Noong De is bustling with the sound of shuttles

(Baonghean) -"From ancient times until now, brocade weaving has been a traditional profession in Noong De. Each family weaves their own shirts, scarves, blankets... to serve their family. Weaving brocade also helps grown-up daughters learn a trade before they get married. In recent years, people from the lowlands have come to the village to place orders, making the Noong De people very happy!", shared Lo Me Mi in the Noong De brocade craft village, Nam Can commune (Ky Son).

Me Lo and Me Mi from Noong De village at the loom.

From Muong Xen Town, going up Nam Can is 12 kilometers of flat asphalt road, it only takes a few dozen minutes by motorbike to get there. Noong De Village, houses are close together on both sides of National Highway 7, always bustling with people coming and going. Here, every house has at least 2 looms. Looking at Me Mi's thin hands stroking the fabric on the loom, we can see that the brocade weaving profession not only requires diligence, but also dexterity. Me Mi is over 65 years old this year, every day she sits at the loom to weave brocade. "In the past, the Noong De people had to go to Muong Xen market to buy materials to weave scarves and skirts. They had to walk until their legs were tired. The road was winding and steep, with many large and small rocks in front of them. No one dared to ride a motorbike for fear of falling into the abyss. However, because they loved weaving, they went to every house. To buy materials to go home early, they had to get up before sunrise. By the time they got home, the sun had long set. Everyone was excited to buy materials. Back then, brocade weaving was for the family, unlike now where weaving is paid according to the product. Every few months, people went to the market once to buy materials and conveniently buy some household items such as salt, oil, fish sauce... Everyone had a basket full of them.

The most important thing is still the clothes worn when going out on holidays, New Year, and festivals. On festivals, scarves and skirts are woven more elaborately, from the color, the combination of this color with that color must be beautiful, must be brilliant, from the scarf, the belt must also be coordinated to harmonize with the dress. Very elaborate. And the clothes worn every day must also have the right color combination to match the national identity, the same color scheme that grandmothers and mothers woven in the past, that is, black, blue and red must be the main colors. Over time, people passing by National Highway 7, Nam Can commune, saw the clothes worn by Noong De people, some people brought them to sell at the markets, people came to ask to buy, gradually the villagers wove clothes to sell.

Weaving during the off-season, people still go to the fields until someone in the village comes to receive the goods for people to weave. The bustling Noong De village has been even more bustling since then. "How long does it take to weave a scarf, ma'am?", "A person can weave nearly 3 scarves in a day. But they don't work continuously every day. People also go to the fields... They take a few hours a day. On delivery days, they sometimes weave until 10 or 11 at night before stopping. During the harvest and sowing seasons, men go to the fields instead so that the women and girls can stay home and weave in time for delivery. Weaving also brings in a monthly income of 1.5 to 2 million VND/person". In Noong De village, Me Mi is the head of the Women's Association of the village, representing the villagers in cooperating with companies in Hanoi and Vinh to deliver goods. Every month, Me Mi brings raw materials for the villagers to make, sets a date to collect the products, the villagers just weave, do not have to worry about the source of consumption, nor do they have to go to the district market like before to find and buy raw materials. The villagers love it very much".

Each person takes on a job, the group weaving scarves, the group weaving dresses, the group weaving blankets, pillows... everyone is happy because they get to do the work they like, love, and have extra income. Over 200 households in Noong De village have over 400 looms. Some families have 3 brocade weaving looms. Me Cut Me Van said: "The oldest of the 2 looms in my family is over 60 years old, that is my mother-in-law's loom. This loom is also 30 years old. When I became a daughter-in-law, my mother-in-law gave me this loom, my daughters and daughters-in-law are also very good at weaving. My family receives over 4 million VND in wages a month. The villagers are very excited...", Me Van said while gently moving her feet and hands on the loom.

The brocade weaving profession in Noong De village has become an image of cultural beauty of ethnic minorities, contributing to helping people eliminate hunger and reduce poverty.

Thu Huong