Symbol of the river wharf
In the peaceful grounds of the garden with an ancient star apple tree in Thong Nhat village, Tinh An Tay commune, Quang Ngai city, Quang Ngai province, Mr. Mai Van Quyt (79 years old) is diligently carrying out a "work of memories" of the past, which is to rebuild the water wheel, a tool to bring irrigation water from the river to the fields that has been absent for nearly 50 years in this land.
Mr. Quyt recounted that along the Tra Khuc River every dry season, water wheels were placed on the riverbanks to bring water to the fields for irrigation. Each wheel on the riverbank had about 9-10 wheels, each wheel had a diameter of about 10-12m. The water wheel bank he completed now is only a small fraction of the old water wheel banks. It took him about a month to complete each wheel. With a water wheel bank with 9-10 wheels like that, it took him a whole year to rough it, paint it to prevent termites, then assemble each wheel onto the shelf and complete each part.
Like the “water wheels” in the northern mountainous region, the special thing about these water wheels is the connection of all the wheels together instead of placing each wheel separately like the people in the northern mountainous region. Mr. Quyt said that the old Tra River water wheels with a diameter of 12m, at least 10 people had to work together for several months to complete. Not to mention the raw material of bamboo had to be prepared a year in advance. Bamboo stalks about 5-7m long were collected, soaked in water for about 6 months to prevent termites before they could be used. The person in charge of the project had to have the knowledge and skills to direct each person to perform their part of the work.
To build the water wheel bank, each worker must build a scaffolding 6 - 8m high, using bamboo soaked in water to tie, join, and interlock so that the wheel gradually takes shape and is very sturdy. All of these tasks must be done on the riverbank, where the silt from upstream bubbles and waves hit each bamboo trunk. The water wheels are built on the water area called "bank". Around each wheel, hundreds of bamboo tubes are tied together at a carefully calculated angle so that when the wheel rotates, the bamboo tubes filled with water rotate and are brought up high into the water trough, leading water to the fields in the distance. When a water wheel is completed, its weight when filled with water can be up to more than 1 ton.
Mr. Quyt also revealed that, normally, each water wheel bank like this has a lifespan of 40 - 50 years. However, after each rainy season or flood water from the upstream of the Tra River flows down, many water wheel banks are washed away or damaged. People from the upper and lower villages work together to repair and rebuild them to bring water to the crops. Over time, when the irrigation season is over, villagers mobilize to the riverside to move the water wheel banks closer to the shore to prevent floods.
The water banks are therefore not only tools in production labor, works of art bearing the unique mark of human hands and minds, but also contain traditional cultural beauty, a knot of solidarity and affection between the villages next to the fields. Therefore, the water banks are considered a symbol of the Quang Ngai people for their diligence and creativity, and are considered an important irrigation solution serving agricultural production during a difficult time in the 40s and 50s of the last century.
The one who reconstructs the memory of time
The light drizzle of early spring falls on the star apple trees, like drops of time tapping into memories. Under the ancient star apple tree in his garden, the old artisan Mai Van Quyt is still diligently whittling each bamboo strip, meticulously inserting, painting, carefully measuring each joint, and polishing each thread to shape his product.
Born into a family with three generations of water wheel makers, Mr. Quyt is the only sixth child among 10 children who still retains the craft techniques passed down from his father. Starting to make water wheel makers at the age of 16, this man, nearly 80, has rebuilt countless large and small water wheel makers. The small water wheel makers are for display, the larger ones are for irrigation.
However, since the construction of irrigation canals, oil and then electric water pumps were put into operation, the water wheels have disappeared along the Tra Khuc River. For many years, Mr. Quyt has been working hard to make water wheels, but they are mainly miniature products for display. Each model wheel has from 2 to 4 wheels, depending on the needs of the user. Many people have ordered this souvenir to bring back to the city to remember the river banks and rice fields of the past.
Now that he is old, Mr. Quyt still has a burning desire to find someone to pass on all the techniques of making this water wheel embankment. He wishes to rebuild a complete, original water wheel embankment project on the river bank to preserve the memory, the symbol of the Tra Khuc River of the past. At the same time, it is also a highlight for the field of water tourism - agricultural tourism of Quang Ngai province.
Mr. Bui Van Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Ngai, said that on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2024, in the program "Quang Ngai countryside colors in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time - 2024", the water wheel embankment with 9 wheels of Mr. Mai Van Quyt was brought to the city named after Uncle Ho for display and exhibition. After that, the Organizing Committee gave this model back. This is a project that Mr. Quyt has been working on for many years to complete, there were customers who offered 150 million VND but Mr. Quyt did not sell. Mr. Quyt's joy is to preserve, promote and spread the cultural heritage values of Quang Ngai land so that people across the country can know. At the same time, so that Quang Ngai children far from home can relive the memories and symbols of a time full of love of their hometown river.
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