Concerns about Tinh Gia carpentry village
(Baonghean.vn) -Coming to Tinh Gia carpentry village (Thai Son commune, Do Luong), we saw with our own eyes beautiful wooden household products with sophisticated carved patterns. Having just been recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as a traditional craft village, the concern of artisans of Tinh Gia carpentry village is to pass on their skills to the next generations.
Talking to us, Mr. Nguyen Quang Uy, head of hamlet 7 of Thai Son commune explained: “The name of Tinh Gia carpentry village originated from when the village was first established. “Tinh” here was considered by the elders to mean quiet, and “gia” means family education, family style, so Tinh Gia means a quiet and disciplined village”. During the two resistance wars against the French and the Americans, Tinh Gia village carried out well the production movement to serve the war and was awarded the title of unit with outstanding achievements in the labor production movement by the late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong in the years 1963-1964. Also following the historical development process of the village, carpentry in Tinh Gia has become one of the main occupations, from producing agricultural tools and instruments to now all other household and high-end wooden products.
Artisan in a carving workshop in Tinh Gia carpentry village
Before the 1980s, Tinh Gia village had only one group of 5 workers, but now the village has a total of 17 workshops, attracting 70 workers regularly working in the carpentry profession; the village has less than 100 households, but there are more than 80 households with the profession, many of which have large-scale development. For example, the sawmill and carving workshop of Mr. Nguyen Van Toan, every day has more than 10 workers working and on average each day creates 20-30 carved products such as shelves, beds, cabinets, tables and chairs... Or the production facilities of Mr. Hoang Minh Toan, Mr. Nguyen Van Chien... are also typical production households. In 2012 alone, the total production value of Tinh Gia carpentry village reached 40.4 billion VND, profit 7.6 billion VND, each worker earns an average of nearly 60 million VND/year.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Son, head of the traditional carpentry village in Tinh Gia, said: “In the village, there are families with 4 or 5 children, all of whom have been taught and followed the carpentry profession. Carpentry in the village is no longer an economic profession but has become a long-standing cultural tradition of generations of people in Tinh Gia. We not only learn from previous generations, but also absorb the quintessence of craft villages in neighboring provinces such as Dong Ky village (Bac Ninh), La Xuyen village - Y Yen (Nam Dinh) ..., so our skills are increasingly improved, the designs of products are also more sophisticated and much more beautiful than before”. Not only that, the carpentry village also strengthens the affection of families and neighbors thanks to the production environment and craft teaching, Mr. Son added.
Last March, Tinh Gia carpentry village was recognized as a traditional craft village by the Provincial People's Committee. Along with the recognition, many realities are requiring the carpentry village in Tinh Gia to meet requirements such as implementing craft village conventions, implementing labor safety and working environment, constantly exchanging to improve skills... In which, one of the requirements and also necessary to preserve and promote the values of the carpentry village is to teach the next generations. Mr. Uy confided: "Due to development conditions, most of the younger generations in the village have gone to study at professional schools, so teaching the profession to them is very difficult. Not only that, the risk of the craft village disappearing also occurs when the younger generation has no one to continue the tradition".
Tinh Gia carpentry village receives Certificate of recognition for traditional carpentry village
“But that does not mean that the carpentry village in Tinh Gia has lost its inherent values. Although it is difficult to teach the next generations in the village, the workshops still accept young workers from other communes and districts to train and teach the profession. Thanks to that, the tradition of the carpentry village in Tinh Gia has also developed to many other regions, and the carpentry brand in Tinh Gia cannot be lost.” - Mr. Nguyen Quang Uy affirmed.
Mr. Nguyen Van Huynh, from Tru Son commune, is currently an apprentice at a carving workshop in Tinh Gia carpentry village. He said: “In my commune, there are 4 or 5 people currently apprenticed at Tinh Gia carpentry village. Not only are we taught the basics, we are also shown the sophisticated and unique techniques in each product. In the future, if I do not have the conditions to open a workshop, I still want to stay in the village and continue to learn other quintessence of carpentry.”
Article and photos: Thai Anh