Unique intangible cultural heritage: Horse hat village over 200 years old

Phu Gia horse hat making craft in Cat Tuong commune (Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh) has a history of more than 200 years, currently there are about 300 households participating in horse hat production. Of which, about 260 households are in Phu Gia village, the remaining households are in Xuan Quang, Xuan An, Chanh Lac, Kieu Dong and Truong Son villages (Cat Tuong commune).

On April 9, 2024, Phu Gia horse hat weaving was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage.

ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMAGE OF THE TAY SON ARMY OF LIGHTNING SPEED

When mentioning Phu Gia horse hats, many people think of the image of village chiefs, commune chiefs, dignitaries in the village, commune... sitting on horseback, wearing silver hats on the roads in the countryside in ancient times. This image has been deeply ingrained in the subconscious of Binh Dinh people, humorously described in folk songs: Teacher Chanh in silver hat, three-layer shirt/ Riding a horse through the village, girls run away/ Teacher Ly in horse hat, the-layer shirt/ Not afraid of horses running over but afraid of the shadow of the mandarin ... Many people think that because the horse hat is an item for mandarins, and mandarins often ride horses, it is called the horse hat. Legend has it that the Phu Gia horse hat is also associated with the speedy Tay Son army.

According to research documents, in the past, horse-shaped hats were only for dignitaries and people of the upper class and nobility. The "dragon, unicorn, turtle, phoenix" patterns embroidered on the hats were a symbol of the authority of the hat wearer in the feudal era. Just by looking at the patterns on the horse-shaped hat, one could know the rank of the official using it. It is also thanks to these patterns that when worn on the head, Phu Gia horse-shaped hats are both noble and elegant, while evoking elegance and softness. This is a characteristic of Phu Gia horse-shaped hats.

Artisan Do Van Lan introduces how to make a horse hat

PHOTO: HOANG TRONG

Artisan Do Van Lan (78 years old, in Phu Gia village) has been in the horse hat making profession for nearly 60 years. According to Mr. Lan, Phu Gia horse hats are handmade with many stages, each stage requires a different method. To make a horse hat, the artisan must perform 10 stages, from creating the frame to embroidering boats, weaving leaves... Phu Gia horse hats have a very special structure and are very durable. The hats are made of 10 layers, the materials to make the hats are palm leaves, giang tubes (kidneys), pineapple roots... which grow naturally in the mountains and forests of Binh Dinh. The patterns on the horse hats are mostly images that are deeply imbued with Vietnamese cultural identity such as: clouds, dragons, unicorns, turtles, phoenixes, lotus flowers, wine gourds... Each horse hat, if completed with all stages, will be durable and usable for 150 - 200 years. Currently, many horse hats from 200 years ago are still preserved in Phu Gia village.

According to artisan Do Van Lan, right after receiving the national intangible cultural heritage certificate, the number of people gathering at his house to visit and experience the horse hat weaving craft was quite large, significantly increasing compared to previous years. "Revenue also increased sharply thanks to the hot sales of horse hat products made by the family. There was a time when demand exceeded supply, unable to meet the demand. I did not think that the traditional craft would be so famous now, as if a new page of history had been woven," said artisan Do Van Lan.

Phu Gia villagers gather around the horse hat

PHOTO: HOANG TRONG

While weaving ribs - one of the main stages of the horse hat weaving craft, Ms. Do Thi Nhu Nguyet (in Phu Gia village) said that while our ancestors chose this craft as a livelihood, the descendants of Phu Gia village are still trying to preserve it at all costs to promote and maintain it. "With all my passion, I do not hesitate to study with Ms. Lan to improve my skills and perfect my craft. I hope that one day I will be able to contribute to the journey of making Phu Gia horse hats fly high and far with the villagers," Ms. Nguyet said.

MANY FOREIGN TOURISTS ORDER

Phu Gia horse hat craft village has been recognized by the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province as a traditional craft village, achieving the title of Typical Craft Village of Vietnam. Tourism service companies in Binh Dinh province have built tours to Phu Gia craft village.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Chairman of Phu Cat District People's Committee, said that the land of martial arts in Binh Dinh has a long history and a rich cultural tradition, including the Phu Gia horse hat craft village with more than 200 years of history. Despite hundreds of years of history, the hats here still carry the cultural identity of the land of martial arts and literature.

Tourists visit artisan Do Van Lan's house to see and experience how to make horse hats.

PHOTO: HOANG TRONG

"The Phu Gia horse hat making craft becoming a national intangible cultural heritage is an honor and pride for the artisans and people of Phu Cat District. The horse hat village is popular with domestic and foreign tourists, many foreign tourists have ordered and bought horse hats to bring back home. In addition, the People's Committee of Phu Cat District has also strengthened the promotion of horse hat products, reorganized the operation and production process in the form of association, concentration, and large scale to create more products, create stable jobs for local people, and at the same time serve the needs of tourists when coming here," said Mr. Nguyen Van Hung.

According to Mr. Huynh Van Loi, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Binh Dinh province, in the coming time, the Department will work with the People's Committee of Phu Cat district and related sectors to develop a project to preserve and promote the Phu Gia horse hat making craft to achieve the goal of managing, protecting and promoting intangible cultural heritage as well as creating a unique and attractive destination.

"To achieve the set goals, we will effectively implement a number of policies for craft villages; coordinate with competent authorities to build scientific profiles for artisans who meet the prescribed conditions, submit them to competent authorities for recognition as excellent artisans and folk artisans to contribute to encouraging the spirit of artisans and promoting the transmission of the horse-hat weaving craft between generations," said Mr. Huynh Van Loi. (to be continued)

Phu Gia horse hat weaving craft is recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage.

PHOTO: HAI PHONG

 

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doc-dao-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-lang-non-ngua-hon-200-tuoi-185250326010945953.htm