Concerns about the leather drum making profession in Yen Thanh

(Baonghean.vn) - In the past, Yen Thanh drums were one of the famous "brands" in the North and South. However, this profession has gradually faded away, with only a few people still involved in the profession.

This year, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoan, in Hamlet 10, My Thanh Commune, is over 70 years old, but he is still concerned with his family's traditional leather drum making profession. He said: In the past, on the occasion of festivals, the full moon of January, July, or on the Lunar New Year, he could not keep up with the work; customers asked to renew, repair drum bodies, change skins... in all kinds of sizes. The drum making profession has helped his family earn more income to cover their living expenses and pay for their children's education. But now that he is old, he has to maintain the profession to preserve it, but his children have all left, no one can continue the profession, he wants to pass on the profession but does not know who to pass it on to, he himself is very sad.

In addition to using manual methods, Mr. Hoan's family also invested tens of millions of dong in purchasing machinery and tools to make drums that suit tastes and ensure technical and aesthetic standards.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hoan in Hamlet 10, My Thanh Commune has been making drums for three generations. Although he is old, he still maintains the profession in the hope of preserving it. Photo: Anh Tuan

No one remembers when the drum making profession began, but in the past, whenever the opening of school year or spring festivals, the family worship season, the full moon of January or July, or before each Dinh market or Si market session, the drum making atmosphere in localities such as My Thanh; Phuc Thanh; Vinh Thanh; Hau Thanh... was bustling.

To become a good drum maker, in addition to being skillful and meticulous, it also requires a good level of sound appreciation to determine the resonance and reverberation of the drum. Drums are usually made from jackfruit wood because they are less susceptible to termites, the drum surface is made from buffalo or cowhide. To have a complete leather drum, it must go through many stages, in which the most important is processing the leather material, making the drum body and the most difficult is covering the drum skin.

According to Mr. Hoan, working regularly also gives him an income of 300 - 500 thousand per day. Photo: Anh Tuan

According to people with experience in making drums in Yen Thanh, to make a drum with a satisfactory sound that lasts over time, the drum body must be made from jackfruit wood, a large, old tree, to ensure quality. The skin used to make the drum must be from old buffalo or cow skin, not salted or treated with any chemicals, so that the drum can ensure the standard pitch.

Mr. Nguyen Doan Long in Hamlet 15, Phuc Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District is the one who inherited the drum-making profession from his father. He is also a rare person in Phuc Thanh Commune who is still following the profession. He shared: The drum-making profession requires a lot of effort and goes through many stages. As for the leather, whether it is buffalo or cow, when brought home, it must be cleaned and dried in the sun. When carrying the leather, the leather must be stretched to its maximum, until it is completely stretched to ensure a long-lasting sound. When the drum is finished and used and well preserved, it will not need to be carried again for 20 years, and will still sound clear and resonant.

Drum leather is selected from old buffalo or cow hide, not salted or treated with any chemicals. Photo: Anh Tuan

“I am willing to teach this profession to anyone in the village or commune. As long as they like it and are passionate about it, I can teach them thoroughly. After learning this profession and investing in additional supporting machinery, it will be very fast and bring in income, but unfortunately, not many people are willing to learn it,” Mr. Long shared.

In the drum making process, the most important step is still the covering of the drum skin. The skin must be tight and even; it must ensure both aesthetics and sound range and resonance. Photo: Anh Tuan

Mr. Nguyen Van Quyet - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phuc Thanh Commune said: Making drums is not only a traditional profession, but it also has the characteristics of the culture of the village and commune. In the past, there were many households in the locality doing this job, but now there are only a few, and they are mainly elderly people. The local government is very concerned and has built a project and plan to restore the craft village, including the leather drum craft, to preserve the cultural features of the homeland; encourage and create all conditions for households to maintain and expand the scale of the craft to supply drums for more than 49 clans and festivals. Currently, the demand for drums for the Phuc Thanh drum team and neighboring areas is also relatively high, if they work regularly, households still have a stable income.

In fact, preserving and promoting the traditional craft of making leather drums is facing many challenges. However, with the Vietnamese belief that “life and death must have the sound of drums, joy and sadness” and the support of authorities at all levels, the craft of making leather drums in Yen Thanh will have the opportunity to revive./.

Mr. Tuan