To the land of silkworms

Ms. Le Thi Kieu Hanh introduces the My A silk products made by her family. Photo: THANH CHINH

Once a sensation

Early in the morning, a strong northerly wind swept across the Tien River and into the houses of Long Phu ward. Following Highway 2, we traveled to the silk-producing region to learn about the traditional craft of our ancestors from the time of land reclamation. In the past, Tan Chau silk village was well-known. The craft village, stretching for several kilometers, was divided into many stages such as silkworm farming, silk reeling, mulberry cultivation, mulberry tree cultivation, silk spinning, and weaving – bustling from one end of the village to the other. We visited the family of Mrs. Le Thi Kieu Hanh (70 years old), residing in Long Phu ward, where the traditional Tan Chau silk weaving craft is still preserved.

Sitting and rearranging stacks of soft, glossy My A silk fabric, she reminisced, recalling how her hometown in Long Khanh commune, Dong Thap province, was known for its traditional weaving of checkered scarves. Later, she got married and moved to Tan Chau, the land of silk. Her husband's family worked in silkworm breeding and weaving My A silk fabric.

The craft of weaving checkered scarves has similarities to the weaving of silk fabrics in Tan Chau, so she learned it very quickly. “My father-in-law passed this silk weaving craft down to me over 50 years ago. My family has continued this tradition for over 100 years, through three generations. Currently, my children are also continuing the Tan Chau silk weaving craft of their ancestors,” Ms. Hanh expressed.

In the past, in the silk-producing region of Tan Chau, every household owned a loom and a spinning wheel. To integrate the production of soft, high-quality fabric, the people established areas for mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing, silk reeling, and the cultivation of mulberry trees. Thanks to this integration, the silkworm farming industry flourished.

“In the past, every household had a loom and a spinning wheel. Early in the morning, you could hear the clicking sound of women diligently working at their looms, weaving high-quality silk fabrics. During Tet (Lunar New Year), they worked non-stop to meet delivery deadlines. My A silk fabric was in high demand domestically, and was even sold to neighboring Cambodia,” Mrs. Hanh recounted.

In ancient times, only wealthy and affluent women could afford clothing made from My A silk. According to elders in the silk-producing region, My A silk was only accessible to the rich because of its high price. Previously, My A silk was known as the queen of silk fabrics, and therefore women took great care in preserving garments made from it.

On holidays, festivals, and weddings, people would take it out to wear, showcasing the status of the aristocracy. Mỹ A silk fabric was often used to make two-piece outfits or long trousers worn with a white blouse, creating the graceful and elegant look of women in Southern Vietnam in the past.

Serving tourists

The unique combination of raw materials—silk threads, glossy black mulberry fruit—and the ingenuity and skillful hands of the people in the upstream region is the secret to creating the high-quality, proudly produced silk fabric of Tan Chau. Sometimes, the silk weaving village is bustling with activity, and all the goods produced are sold. Ms. Hanh said that before the invention of weaving machines, women would sit spinning silk and weaving fabric by hand on looms, producing only about 4-5 meters of fabric per day.

After weaving, the next step is to harvest the fruit of the *Mắc Nưa* plant, crush it, and put the fabric into a drum that has been cut in half for dyeing. After dyeing, rinse with water, repeating this process 20 times, then dry the fabric in the sun. The final step is to dye it again after 45 days to produce the durable, high-quality *Mỹ A* fabric.

Each silk thread is dyed and blended with the color of the mulberry fruit to create deep black, glossy fabrics. These fabrics are not only favored by people in Southern Vietnam but also by international tourists visiting Tan Chau silk village. During its heyday , My A silk surpassed even Thai silk and was sold to Laos, Cambodia, and the Philippines. When we visited Mrs. Hanh's house, we met a group of over 50 French tourists.

After touring the silk-producing region, they visited Mrs. Hanh's house to see and experience the weaving craft. Touching the smooth, soft silk fabric, the French tourists were amazed and delighted. Mrs. Hanh said that Western tourists are very fond of this type of fabric because the locals still maintain the dyeing techniques passed down from their ancestors.

My A silk fabric possesses unique characteristics that few other silk fabrics can match. It's warm in winter and cool and light in summer. My A silk becomes even darker and shinier with each wash, enhancing the elegance of women who wear it. For young women in their prime, wearing My A silk clothing accentuates their graceful and sophisticated beauty. Made from traditional silk, this fabric is well-suited to tropical climates like the Mekong Delta.

"In hot weather, this fabric easily absorbs sweat. When washed and sun-dried for a short time, it dries quickly, and the glossy black color doesn't fade. Therefore, My A silk is considered the best fabric among all fabrics, both past and present," Mrs. Hanh proudly stated.

Behind Mrs. Hanh's house, dozens of industrial weaving machines are bustling with activity. Every day, Mrs. Hanh's family produces dozens of meters of various types of fabric to supply the market. As for the My A silk fabric, her family produces it according to orders from their partners.

To make the My A silk fabric more widely known, Mrs. Hanh's family also opened a tourist attraction. Every day, many international tourists from countries such as France, Germany, the United States, and Japan arrive at the Tien River to visit Mrs. Hanh's family and experience the silk weaving craft. Many tourists buy My A silk fabric as gifts for friends and relatives.

Nowadays, the My A silk fabric is still purchased by elderly women from Ca Mau , Vinh Long, and Tay Ninh provinces who travel all the way to the silk-producing region to make clothing. Ms. Hanh said that there are 90-year-old women in Ca Mau province who, knowing that the silk-producing region still preserves the My A silk weaving craft, have asked their children and grandchildren to come here to buy the fabric to make clothes. They said the elderly women were very happy to find My A silk! "In the past, my father-in-law produced as much My A silk as he could, and it was all sold," Ms. Hanh said slowly.

Thanks to maintaining this silk weaving craft, Mrs. Hanh raised her children successfully. Now in her twilight years, she is passing the trade on to her children. Of her three children, two are continuing the traditional craft with her. Now that Mrs. Hanh's family has successors, it is hoped that the silk weaving craft of this silk-producing region will be preserved and become an attractive tourist destination along the proud Tien River.

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