(Baonghean.vn) - Phong Thanh village (now Hamlet 13, Nghi Phong commune - Nghi Loc district) has long been famous for its basket boat weaving craft. Through the ups and downs of life, the village's craft is still being maintained. Although only 5 households in the village still practice the craft, it remains the main supplier of bamboo boats to coastal fishing villages in the province and some neighboring provinces...
According to the elders in the village, the craft of basket weaving in Nghi Phong has existed for hundreds of years. The villagers know about this craft from generations of ancestors. In the old days, every household wove baskets to sell and earn extra money for fish sauce, salt, and daily necessities. The craft of weaving basket boats, in particular, became popular in the 1980s, especially in the last 20 years or so due to the demands of the fishing industry. Besides transporting people, food, and fuel from shore to ships for fishing trips, as well as carrying products from ships to the dock, basket boats are now commonly used for purse seine fishing and basket fishing.
Completing a traditional basket boat takes a considerable amount of time. Even skilled craftsmen need 4-5 days to finish a medium-sized boat, while larger boats with a rim diameter exceeding 2 meters require 8-10 days of work. A completed boat costs an average of 1.5 million to 3 million VND, depending on its size; after deducting the cost of materials, each boat yields a profit of 1-1.3 million VND. Although plastic boats have become available in recent years, Nghi Phong basket boats, with their advantages of durability, lightness, maneuverability at sea, and lower cost, remain popular among fishermen.
Here are some pictures of Phong Thanh basket boat making village.
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| Having been involved in the craft of weaving basket boats for nearly 50 years, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, from Phong Thanh hamlet, still maintains the same posture as he splits the bamboo strips. According to Mr. Hoa: Besides skill, the craftsman needs experience in splitting the bamboo strips; the strips must be evenly split, straight, soft on the outside and gradually harder towards the inside to facilitate weaving. After splitting, the strips must be dried in the sun for a day to prevent shrinkage later. |
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| In Phong Thanh hamlet, making basket boats is also a traditional craft of Pham Van Hoa's family. At the age of 15, Hoa had already mastered the tasks of splitting bamboo strips, weaving mats, and preparing the basket core... |
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| Depending on the density of the bamboo strips, the craftsman will split the bamboo, peel off the inner core (the hardest outer layer of the bamboo), then scrape off the green outer layer and weave it into strips. The strips are dried in the sun and dew until they turn yellow before being used to shape the baskets. |
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| To increase the lifespan and safety of the boat, solid bamboo must be used, neither too young nor too old, and only the lower half of the trunk should be used. The bamboo for the rim of the basket must be carefully selected because the rim acts as the "backbone" supporting and balancing the boat. |
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| And bending the rim of a basket boat requires the craftsman to be strong, as it is a completely manual job with no machinery to assist. |
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| Previously, craftspeople had to dig molds in the ground to place the bamboo strips inside, then use their feet to evenly distribute the material throughout the mold to form the basket. Now, the craftsmen only need to make four stakes, then place the bamboo strips on top to create the shape. |
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| According to Mr. Pham Van Hoa, the most difficult part of making a basket boat is attaching the rim, because it requires precision in measuring the diameter and height according to the customer's specifications. |
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| Using specialized fishing line to secure the rim is the final step in completing a basket boat. |
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| According to the weavers of Nghi Phong, if properly maintained, a basket boat can last for decades. Basket boats have the advantages of being lightweight, maneuverable, wave-resistant, and resistant to capsizing, so they are still chosen by many fishermen. |
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At Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa's household, the consumption of his products is not limited to fishermen in the fishing villages of Nghi Thiet, Nghi Quang, and Nghi Tien (Nghi Loc district); and Nghi Tan and Nghi Thuy communes (Cua Lo town), but has expanded to neighboring provinces such as Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, and Ha Tinh. |
Ngoc Anh
