Do paper made from the bark of the nether tree in Nghe An

(Baonghean.vn) - Phong Phu do paper craft village in Nghi Phong commune (Nghi Loc) has existed for hundreds of years. Currently, the whole commune has only about 20 households still engaged in the craft, but people still want to preserve the traditional craft of their ancestors.

Ms. Bach Thi Le in Phong Phu hamlet, Nghi Phong commune is one of the households involved in the profession of making do paper. She said: This profession can be done all year round, except on rainy days when we have to stop because we cannot dry the paper. With 20 molds, the family can make 20 sheets of paper twice a day.

The raw material to make wind paper is the bark of the net tree taken from the forest.

To make thin, tough and smooth paper molds, the main material is taken from the bark of the niet tree. This tree species is only found in the forests of the highland districts of Nghe An such as Que Phong, Quy Chau, Ky Son, and Tuong Duong.

During the production process, the craftsman must go through many stages, all of which must be done by hand. First, the leaves of the niet tree will be stripped, leaving only the trunk and branches. Next, the outer silk layer is scraped off, the flesh is separated, and the hard core inside is discarded. The selected flesh will be thinly sliced, stuffed with concentrated lime water, and cooked for a day.

Soak in lime water

Every 50 kg barrel of raw materials consumes 20 kg of coal. When the coal is burnt out, which is also the right time for the coal to be cooked, it is taken out, put into a mortar and pounded until smooth, then washed to get clear water, and put into a tank to coat the screen mold (called paper weaving). Although the paper weaving step is lighter, it requires skill and perseverance, so women often undertake this job.

The worker scoops the pulp water and puts it on a bamboo “bar” to let the water drain out. When only pulp remains on the mold, the worker puts it out to dry in the sun. When the mold is dry, it can be peeled off to form a thin, opaque, transparent and tough sheet of paper, which is the wind paper product.

People in Phong Phu do paper village dry the paper.

In the paper making process, every step requires the carefulness and meticulousness of the craftsman. The most difficult step, which also requires experience and a family secret, is the fire-making step - the fire must be kept at a high temperature when boiling the bark of the Niệt tree in concentrated lime water. According to the elders with many years of experience in the profession, the Dó paper product can be kept for hundreds of years without rotting. The reason why the paper is so durable is because the Dó fibers have the ability to absorb and release moisture well.

According to households working in Phong Phu, on average, a family with 2 main workers can only make a maximum of 80 sheets per day in hot weather, and on cloudy weather they can only make 50-60 sheets per day, selling for 2,500 VND per sheet. After deducting expenses, each household earns about 140,000 VND per day. Although the income is not high, it still contributes to covering daily expenses.

Peel the paper off the mold.

Ms. Pham Thi Thu - a veteran of the wind paper making profession, worries: "This year, I am nearly 60 years old, have been involved in the profession for over 30 years, but currently, industrial paper is produced in large quantities, so the Do paper profession in Phong Phu is gradually fading away. Therefore, I hope that the government and relevant agencies have mechanisms to encourage and support new scientific and technical knowledge, and find outlets for our craft villagers so that they can make a living from their profession and preserve the traditional profession that their ancestors left behind.

Finished Do paper

Previously, many customers inside and outside the province came to buy Do paper to stick fans, wrap incense, and preserve sea fish. However, the demand for this product has gradually decreased, now only customers in Cua Lo, Cua Hoi, Quynh Luu, Dien Chau come to buy it to stick fish and make incense.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Hieu - Vice Chairman of Nghi Phong Commune People's Committee said: In December 2007, Phong Phu Do paper craft village was recognized as a provincial craft village, earning approximately 700 million VND per year from the craft. However, in the trend of modernization, industrial paper is now being introduced, so Phong Phu's wind paper market is also difficult to compete. Therefore, the locality is aiming to link up with companies, cooperative alliances, and Nghe An craft village associations to consume products for the people. On the other hand, continue to encourage people to focus on cultivating and improving their skills to meet market demand.

Thu Hien - Ngoc Mai

(Nghi Loc Radio)