A village in Thanh Chuong with a tradition of drum making spanning 11 generations.

In Van Thuong drum-making village, Dai Dong commune, Thanh Chuong district, day or night, as soon as you approach the craft village, you'll hear the clacking sounds of chiseling, the clicking of bamboo joints, the rhythmic testing of drums, and the cheerful sounds of wood-cutting saws.

We visited the largest and oldest drum-making workshop of Mr. Phan Van Cu (born in 1959). Here, they had all kinds of drums, from ceremonial drums, lion dance drums, musical drums, large drums, etc., all completed and ready for delivery to customers.

Mr. Cu said: "The drum-making craft here has been passed down from Hung Tay commune, Hung Nguyen district, for 11 generations. The craft is maintained year-round, but the period before and after Tet (Lunar New Year) is when we receive the most orders, because most festivals are held during this time. My workshop has to operate at full capacity to keep up with customer demand. On average, we make 15-20 drums of various types each month."

A wide variety of drums are produced, including drums for village communal houses, ancestral temples, pagodas, festivals, lion dances, wine drums, school drums, and parish drums.

According to Mr. Cu, creating a standard drum requires meticulous craftsmanship and high skill. First, the wood and buffalo/cowhide materials must be carefully selected. The wood used for the drum body is mainly jackfruit wood because of its high durability, resistance to cracking, and resonant sound. The buffalo/cowhide must be fresh and unprocessed to ensure optimal elasticity.

After preparing the materials, the craftsman proceeds to shape the drum body, with the most important step being processing the hide and sealing the drumhead. The craftsman needs to stretch the buffalo or cowhide evenly, ensuring there are no wrinkles, then secure it with pegs made from mature bamboo. This step determines the quality of the drum's sound and requires skill and years of experience. On average, a drum can be completed in 3-5 days if the materials are readily available, but some large drums can take up to a month to complete.

The drum-making village of Văn Thượng currently has 7 households involved in the craft. Besides the family of Mr. Phan Văn Cư, there are other skilled drum-making households such as the families of Mr. Phan Văn Tư, Mr. Ngũ Nhàn, etc.

Thanks to their skilled craftsmanship and long-standing reputation, drum-making workshops in Dai Dong commune currently receive numerous orders, providing stable employment for many local workers. Each workshop typically employs 3-4 workers, with an average income of 400,000-500,000 VND per person per day. After deducting material and labor costs, workshop owners can earn tens of millions of VND each month. This is a crucial source of income, helping many families achieve a stable life.

Currently, drum-making is facing many difficulties such as increasingly scarce raw materials, rising jackfruit wood prices, and competition from other industries like leather shoes for buffalo and cow hides. Furthermore, the craft requires perseverance, meticulousness, and passion, but young people today show little interest.

Despite facing many challenges, the drum-making craft in Dai Dong commune still has the potential for development if properly cared for and preserved. Supporting the search for stable raw materials, combined with vocational training for the younger generation, is a crucial solution to maintaining and promoting the value of this traditional craft. More than just a handcrafted product, these drums embody cultural identity, contributing to the preservation of the nation's spirit and boosting the local economy.