouraging female members to maintain and develop the weaving craft and participate in brocade weaving competitions. "Through these activities, we have created opportunities for women and villagers to preserve the cultural identity passed down from our ancestors for generations," Ms. Que shared.

During festivals, female members of the women's association in Pot village, Song An commune, An Khe town, often dress their children in traditional costumes to spread love and appreciation for the brocade weaving craft of their ancestors. Photo: Ngoc Minh

Regarding the preservation and promotion of traditional brocade weaving in Pot village, Ms. Dang Thi Hieu, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Song An commune, said: The commune has 5 hamlets and 1 village. Over the past time, the local Party committee and government have actively propagated, encouraged, and motivated artisans and skilled brocade weavers to teach the younger generation, especially their children and grandchildren; creating conditions for members and women of Pot village to participate in brocade weaving training classes to gradually improve their skills. Every year, the Union also registers to participate in cultural events organized by the town to create opportunities for women to exchange, learn, and share weaving experiences.

“In 2023, Pot village participated in the first An Khe town ethnic minority cultural festival held in Hoa Binh village (Tu An commune). The women's association members won first prize in the brocade weaving competition. This is a source of joy and pride not only for the women but also for the commune and the villagers, encouraging them to continue maintaining and developing the brocade weaving craft in Pot village,” Ms. Hieu informed.

Source: https://gialai.gov.vn/tin-tuc/phu-nu-lang-pot-gin-giu-nghe-det-tho-cam.79223.aspx