The weaving profession of the Ta Oi people in A Luoi

In the culture of the Ta Oi people in A Luoi district, Thua Thien - Hue province, the zèng (brocade) is considered a measure of many values ​​in life. To make a durable and beautiful zèng with delicate patterns and motifs, Ta Oi women must go through many elaborate and sophisticated stages.

Weaving zèng is a long-standing traditional craft of the Ta Oi ethnic group in the mountainous district of A Luoi. Let's go with Vietnam.vn to A Luoi to weave zèng with the Ta Oi people through the photo series "Weaving zèng - National intangible cultural heritage" taken by author Le Tan Thanh in A Luoi district, Thua Thien Hue. Products made from zèng mats are indispensable offerings or costumes in community activities or important festivals of the people in the highlands of A Luoi. Each zèng weaving product has value in many aspects, both as an item, ensuring daily needs and as a work of art, expressing unique characteristics in the cultural treasure of the Ta Oi ethnic group. Over hundreds of years, the craft of weaving zèng has been preserved and passed down by local people; they search for materials themselves to weave zèng mats with many colors and unique patterns. The photo series was submitted by the author to the Photo and Video Contest "Happy Vietnam", organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Every September, the Ta Oi people harvest cotton from their fields and spin the yarn, then dye and starch it. The main colors of the Zeng cloth are: black, white, yellow, red, green and purple. Each color is made from plants and leaves in nature such as the bark and leaves of the ta-ram tree for black, the roots of the a-rac tree for yellow, the red color is taken from the roots of the a-chat tree... In order for the dyed fabric to retain its color, the maker must have many years of experience in making it, using many types of additives such as stone snail shells, tapioca flour or dried sticky rice flour...

From the dyed fabric threads, Ta Oi women will go to the loom. To make zèng mats in the traditional way, weavers must go through many steps such as sorting each thread into uniform sizes and colors, suitable for the intended use. For example, zèng mats for sewing clothes need to choose thin, smooth threads. Large and coarse threads are used to weave carpets or blankets. To have a complete zèng product, Ta Oi women must work for many days in a row, even for a whole month.

Weaving Zeng is not only a simple craft, but also a measure to evaluate many values ​​in the life of the Ta Oi people.

The biggest characteristic of Ta Oi brocade compared to other ethnic groups in Thua Thien - Hue province is the large-sized woven zeng panels, and the diverse and rich decorative pattern system. The patterns on zeng are explained by the makers as images of the sun, mountains, rivers, slopes, trees, animals or mascots.

The Ta Oi people's weaving frame is made of bamboo or separate wood, quite simple and compact. Thanks to that, Ta Oi women can bring the loom anywhere and weave whenever they find it convenient. The Ta Oi people's zèng weaving has fascinated many researchers, because of its strange "ancient" and unique features.

In the spiritual life of the Ta Oi people, zèng is indispensable in religious and worship activities, as an engagement object for girls with their lovers or to show filial piety to grandparents, parents, and those who have contributed to the village. The zèng panels not only demonstrate the ingenuity, diligence, and perseverance of Ta Oi women, but also contribute to embellishing and preserving the long-standing cultural features of the Ta Oi ethnic group.

In 2024, the Photo and Video Contest "Happy Vietnam - Happy Vietnam" continues to be organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in coordination with the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists on the website https://happy.vietnam.vn for all Vietnamese citizens and foreigners aged 15 and over. The contest aims to honor individuals and groups with positive information products, making practical contributions to the propaganda and promotion of beautiful images of Vietnam to the world. Thereby helping people in the country, compatriots abroad and international friends access authentic images of the country, Vietnamese people, Vietnam's achievements in ensuring human rights, towards a happy Vietnam. Each contest category (photo and video) has the following prizes and prize values: - 01 Gold Medal: 70,000,000 VND - 02 Silver Medals: 20,000,000 VND - 03 Bronze Medals: 10,000,000 VND - 10 Encouragement Prizes: 5,000,000 VND - 01 most voted work: 5,000,000 VND The winning authors will be invited by the Organizing Committee to attend the Announcement Ceremony and Award Ceremony and Certificate on live television of Vietnam Television.

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