Traditional beauty in Vinh Chanh coconut broom village

The Vinh Chanh coconut broom making craft village was established in 1990, and in 2010 was recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as a small-scale handicraft village. Since then, many workers have stayed with the profession and have had a more stable and prosperous life. Initially, the broom making craft was spontaneous, from the need to use simple items, close to the daily life of the people in the countryside. Over time, with their ingenuity and accumulated experience, the people of Vinh Chanh gradually improved their techniques, enhanced the quality and design of their products, turning the rustic coconut brooms into an item of economic value.

To make a quality coconut broom, workers in Vinh Chanh must go through many meticulous and skillful stages. From selecting old, even coconuts, drying them under the hot sun to ensure durability and beautiful color, to the stages of splitting, whittling the bamboo handle, bundling the broom, decorating... all require skill. With the price of brooms ranging from 17,000 - 25,000 VND/regular broom, 35,000 VND/custom broom, each worker has an income of 100,000 - 200,000 VND/day. Broom bundling is also easy to learn and do. Thereby, it contributes to solving employment for idle workers, increasing income for many families, contributing to the overall stability of the locality.

To make a beautiful, durable coconut broom requires skill and meticulousness.

Mr. Dinh Van Lanh (residing in Tay Binh A hamlet) said: “Although making a broom is easy, it also takes a lot of time. To complete a beautiful, durable broom, the craftsman must go through many different stages. First is making the broom roof, after shaping the broom roof, the craftsman takes turns tying coconut fibers to the broom roof, then making the broom handle, and finally the broom head. Everything is done by hand, so it takes the craftsman a lot of effort and time to complete a product that is both durable and beautiful.”

Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Thuy, representative of the craft village, said that thanks to the village's good job of promoting its products, many dealers in the provinces of Dong Thap, Kien Giang, Can Tho City, Ho Chi Minh City, etc. have placed large orders. This has created a stable output for the products and generated more income for the people. The craft village operates year-round, but near the Lunar New Year, there are more orders, due to the increased demand for brooms for cleaning houses and offices to welcome the new year compared to normal days. In particular, from September to December (lunar calendar) is the peak season for the coconut broom making profession.

Locals who work in this profession say that every few days, a “dealer” comes to pick up the goods and transport them to markets within and outside the province. The development of the craft village not only brings economic benefits, but also contributes to creating jobs for hundreds of local workers, especially the elderly and women. Moreover, the development of the craft village also contributes to preserving traditional cultural values, creating a unique cultural space.

However, in addition to the successes achieved, the coconut broom making craft village of Vinh Chanh is also facing many difficulties. The appearance of many types of industrial brooms with diverse designs and more competitive prices requires Vinh Chanh people to constantly innovate, create, improve product quality and find new consumer markets. Only then can the rustic coconut brooms continue to accompany modern life.

SONG MINH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/net-dep-truyen-thong-o-lang-choi-cong-dua-vinh-chanh-a418614.html