Admire the ancient weaving tools of the Thai people in Anh Son
Thanh Phuc - Hoai Thu•April 16, 2024 09:49
(Baonghean.vn) - In recent years, along with economic and social development, the appearance of Thanh Son commune (Anh Son) is improving day by day. The precious thing is that despite the changes, the Thai people here still preserve the stilt houses, brocade weaving and ancient weaving tools...
The Thai people in Thanh Son commune are famous for the saying: "Women are good at embroidery/Men are good at weaving". Now, under the stilt houses, there are still looms with the steady sound of shuttles every day. Photo: Thanh PhucWeaving tools in the past were all made by the people themselves. Currently in Moi village, Vinh Thanh village, there are still many households preserving weaving tools from ancient times such as: silkworm trays, cotton separation tools, spinning tools, looms, etc. Photo: Hoai ThuThe family of Mr. Luong Minh Thu and Mrs. Vi Thi Duyet still preserves almost intact the weaving tools from half a century ago. Photo: Thanh PhucThis bamboo woven silkworm tray is almost as old as its owner. Ms. Vi Thi Duyet said: "It must be about 50-60 years old. When I became a daughter-in-law, I saw this tray, it was already shiny with time." Photo: Hoai ThuAs for Mr. Luong Van Thu, Mrs. Duyet's husband, he remembers this cotton popping tool very clearly. Because he created it himself. This tool consists of a cotton popping bow made from a small bamboo stick, about 1 meter long, with a bowstring woven from hemp fibers attached, and when the cotton is picked, there is a basket woven from bamboo to keep the dust from flying when picking the cotton. It is no longer used but is still carefully kept by him in the house across the street. Photo: Thanh PhucThis spinning wheel has also become a souvenir of Mr. Thu's family. The spinning wheel consists of a flat wooden frame placed close to the ground, about 1 to 1.2 meters long; one end is a basket made of rattan, like a wheel, with a crank connected to the other end is a wooden shaft with a small straight iron bar about 20 cm long attached to the bamboo tube. The fabric threads are spun and collected on the small iron bar. When spinning the wheel, the hand must be steady and rhythmic between the spinning hand and the spinning hand to make the thread even, beautiful, and the thread strong enough to be easily woven into fabric. Photo: Hoai ThuThis copper pot, estimated to be about a hundred years old, is used to boil forest leaves and tree bark into water to dye fabrics and textiles with natural, durable and unique colors. Photo: Thanh PhucThis basket resembles a chest in the lowlands, used to hold brocade fabrics after they have been woven. The basket is meticulously and elaborately woven entirely from rattan fibers that have been boiled and smoked, so it is very durable. Even after decades, this rattan basket is still intact. Photo: Hoai ThuThis lamp is a device used for lighting, hanging on the top of the loom to weave cloth on dark nights. The lamp is lit by animal fat, the wick is spun cotton. Photo: Thanh PhucFrom weaving tools, colorful brocade fabrics are created, thanks to the talented and skillful hands of Thai women, creating costumes, scarves, blanket covers, mattress covers, pillowcases or accessories such as bags, wallets, hats, stuffed animals with bright colors, diverse in designs and patterns... Photo: Hoai ThuCurrently, the brocade weaving profession in Vinh Thanh has been restored with 4 weaving groups established, creating seasonal jobs for many idle agricultural workers. Mr. Dao Anh Tan - Chairman of Thanh Son Commune People's Committee said: "Many households in Thanh Son still preserve brocade weaving tools from ancient times. They are both family heirlooms and contain unique cultural values in the daily life of the Thai people. Therefore, we have both encouraged people to preserve traditional stilt houses and called on people to preserve ancient objects such as weaving tools, bronze pots, bronze trays, fishing nets...". Photo: Thanh Phuc
