Weaving in Diem village

(Baonghean) - The weaving profession in Diem village, Chau Khe commune (Con Cuong) was once at risk of extinction. However, this traditional craft is now gradually reviving, contributing to helping the people of Diem village eliminate hunger and reduce poverty.

From Khe Choang town (Chau Khe commune), following the winding road along the Khe Choang stream, through Chau Son, Chau Dinh, Bung, and Xat villages, we arrived at the peaceful and quiet Diem village. The stilt houses are quiet under the shade of ancient trees, the old people sit on the porch chewing betel and teaching the children to sing nursery rhymes, five-line verses, and stream tunes, which are precious treasures passed down from their ancestors for generations. At the beginning of the village, there is a house roofed with palm leaves and bamboo walls, filled with laughter every day. That is the "workshop" of the bamboo and rattan weaving group of Diem village, where the children of the village gather who share a common love for the traditional weaving craft.

Members of the Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Group in Diem village, Chau Khe commune (Con Cuong) are busy with their weaving work. Photo: Cong Kien

We entered the “workshop” where people were busy with knives, bamboo strips and the products were gradually being completed. All kinds of baskets, sticky rice presses, fish containers, rattan trays, sticky rice presses and all kinds of household items that had been completely processed were placed on shelves and hung on the wall as if for display. Admiring those products, we could feel the passion, dedication and affection conveyed through each bamboo strip and pattern. Unexpectedly, under those rough hands, these simple but delicate products spoke up to affirm their value, becoming useful items with high aesthetic value.

While finishing the rattan tray, Ms. Lang Thi Hoa - Head of the rattan and bamboo weaving group in Diem village talked: "In the past, in Diem village, the weaving profession was very developed, old and young, men and women almost all knew how to weave. Living in the middle of the mountains and forests, weaving materials were very available, from bamboo, giang trees to rattan fibers, just need to step behind the mountain. Household items were mainly woven by people themselves, both saving costs and being safe to use". But then, unexpectedly, there was a time when the forest was exhausted, giang trees and rattan fibers had to be taken deep into the forest, spending a whole day to get a little, weaving materials were seriously lacking. At that time, plastic and iron products flooded into the village, people brought them to the alley, up to the house to sell, cheap, convenient, not taking time to sit and weave, so people switched to using baskets, trays, trays, plastic and iron chairs. Since then, the weaving profession has become difficult due to lack of raw materials and no place to sell them. The artisans are depressed, the elderly return to their ancestors with the pain of the risk of the traditional profession being lost.

The State implemented the policy of forest protection, land allocation, and forest allocation to each household for protection and management, and the forests along Choang stream were gradually revived. Under the canopy of large trees, bamboo, reed, rattan, and rattan covered the entire forest, contributing to the green color - the color of life in the remote border area. Then, after a period of using household items made from plastic and iron, the locals found them somewhat convenient but it was difficult to verify their safety. The things that the locals weaved themselves, made from familiar, environmentally friendly materials, were truly trusted. That was the reason and motivation for the traditional weaving profession to be revived and developed, helping people take advantage of abundant raw materials, and take advantage of their free time to earn extra income.

But the difficulty here is that after a long period of time, the weaving profession fell into oblivion, the artisans returned to the "Muong Then" land without having time to pass on the profession, leaving a void. Those who came after had not yet mastered the craft and had to give up, and now they are confused when threading each bamboo thread and joining each border. Weaving to serve family needs is easy, but to sell to the market requires a product that is both durable and beautiful, only then can it attract the needs of customers from all over the country.

As a child, Ms. Lang Thi Hoa often sat on the porch watching adults whittling bamboo and weaving, and her passion for weaving was formed and nurtured from there. With the desire and determination to restore the traditional craft, in 2013 she established the Diem Village Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Group, gathering skilled people with the same passion. Initially, only 5-7 people participated, but the number gradually increased and has now reached 22 members.

The wicker products of the Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Group in Diem village, Chau Khe commune (Con Cuong) are increasingly improved in design. Photo: Cong Kien

There were times when Ms. Hoa left her housework to go everywhere to ask for training classes on weaving techniques for her group members and to explore and search for consumer markets. Wherever there was a handicraft fair, she would go there to display her group's products in the hope of meeting customers' tastes. She had been to Vinh, Hanoi and Da Nang to introduce her group's products. Participating in the fair was also an opportunity for her to grasp the needs, learn experiences to exchange and guide members in the village. She also went to villages in Tuong Duong and Ky Son districts to meet with weaving artisans to learn more techniques and experiences.

To improve the products, she encouraged the members of the group to develop their creativity, each person proposed an initiative, aiming to improve the design and enhance the quality. The members enthusiastically proposed their ideas, in which the ideas of artisans Vi Thi Noi and Luong Van Long stood out.

When she was young, Mrs. Vi Thi Noi was the most beautiful weaver of dresses and shirts in the village, even the whole Chau Khe region. The girl from Diem village learned from her mother how to combine colors and embroider patterns and motifs on dresses in a harmonious and delicate way, which was loved by everyone around her. Now that she is old, Mrs. Noi joins the weaving group with the desire to contribute to restoring the traditional craft, so that future generations can find a way to return to their cultural roots.

She realized that for a long time, the items were all woven normally, mainly aiming at the use value, so it was difficult to approach the market, because there were not many on the market. Improving the design, enhancing the aesthetics, breathing "soul" into the new product, hoping to gain a foothold, find an outlet to maintain and develop the weaving profession. An idea flashed in her mind, why not bring the patterns and motifs of brocade items to weaving? Thinking and doing right away, Grandma went into the forest to get medicinal plants, pounded and boiled them, dyed bamboo into different colors to create colorful patterns, then mixed the colors on the surface of the product. The trays, baskets and other items with patterns and motifs were really outstanding and eye-catching, making even the most demanding customers praise them, from there the initiative was implemented by the whole team and the number of products sold increased significantly.

Ms. Vi Thi Noi introduces the products of the Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Group in Diem village, Chau Khe commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Cong Kien

Following his grandmother's initiative, Mr. Luong Van Long came up with the idea of ​​using dyed bamboo fibers to weave products with meaningful words. It could be slogans, mottos or simply the name of the village, the name of the Muong and the name of the customer. Mr. Long's initiative was quickly applied, especially customers from far away often ordered to weave products with their names printed on them as souvenirs, thanks to which the price of the product was increased, the items affirmed their position at handicraft and fine art fairs and expanded further in the market...

Cong Kien