Unique blacksmithing craft of Mong people in Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - The blacksmithing profession of the Mong ethnic group has existed for a long time, closely associated with the living and farming activities in the highlands. In Nghe An, the blacksmithing profession has been followed by the Mong people in the North since ancient times.
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| If the Thai ethnic group is famous for its colorful brocades, the Mong ethnic group is known by many people for its traditional blacksmithing. The blacksmithing profession of the Mong ethnic group has long been closely associated with living and farming activities in the highlands. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| In the past, almost every Mong family had their own forge to make farming tools and household items. However, not everyone could forge durable, beautiful, and sophisticated products. A good Mong blacksmith only needed to tap a knife lightly to know whether it was good or bad. Good blacksmiths were often born into families with a traditional blacksmithing profession. And their forging secrets were passed down through their families and clans. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| The blacksmith of Mr. Mua Va Phia's family (born in 1959) in Phu Kha 2 village, Na Ngoi commune, Ky Son district is red hot again after many years of "forgetting". Mr. Mua Va Phia said: He was taught the profession by his father since he was young. When he grew up, he was busy with a thousand things and had no time to forge. Later, he had more free time and missed the profession so he returned. It's just for fun but he still earns a few million dong each month. Mong people's farming tools, especially knives, are very popular... Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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Mr. Tho Chu Sung (born in 1962), from Pa Khom village, now works as a blacksmith in Minh Chau village, Tri Le commune, Que Phong district, said: In the past, in Pa Khom, all Mong people knew how to blacksmith. They made their own machetes, hoes... and even flintlock gun barrels for use. In the past, some people even forged bolts and screws to replace on Minsk motorbikes. Back then, it was done entirely by hand, one knife took 2-3 days to make, but today, thanks to electricity and machines, 3 knives can be made a day, priced from 120,000 to 300,000 VND depending on the type. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Mr. Tho Chu Sung shared: In addition to the experience of tempering steel, there are many other secrets such as choosing good steel, suitable for each product. To have a knife with sharpness and durability, you should use car springs for forging. Do not use coal but use charcoal from trees that are difficult to burn and burn for a long time, to ensure heat. During forging, if the steel is not tempered hot enough, it will be weak and cannot be used for a long time, but if it is tempered too hot, it will easily break. To have a good forged product depends on the experience of each craftsman, and that experience is very difficult to describe in words. Photo: Duc Anh |
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| Mr. Tho Chu Sung added: Nowadays, in some stages of forging, Mong people use machines, such as furnace blowers and grinders. Thanks to modern machines, Mong blacksmiths can work quickly and beautifully. That speed combined with the fact that young people go to work far away has resulted in not many people keeping the profession... Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| For the Mong ethnic group: The existence of blacksmithing today not only contributes practically to the life of production workers, but also contributes to maintaining the unique traditional culture of their people. Each forged product has a soul, a real life. The products all bear the strong characteristics of the ethnic group: durable, flexible. When farming, the hoes and knives hit rocks or chop hard objects, they can only chip into small pieces and not be curled... Photo: Thanh Cuong |
.jpg "Đào, lê khoe sắc sớm trên bản người Mông xứ Nghệ")
