The talented carpenter Nam Loc

(Baonghean) - For nearly half a decade, the craftsmanship of carpenters in Nam Loc commune, Nam Dan district, has been renowned throughout the region. Sturdy stilt houses; elaborate wooden houses; and the intricately carved rafters and beams of churches, temples, and shrines... all are the work of the talented carpenters of Nam Loc.

Nam Loc commune, situated next to the Lam River, was once a densely populated area plagued by poverty and hunger. In the past, besides fishing in the river, the main occupation of the people of Nam Loc was farming. Woodworking was introduced to the village in the mid-1960s when the Vinh Wood Factory relocated to the area. At that time, the US was escalating its bombing of North Vietnam, and the war was very fierce. To ensure safety, the factory workers lived, ate, and worked in the homes of local residents, relying on their protection. The arrival of the wood factory brought a breath of fresh air to the area, most notably to the children, who were delighted to see chainsaws, massive boats, and chisels for the first time. Many young men in the village were also fortunate enough to be selected as workers, beginning their journey in woodworking. Recalling those days, Mr. Nguyen Van Hiep (Hamlet 4) – one of the most experienced craftsmen in the area – said: "Back then, there were two shipyards in the commune, one at Ba Bang wharf and one at Ong Huu wharf. Every time we young men came back from swimming in the river, we would sneak into the workshop to watch the workers chiseling and hammering. Occasionally, the workers would even let us practice sawing..."

Mr. Nguyen Van Duc (on the left) with workers in the carpentry workshop.

With skillful hands and hard work, the people in the area gradually became familiar with carpentry. In the village, there was Mr. Tý – a Vietnamese expatriate from Thailand who went to distant areas like Tân Kỳ and Tương Dương to find wood. These trips into the forest brought the villagers many orders, mostly for building stilt houses for the Thái, Thanh, and Thổ ethnic groups. The craft of building stilt houses in Nam Lộc began from that time.

Back then, building stilt houses required a lot of labor but was incredibly hard work. Perhaps that's why carpentry wasn't uncommon in Nghe An province, but building stilt houses was something not every place could do. Nguyen Van Duc, who has been pursuing stilt house construction since he was 19 or 20, recounts: "Every time we received an order from Tuong Duong, we had to wake up at dawn. It took us more than a day traveling by bus to Hoa Binh town (Tuong Duong). Once there, we had to trek to the remote villages. Sometimes it took us 2-3 days to get there. Building a stilt house, even an elaborate one, took almost 3 months. Nearly 90 days away from family, everyone missed home… The scariest thing was getting sick, because back then, transportation was difficult and basic healthcare wasn't well-developed… Only after traveling so far did I truly understand the dangers of malaria in the jungle." Many of the villagers knew they were sick but had to grit their teeth and endure it, knowing that transporting one sick person to the town alone would cost almost as much as one gold coin. Some people in the village had already lost their lives in the forest because they didn't receive timely medical attention. Duong himself had once faced a life-threatening situation due to malaria.

Life has developed, and today Nam Loc commune has more than 150 households engaged in the craft, with the highest concentration in Hamlet 4 – a predominantly Catholic hamlet – with over 130 households practicing carpentry. A source of great pride for the people there is that although the number of people building stilt houses is decreasing, the most beautiful and elaborate stilt houses in Nghe An province are still built by Nam Loc craftsmen. The people of Nam Loc are also very adaptable; when the demand for stilt houses decreases, they switch to building wooden houses and churches. In Nam Loc, it's not surprising to hear stories of multi-million dollar projects, meticulously carved by the skillful hands of Nam Loc carpenters... Many famous projects in Nghi Dien, Nghi Kieu, Thanh Chuong... are also undertaken by Nam Loc carpenters. Not only within the province, Nam Loc carpenters have also taken their craft to the South, North, Laos, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Mr. Cao Ngoc Lien, Secretary of Hamlet 4, said: "Currently, there are many groups of carpenters in the hamlet, working tirelessly year-round in all parts of the country. The wages for carpenters are quite high; skilled carpenters earn an average of 10-12 million VND per month, while assistant carpenters earn 5-6 million VND per month. Mr. Cao Ngoc Hung's son, just over 30 years old, also started his carpentry business and has now developed it, sending nearly 20 people from the village to Laos to open workshops and earn a stable income. The entire commune has 183 households, but only 9 are poor; the rest are quite wealthy, with up to 30% being rich households. It's also very commendable that the people of Hamlet 4 are very united, not keeping their skills a secret but instead consciously passing them on. Carpentry has transformed our village, creating a brand for the villagers..."

Text and photos:My Ha