Bamboo baskets - A cultural feature of livelihood and coastal sentiment

(GLO)- In the life of coastal residents in the Central region in general, and the coastal area of ​​Gia Lai province in particular, bamboo basket boats are not only a means of catching seafood. They also leave a unique cultural mark, present from everyday sea trips to harsh floods.

Sea identity in a basket bottle

According to many studies on Vietnamese maritime culture, the bamboo basket is considered a “creation of adaptation”. This is a unique fishing tool that combines traditional bamboo weaving techniques with a waterproof layer of otter oil, creating a means that is light, durable, and floats well in wind and waves. The round shape allows the basket to turn flexibly, making it easy to anchor, dock, and take up little space when loaded onto a fishing boat.

Bamboo basket boats can easily move in reefs and rocky beaches. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan

Although there is no document to determine the exact origin, researchers agree that the basket boat appeared very early in the life of the coastal residents of Central Vietnam. There is a hypothesis that the basket boat was influenced by Champa culture, because the ancient Cham people were famous for their seafaring tradition. Another opinion dates it to the time when the Nguyen lords expanded Dang Trong; there is also a view that the basket boat was born during the French colonial period, when poor fishermen created a small boat called the basket boat to avoid being taxed...

Bamboo baskets are a long-standing fishing tool associated with the coastal fishing community of Gia Lai . Photo: Ngoc Nhuan

In the monograph on Indochina Sailboats published in French in 1949 in Saigon, JB Piétri - Director of the Indochina Fisheries Department - devoted a fairly detailed description of the basket boat. He mentioned a type of round basket boat, especially found in Da Nang port and from there they spread out along the coast of Vietnam, that is the fishing boat (ie basket boat).

JBPiétri describes: “It is a round boat, about a meter in size, and sometimes a little more, very light and convenient for beaching, takes up little space, and is convenient to place on the deck of a boat. It is a type of boat that serves most Vietnamese fishing and fishing boats”.

Notably, JBPiétri noted a very unique technique for controlling the basket boat: “They are operated by a swinging motion of the oar, and in some areas like Binh Dinh, children move it with just a simple inertial movement, a shake of the buttocks.”

Bamboo baskets are a means of transporting fishermen from shore to fishing boats anchored at sea. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan

These documents show that the basket boat is not only a means of labor, but also a folk cultural symbol closely associated with the living environment of coastal residents.

Fishing gear carries full meaning in flood season

Round and simple as it is, the basket boat has accompanied fishermen through countless sea seasons. From the shore to the reefs and rocky cliffs, the basket boat has always been an “extended arm” helping fishermen access waters that are difficult for large boats to enter.

Old fisherman Nguyen Du (78 years old, in Hai Dong quarter, Quy Nhon Dong ward) recounted the old way of making baskets: “To make a bamboo basket go down the water, all the gaps between the bamboo slats must be sealed. In the past, people pounded bo loi leaves, cactus resin mixed with incense powder to seal and then brushed on otter oil. Later, they used cow dung to seal and then brushed on otter oil. Each basket seemed to contain the knowledge of their ancestors.”

Bamboo baskets follow fishermen on fishing trips, becoming an important fishing tool in production activities at sea. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan

Nowadays, traditional bamboo baskets are gradually disappearing, replaced by composite baskets with high durability and easy maintenance. Many baskets are also equipped with small engines to serve near-shore fishing.

Fisherman Tran Nghe (in Vinh Hoi village, Cat Tien commune), who has many years of experience in the basket fishing profession, shared: “When going far, we use big boats, but on the boat there is always a basket boat to transport people and goods. If you want to get close to the rocky shore or reef, only a basket boat can get in. It is like a “companion” of fishermen, thanks to the basket boat we can live a sustainable life at sea.”

If at sea, the basket boat is the fishermen's companion, then when the flood hit the eastern region of Gia Lai province, it became a life-saving means. During the recent historic flood, in addition to canoes and jet skis participating in rescue operations, the basket boats of fishermen in Nhon Hai and Nhon Ly (Quy Nhon Dong ward) infiltrated isolated residential areas to bring people to safety and provide food.

Fishermen in Nhon Ly and Nhon Hai gather boats and bottles to participate in rescue and relief efforts for people in flooded areas in the East of Gia Lai province. Photo: Gia Lai Tourist Guide Association

Mr. Nguyen Huu Dao (in Ly Hoa quarter, Quy Nhon Dong ward), who directly participated in the rescue, recalled: “The flood rose quickly, the water flowed strongly, and the canoe had difficulty entering the small alleys. The basket boat was flexible enough to navigate through the rapids. At that time, the basket boat was no longer a fishing tool, it was like a “lifebuoy” to take people out of the danger zone.”

The images of basket boats going through floodwaters, carrying drinking water, food or taking people to safety have become a deep memory of people in flooded areas. The basket boats therefore go beyond their professional function, becoming a symbol of mutual support and solidarity in times of hardship and difficulty.

Bamboo baskets become a means of rescuing people in flooded areas. Photo: Gia Lai Tourist Guide Association

In recent years, along with the development of coastal community tourism, the function of the basket boat has been "renewed", with activities such as rowing the basket boat to see coral, racing the basket boat in the fishing festival or experiencing the basket boat for tourists. Despite its new appearance, the basket boat still retains its rustic character, reflecting the culture associated with the sea and the people here.

Bamboo baskets serving sea tourism activities. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan

From a means of seafaring, the basket boat has become a multi-functional symbol: a means of livelihood, rescue, and tourism. In modern life, the basket boat still quietly exists, as a testament to the resilient adaptation of coastal residents. That circle is not only the shape of a fishing tool, but also a circle of culture, of compatriotism and of generations of people who have anchored their lives to the sea.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/thung-chai-net-van-hoa-muu-sinh-va-nghia-tinh-mien-bien-post573929.html