Society

The drum-making villages in Nghe An are bustling with activity at the end of the year.

Huy Thu • December 27, 2024 8:00

As a craft that contributes to preserving the traditional cultural beauty of the nation, drum-making workshops in Thanh Chuong district are bustling with activity towards the end of the year.

bna_1..jpg — The craft of making drums in Dai Dong commune (Thanh Chuong district) has a long history. Currently, there are five drum-making establishments along National Highway 46 through Thanh Chuong district. During the end of the year, these establishments are bustling with activity to produce goods for the Lunar New Year and spring festivals. Photo: Huy Thu

According to local craftspeople, making drums involves many steps: preparing the hide, making the frame, assembling the drum, etc. The drumhead is made from cow or buffalo hide (the older the better). After purchasing, the animal hide is thinly shaved, stretched evenly, and sun-dried for 3-4 days. If it's cloudy or rainy, a fire is lit to dry the hide. When preparing to assemble the drum, the hide is cut to the size of the drum, holes are punched, and the frame is attached. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_4...jpg — The drum body is made from jackfruit wood, which is flexible, lightweight, and has low expansion and contraction, producing a resonant sound. The jackfruit wood is sawn into long, curved strips, depending on the type of drum. The drum body is shaped within bamboo hoops made from these strips. When preparing to assemble the drum, the craftsman will plane and smooth the drum body to make it round and balanced. (Photo: Huy Thư)

Mr. Phan Van Tien (32 years old), a drum maker in Thanh Cao hamlet, Dai Dong commune, said: His family has been making drums for generations. Previously, his father only produced drums at home. For the past 8 years, he has opened a drum production facility along National Highway 46, so he has become more well-known. According to Mr. Tien, in the drum-making process, calculating the diameter of the drumhead to match the height and circumference of the drum to assemble the frame is very important to create a beautiful drum. "Drum making requires carefulness and skill," Mr. Tien said. Photo: Huy Thu

Currently, drum-making facilities in Thanh Chuong maintain different methods of securing the drumhead. Besides the traditional method of using wedges, some facilities use jacks to lift the drumhead from the base. (Photo: Huy Thu)

bna_6(4).jpg — After applying the drumhead to the drum body and securing it tightly to the binding base, the drummaker will step on the drumhead to stretch the drumhead evenly. Phan Van Dung (28 years old), a drum maker in Van Thuong hamlet, Dai Dong commune, said: "Thanks to the application of modern machinery, drum making is much less strenuous than before." Photo: Huy Thu

bna_7(1).jpg — Mr. Phan Tuan Van (Mr. Dung's brother), who produces drums in Ngoc Son commune (Thanh Chuong district), shared: "After each time you step on the drumhead, you use a jack to push the drum up a little, and at the same time use a hammer to tap the reinforcing bars to tighten the drumhead evenly. You keep stepping, jacking, and tightening like that until the drumhead is taut and the drum sounds as desired when struck." (Photo: Huy Thu)

Some women also participate in drum-making processes such as splitting bamboo, grinding the frame, and inserting bamboo pegs... To expand the market, in addition to traditional sales methods, some drum-making establishments in Thanh Chuong have posted product images on social media to reach more customers. Photo: Huy Thu

9 - Copy — After fastening the drumhead, the excess skin around the drum body is trimmed. Drum makers usually leave the drums unpainted, allowing the wood of the drum body to be clearly visible, and only paint them upon customer request. The drum hoops can be made of bamboo or rattan. According to drum makers, attaching bamboo hoops is more aesthetically pleasing and durable. Photo: Huy Thu

Drum-making workshops in Thanh Chuong produce all kinds of drums, such as ancestral temple drums, school drums, historical site drums, ceremonial drums, etc., in various sizes (small drums, drumhead diameter 0.2m - 0.3m; medium, large, and extra-large drums, drumhead diameter 1.2m - 1.4m). Besides producing new drums, these workshops also accept trade-ins of old drums. Photo: Huy Thu

bna_11(1).jpg — Thanh Chuong drums are favored by customers throughout and outside the province for their durability, beauty, and good sound. Towards the end of the year, drum manufacturers here are busy fulfilling orders. Depending on the size, drums range in price from 200,000 VND to tens of millions of VND. Photo: Huy Thu

The drum-making process. Video: Huy Thu

Huy Thu