About Tan Thai to hear stories about sea nets

DNO - Although the times have changed through many waves, coastal culture still quietly anchors itself in the memories of the people of Tan Thai fishing village (Son Tra ward). There, the fishing net is not only a means of making a living but also a lasting witness, preserving the unique culture of many generations of fishermen.

Mr. Huynh Van Muoi (Son Tra ward) shared about the net weaving profession at the "Marine Cultural Heritage" Festival at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Secondary School (campus 2). Photo: VAN HOANG

Soul of the sea, soul of the net

Since its inception as a small fishing village nestled at the foot of Son Tra Mountain, Tan Thai has been associated with the craft of net weaving as an essential part of life. In the memory of Mr. Huynh Van Muoi (Son Tra Ward), every early morning, the men in the area sailed their boats out to sea.

In the low-lying thatched houses, the sounds of spinning, tying knots, and the cheerful laughter of mothers and sisters resounded leisurely, regularly, and persistently like the eternal rhythm of the sea.

In those days, no one called net weaving a profession. For the fishermen of Tan Thai village, it was a must to create fishing gear and a natural industry flowing in the blood of those born and raised by the sea.

From children to the elderly, everyone knows every mesh and knot of the net by heart. On those calloused hands are traces of years of making a living, of busy fishing seasons and of rough nights when the sea had to stay up all night to mend the net in time for the early morning trip.

Mr. Muoi said that the nets of those days did not have the shine of fishing line or the smoothness of nylon thread like today. Because the nets were spun from hemp, a wild plant with sharp thorns on its trunk but inside it produced a tough and durable fiber like the endurance of the people at sea.

Every day, the people here pick hemp, bring it home, peel it, soak it in water, dry it in the sun and then rub it until it is soft. Under the skillful hands of the men and women of the fishing village, those rough hemp fibers are gradually joined together, spun into long, shiny threads, rolled into large and small rolls to weave nets. Just like that, “hemp curtains” and “hemp nets” were born, becoming names associated with the early days of fishing of fishermen.

“The hemp net looks simple but is durable when fishing. Each mesh is even and sturdy. After each fishing trip, people shake the net and dry it on the sandbank in the sun. Later, when new materials appeared, hemp nets gradually faded into the past, remaining in the memories of veteran fishermen,” Mr. Muoi shared.

To weave a net by hand, fishermen must know how to hold a "pin" and use a "nay" (or "cu").
Photo: VAN HOANG

… gradually fading into memory

After the time of barbed nets, new material nets gradually appeared in the lives of fishermen in Tan Thai village. However, the net weaving technique did not change accordingly.

Having been attached to Tan Thai fishing village for many years, "old fisherman" Nguyen Dang Hiep (Son Tra ward) demonstrated the net weaving movements for us to observe. Mr. Hiep said that to weave a net by hand, fishermen must know how to hold a "pin" and use a "nay" (also known as "cu").

These are indispensable tools, of which, "pin" is a small shuttle made of bamboo or wood, shaved thin, used to fix the thread. And "nay" is a flat ruler used to measure the size of the net mesh, large or small, depending on the fishing method.

But most importantly, the weaver must clearly understand the steps such as: upper knot, lower knot, threading the net, "pinning" (tying) the lead... Just like that, one hand holds the "pin", one hand threads the pin, the threading - tightening - knotting movements... all take place according to the weaver's own rhythm.

“The fishing line, by chance, seems to have a soul in my hand, moving quickly like weaving each rhythm of the ocean. From the reel of fishing line, the net appears without me knowing. But whatever I do, the worker must be patient, tighten the mesh and remember the principle of "above buoy" - "below lead" to create a standard and beautiful net,” said Mr. Hiep.

It takes a skilled worker hours to complete a net. Therefore, hand-woven nets are very valuable, from 10 million to several tens of millions.

While the trawl net (used for fishing close to shore) with the net woven by machine, the worker only attaches buoys, weights... only about 3.5 - 4 million VND/net. The value of the hand-made net is therefore left behind by the market and technology, and few people are interested.

Fishermen from Son Tra ward share and guide students in weaving nets at the “Marine Cultural Heritage” Festival. Photo: VAN HOANG

According to Mr. Hiep, compared to many other localities, the net weaving profession in Son Tra seems to be falling into oblivion. The once patient and skillful hands now only perform small steps of the once-industrial craft such as lead splinting and attaching buoys.

In the golden sunset, the sound of waves still beats rhythmically, but the rustling sound of net weaving only echoes in the memories of the elderly. Occasionally, when someone calls to mend the net, the memory of the seafaring profession and the skillful hands of our ancestors revives once again.

For Mr. Hiep, Mr. Muoi and other seniors in Son Tra, each mesh of the net, each knot is a living proof of the diligence, ingenuity and love of the sea of ​​people. But now it only exists in the stories and in the eyes of those who still remember...

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Culture will be lost if we do not know how to preserve it. The young generation will not be able to imagine how our ancestors attached their lives to the sea. For that reason, I am always passionate about conveying the story of sea culture to everyone. I hope the city will soon have a sea culture museum to preserve the soul of the village in the middle of the city.

Mr. Huynh Van Muoi, Son Tra ward, Da Nang city

Source: https://baodanang.vn/ve-tan-thai-nghe-chuyen-luoi-bien-3312645.html