Unique weapon making art of Thai people in Nghe An
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| (Baonghean.vn) - Nowadays, people in the highlands hunt less wild animals. But crossbows are still used for sports competitions, as gifts... That is also the reason why the crossbow making profession still exists, even though the number of people doing it is not much anymore. Photo by Ho Phuong |
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| In the entire Bac Son commune (Quy Hop), now only Mr. Luong Van Vinh, Nguoc village still maintains the crossbow making profession. Photo by Huu Vi |
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| In his stilt house, he still keeps many Thai hunting crossbows. In the photo is the one he made more than a year ago. Photo by Ho Phuong |
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| According to Mr. Vinh, Thai crossbows are different from Mong crossbows, the blades are often longer and the manufacturing process also requires more sophistication. Photo by Huu Vi |
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| In the past, all Thai men hunted animals, so making crossbows was a necessary side job. It must be said that crossbows were as important as knives and backpacks. Nowadays, people still turn to crossbows. Crossbows are rarely used for hunting, but are mainly bought to display in the house, as gifts for friends, and to compete in sports festivals. Photo by Ho Phuong |
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| Each crossbow is a meticulous work, right from the wood selection stage. Quy Hop people choose “cha en” wood growing on high mountains to make the crossbow body. The crossbow blades are made from a type of bamboo with a small but thick trunk. Photo by Huu Vi |
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| Wood and bamboo are dried in the kitchen loft after being cut down. When needed, they are taken down to make crossbows. Photo by Huu Vi |
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| The finished crossbows are also dried in the kitchen loft. This is how crossbow craftsmen prevent termites and keep the crossbows durable. Photo by Ho Phuong. |
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| Crossbow manufacturing requires a very high level of precision. The crossbow groove is straight, with just enough depth to place the arrow. The two sides of the groove must be almost perfectly symmetrical. The hole for the crossbow trigger must also be carved very skillfully so as not to affect the pulling of the trigger when shooting the arrow. The crossbow wing is also the most important part to create its range and accuracy. Photo by Ho Phuong |
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| The crossbow trigger is usually made from the sharp tip of a buffalo horn. Nowadays, people replace buffalo horn with wood. Photo by Huu Vi |
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| The arrow can be said to be the soul of the crossbow. It is a symbol of the upright and decisive character of the highlanders. To have an arrow with high accuracy at different shooting ranges is not easy. Photo by Ho Phuong |
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| Thai people in general often choose wild areca trees to make arrows. This type of wood creates arrows that are not too light but have moderate weight so that they can aim well at the target with the best accuracy. Photo by Huu Vi |
Ho Phuong - Huu Vi
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