Concerns about bamboo and rattan weaving village

(Baonghean) - How to revive the bamboo and rattan weaving craft village is a problem that haunts the authorities and people of Nghi Loc district. While no effective solution has been found, the bamboo and rattan weaving villages are facing significant challenges.

These days, in Nghi Thai commune (Nghi Loc), a locality famous for its traditional bamboo and rattan weaving, there are no longer images of tall stacks of baskets and the atmosphere of people splitting bamboo strips and weaving products like in previous years. In Thai Loc hamlet, the cradle of bamboo and rattan weaving and the hamlet with the largest number of households participating in the profession in the commune, asking Mr. Doan Huu Sam, who has been involved in the profession for over 20 years, he learned that bamboo and rattan weaving is no longer a "prosperous" profession. In 2001, Thai Loc hamlet had about 200 households, and every household was involved in the profession. But by 2009, there were only more than 100 households left, and now there are about 70 households. Counted as households, many families only have one worker participating, and in their free time, they weave baskets to earn a little money to buy fish or vegetables, because bamboo and rattan weaving is no longer the main source of income like before.

In the past, Nghi Loc people had a saying: eat Nghi Phu, sleep Nghi An, work Nghi Duc, wake up Nghi Thai. Meaning, Nghi Thai people work hard all night, when there are bamboo and rattan products ordered, if the day's work is not enough, they work at night. The whole village works, the whole family works, so the income is quite good, many families can buy houses, buy convenient furniture. But now it's different, very few people are interested in the job, the families who still work take advantage of the free time of the farm, the labor of the elderly and children. Mr. Sam shared: "Men and young people go to work for other jobs, earn more money. Try to tell me, if you do other jobs, you can earn at least 150 thousand during the day, and you can rest at night. But if you do weaving, you can earn 50 thousand during the day, but if you work all night, which one would you choose?"...

Weaving bamboo and rattan handicraft products in Thai Loc hamlet, Nghi Thai commune (Nghi Loc).

In the village, Ms. Vuong Thi Hoa's family has 3 grown daughters but she is the only one who weaves. Every day, she weaves 5 rattan and bamboo products, but sometimes she only weaves 1. Therefore, her income fluctuates. If she is dedicated, she can earn about 2 million VND per weaving job, but if she works hard, she can only earn 500,000 VND per month. "I have been doing this job for 7 years now, but I have never seen it as cheap as it is now. 7 years ago, the price of 1 kwong was 18,000 VND, but now it has increased to 55,000 VND. Also 7 years ago, a small lamp cost 25,000 VND, but now it is still 25,000 VND. With prices like that, how can I concentrate on my job, uncle?", Ms. Hoa said.

In developing craft villages, an important factor is the business midwife. For many years, the Nghi Thai rattan and bamboo weaving village has had a connection with Duc Phong Company Limited from input materials to product output. This company has contributed greatly to reviving the Nghi Thai rattan and bamboo weaving village when it was "dying" in 2001. However, this connection is not tight, not stable and does not ensure the harmony of interests of both parties. Duc Phong Company Limited does not organize the signing of contracts with the people or represent the people, but only has verbal contracts. Therefore, whether the people want to do it or not is up to them and if the business pays late, there is no one to complain to. Mr. Nguyen Manh Can, Head of the purchasing team in Thai Loc hamlet, said: “Enterprises change their designs constantly, people who have just learned how to make one model have to learn another model. Then the payment for purchasing products is delayed, sometimes more than a month later, while people need cash and real rice. Production is unstable, some months have it, some days there isn’t, the price of raw materials is high but the price of products is low, so people are increasingly uninterested. In the past, the revenue of the whole hamlet was 30 million VND per week, but now the whole month is only 20 million VND.”

Discussing the above issues with the Chairman of Nghi Thai Commune People's Committee, Mr. Dang Van Phuong shook his head and said: “The commune has been struggling with this issue for many years but has not found a solution. Not only Thai Loc hamlet but also 10 hamlets, more than 500 households participating in the profession are in a similar situation. Everyone wants to keep the profession, wants to have a stable income from the profession, but there is a shortage of raw materials, low product prices, everything depends on the enterprises. They sell raw materials, how much they buy products is their right, the people cannot negotiate. Over the years, the State has had many policies to support and promote the development of craft villages such as investing in traffic infrastructure, building product display houses, supporting vocational training through enterprises. But those policies have not been effective, so people cannot feel secure in sticking with the profession.”

The reality in Nghi Thai is also a concern for rattan and bamboo weaving villages in Nghi Loc district. Because of the 14 rattan and bamboo weaving villages, Nghi Thai accounts for 10 villages, the remaining 4 villages are in Nghi Phong and Phuc Tho. According to the district's assessment, the average income of workers in the profession currently ranges from 600 thousand to 2 million VND/person/month. With the condition of working during the free time of farming, there is no age limit, so the overall income per actual working time is still quite good. However, it must be recognized that, to have an income of 2 million VND/person/month, not everyone can easily achieve it. The value of rattan and bamboo weaving is still low, the development is still spontaneous, scattered, unsustainable, and the scale of production is small. Moreover, the production style is still heavily influenced by the free time of farming, the connection is not tight, the design and market are limited, so there is no competition in price.

Identifying the development of bamboo and rattan weaving villages as one of the key contents, Nghi Loc district has proposed solutions such as removing difficulties in raw materials, building a separate brand for bamboo and rattan weaving products in the area. In addition, forming joint venture cooperatives in supplying and consuming products for farmers, limiting the monopoly in product supply, consumption, and design that reduces the production efficiency of village workers. However, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, Vice Chairman of Nghi Loc District People's Committee said: "To implement the above solutions, there are still many difficulties. What to invest in, whether to invest directly for people or through enterprises, is still a difficult problem for the district". While waiting for authorities at all levels to come up with an effective solution, every day, bamboo and rattan weaving villages in the district are "dying away" over time.

Pham Bang