Brocade blankets - Unique cultural products of the Tay people in the Northwest

In the daily life of the Tay people in the Northwest, brocade blankets are not only an item to keep warm but also closely associated with cultural identity and long-standing customs. Coming to the Tay villages in the Northwest, visitors will admire the cultural beauty and feel the warmth of brocade blankets when experiencing community tourism.

Tay people in the Northwest weave brocade to make raw materials for making brocade blankets.

In every traditional stilt house of the Tay people in the Northwest, the bed space cannot lack a brocade blanket, a familiar item made by the people's own hands. Since ancient times, the Tay people in the Northwest believed that before getting married, the eldest daughter must master the craft of brocade weaving, weaving colorful brocades herself to make blanket covers, sew shirts, scarves and decorate household items. Therefore, the craft of brocade weaving and brocade blanket making has been maintained and passed down by Tay women in the Northwest for many generations.

Meritorious Artisan Ma Thanh Soi in Ria village, Nghia Do commune, Bao Yen district, Lao Cai province shared: "The Tay people's brocade blankets are not only for keeping warm but also preserve brocade motifs that carry the philosophy of life and traditional cultural identity of the Tay people."

To have a beautiful brocade blanket, the first step is the brocade fabric. From the traditional loom and colorful silk and thread, the Tay people have diligently and creatively created colorful patterns on the brocade fabric. The colors such as blue, white, black, indigo, green, red, yellow, purple are dyed by the people from natural materials and are harmoniously combined on the brocade. The patterns and motifs of the Northwest brocade are quite diverse and familiar, such as the images of trees, leaves, flowers, fruits, rivers, and animals in life.

Brocade panels with sophisticated colors and patterns, the main material used to make brocade blankets

After having the finished product of soft brocade with colorful patterns, the craftsman will start sewing the brocade fabric into blanket covers of wide or narrow sizes depending on the size. The blanket has 2 sides, the top side is brocade with additional floral fabric and white fabric to create the border for the blanket. The bottom side to cover is white fabric.

After the blanket cover is completed, the Tay people use dried cotton or cotton wool to stuff a thin cover made of white fabric to make the blanket core, then spread it evenly over the entire surface of the blanket. The brocade blanket is completed with the main colors of the two brocade panels in the middle, the two sides are bright red of floral fabric, surrounded by soft bright white. The colors are combined together harmoniously and eye-catchingly.

The colorful brocade blanket is soft, warm and light.

The Tay ethnic people's brocade blankets in the Northwest are colorful, with soft surfaces, making them warm and light to wear in the winter. In addition to cotton blankets, Tay women also painstakingly make thin brocade blankets to wear in the summer and fall. These blankets are large in size, woven from colorful threads and are made from whole pieces of brocade.

Each brocade blanket is where Tay women express their profound philosophy of life about the harmony between humans and nature, animals, flowers, rivers and streams. At the same time, they also express their desire for a prosperous and happy life. Brocade blankets are also associated with the customs and practices of the Tay people for many generations, especially the customs of weddings, births, and funerals in each family.

Mr. Luong Cao The, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Do Commune, Bao Yen District, Lao Cai Province said: "Brocade blankets are a traditional product that has been preserved for generations in every Tay family. This is also a product serving the development of local community tourism in recent years."

Nguyen The Luong (Ethnicity and Development Newspaper)

Source: https://baophutho.vn/chan-tho-cam-san-pham-van-hoa-doc-dao-cua-nguoi-tay-tay-bac-223864.htm