The man who brought bamboo and rattan weaving from the western part of Nghe An province to new heights.

In the early days of spring, a chilly wind has crept through the alleys of Nua village, Yen Khe commune, Con Cuong border district. Spring arrives, and the leaves are gradually changing from yellow and red to the green of newly sprouted buds. Besides the work of farmers in the winter vegetable and fruit fields, the women are busy preparing colorful traditional brocade dresses and blouses; and dyeing rattan and bamboo to complete the traditional rattan and bamboo products that have been pre-ordered by customers from afar.

Ms. Vi Thi Hong's house is nestled behind rows of trees. Small and agile, with a cheerful face always beaming with a smile, Ms. Hong nimbly led us on a "tour" of the products she had just made.

Holding the commemorative "Cup" from the 2024 National Handicraft Competition, she proudly announced that this was her first award ever. Despite it being her first national-level award, she immediately won second prize. The product that helped this artisan, who has over 60 years of experience working with rattan and bamboo in this small, high-mountain village of Yen Khe, is a handbag.

This wallet, with its vibrant yet elegant colors, is made from rattan and bamboo from the Yên Khê mountain forest. Even the colors of the rattan and bamboo are dyed using natural pigments from the leaves around her garden and some rare plants found only in the forest. These simple, readily available natural materials, through the skillful and meticulous hands of Thái Vi Thị Hồng, have been transformed into a luxurious fashion product.

The essence of culture, the countryside, and the passion for traditional handicraft weaving in Yen Khe are encapsulated in this wallet, helping this small-scale handicraft product surpass thousands of other products nationwide and convincingly win second prize.

The owner of the rattan and bamboo handbag that won second prize said that, traditionally, the people of Yen Khe commune have used rattan and bamboo to weave products such as baskets, trays, rice presses, chairs, and serving trays for family and community life. However, fashion handbags and wallets have only recently appeared. Therefore, choosing to weave handbags reflects the influence of modern life and the desire to bring traditional products to keep pace with the tastes of today's society.

"It's also very pleasing that the rattan and bamboo fashion handbags were favored by many guests and delegates attending the Colors Exhibition, and received many orders, especially from foreign delegates. The Colors Exhibition is an activity within the framework of the national handicraft competition...", Ms. Hong said.

The most distinctive feature of this product is that it is woven with 1mm thick rattan and bamboo fibers. This is the size that Mrs. Hong has always used.It's something that even the most skilled rattan and bamboo weavers in Con Cuong district have never attempted. Therefore, the difficulty is multiplied many times over, challenging the talent and patience of the women, mothers, and artisans.

“There aren't many people in Yen Khe commune who are passionate about traditional weaving, and they are mostly women and elderly people. Many have poor eyesight and slower movements, so not everyone can weave with 1mm bamboo or rattan threads. Some elderly people have to use a sewing needle to push and compress the rattan threads while weaving,” Ms. Hong shared.

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Ms. Vi Thi Hong is a multi-talented artisan. Not only is she skilled in weaving and mastering the secrets of natural dyeing using plants and leaves for rattan and bamboo handicrafts, but she is also a master of brocade embroidery, especially for dresses and blouses.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha – Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Yen Khe Commune

Ms. Vi Thi Hong is also a constant source of inspiration, enthusiastically passing on her skills in weaving, embroidering brocade, and rattan and bamboo basketry to many generations of women in Yen Khe. Besides her weaving and embroidery talents, Ms. Hong is also a talented artist in the village, proficient in playing many traditional musical instruments of the Thai ethnic group.

Therefore, at the age of 76, Ms. Hong remains a pillar of the village's Folk Song Club and a dedicated teacher, passing on handicraft skills and contributing to the modernization of traditional crafts, helping the villagers bring their products to the national and international levels by producing green, environmentally friendly products.