'Expert' in making water wheels in Western Nghe An

(Baonghean.vn) - Coming to Binh Chuan (Con Cuong district, Nghe An), many people will be impressed by the series of water wheels following each other on the stream flowing around the villages. However, not many people know that most of these water wheels are made by the hands of a village elder.

Old Tam with her passionate "works".

That is old man Le Van Tam, living in Met village (Binh Chuan commune). People from both upper and lower villages call him “water wheel artisan” or “water wheel expert”.

Although he is 80 years old this year, he still looks very healthy. Especially when he took us to visit the water wheels he made himself, he waded through many streams as if he did not feel tired.

Old Tam is called "water wheel expert" or "water wheel artisan" by the villagers.

According to the people in this area, making “water wheels” is not difficult, in the village there are a few people who can do it. The difficulty is how to make the “water wheel” have a “soul” because not only for irrigation, water wheels are also a cultural beauty of the Thai people in the highlands. And that requires old Tam.

Binh Chuan Commune is a mountainous commune with a very high poverty rate. There are no irrigation canals, so people have great difficulty in farming. At first, like other villagers, old Tam made a water wheel just to bring water to her rice and corn fields.

But then, not only stopping at her own fields, nor stopping at just a job, old Tam was passionate about the water. She researched and learned about each high and low terrain of the fields, then meticulously paid attention to every detail to build suitable water wheels.

Most of the water wheels in Binh Chuan were made by old Tam.

For old Tam, making a water wheel “should not be done hastily, but must be done carefully in every detail to have a beautiful one”. Each water wheel, for her, is a work of her heart, just like an architect builds a house.

Up to now, after 40 years of making water wheels, old Tam can't remember how many she has made. She only knows that through many corn and rice seasons, whenever a family in or outside the village asked for help, she would come to guide and help.

The water wheels look simple but are an important source of water for the rice fields while the irrigation system in the area is not yet complete. Photo: Ho Phuong

Talking about old Tam, the head of Met village, Mr. Vi Van Hoang commented: “In this area, no one understands and makes beautiful water wheels like old Tam. She is meticulous, thoughtful and always helps the villagers whenever someone needs to make a wheel to bring water to the fields.”

According to old Tam, to make a water wheel, first prepare about 90 to 120 bamboo trees (must go to the forest to get), depending on the size of the water wheel. The bamboo will be sharpened at one end after being cut according to the diameter of the water wheel. The next step is to weave the fan blades and water pipes. The number of fan blades corresponds to and comes with the water pipes.

The most difficult step is to nail the sharp ends of the bamboo sticks onto the “crane” (crane), so that it is even and balanced. The “crane” must be made of soft wood that can withstand the force of the bamboo rim. Then, erect two pillars on both sides in a balanced manner and insert the wheel, and you have a complete water wheel.

It is not easy to make a beautiful water wheel with "soul". Photo: Ho Phuong

The "works" are admired and praised by the villagers and tourists who have the opportunity to pass by. But what the old man is worried about is, once he can no longer do the job, who will continue to bring the village's cultural picture to life through the water wheels?

Perhaps, the youngest son of the old man, Mr. Noi, or many skillful men in the village will be passionate and dare to sacrifice time and effort to create the "soul" of those "water wheels"...

Thuan Hoang