Like other ethnic minorities in Kon Tum, the basket is very familiar in daily life and has become a traditional cultural beauty of the Ha Lang people (a branch of the Xo Dang ethnic group) in Ro Koi commune, Sa Thay district.
For a long time, Ha Lang people have known how to utilize bamboo, rattan, and reed to make items for daily life. Among them, the basket is one of the indispensable items.
According to Mr. A Bui (83 years old, in Kram village), the basket has been associated with daily life for many generations and has been passed down and preserved by Ha Lang people through generations. While the brocade weaving and wine making are done by women, the basket weaving is always done by men. A beautiful and durable basket is always loved and admired by many people, so it requires skillful, meticulous hands and the right technique in each weaving step of the man.
There are many types of Ha Lang people's baskets such as Reng, Hkak, Ro, and Hnom. Each type has a different use. Specifically, Reng baskets - round baskets, woven with one thick layer, are often used to hold rice and water when going to the fields; Hkak baskets are similar to Reng baskets but are larger in size, used to hold rice, corn, and paddy; Ro baskets are woven with one loose layer, used to hold firewood, vegetables, bamboo shoots, and water bottles; Hnom baskets are round baskets, woven with two thick layers, have lids, and hold skirts, shirts, loincloths, blankets, mosquito nets, and jewelry.
 Mr. A Bui is one of the beautiful basket weavers in Ro Koi commune. Photo: MV |
To make a basket, for Ha Lang people, it not only takes time but also requires the skillful and meticulous hands of talented people. Because each basket is not only durable but also needs to be beautiful. In the past, any young man who was skillful and talented often caught the eye of Ha Lang girls in the village.
Although there are many types of baskets, all baskets have four main parts: the base, the body, the mouth, and the handle. The base is higher than a finger and is made from the trunk of the taopang tree, which is a tough and flexible tree. To make the base, the taopang tree is thinly sliced, soaked in water for 3 days, then scooped up and bent into a square shape. The body of the basket is woven with horizontal and vertical bars. The horizontal bars are made from bamboo, the vertical bars are made from the bamboo tree.
In addition, the basket body is also fixed with 4 pillars; these pillars are made from old bamboo and are woven around with bamboo fibers.
The mouth of the basket is made from the bark of the bamboo tree. The mouth of the basket is round, so to bend and shape the bamboo bark, the basket weaver must be very sharp-eyed and skillful. The basket's handle is woven from bamboo and is threaded and tied to the body of the basket. The additional part of the basket is two straps made from rattan. The two straps are woven like women's braids but more complicated. Also an additional part of the basket, the lid is made from bamboo, woven in a pyramid shape.
"Weaving a basket is very difficult, requires a lot of effort and must be done in the right order. The weaving process is done in the following order: Weaving the bottom, the top, the body, the mouth support, the mouth, making the base, weaving the straps, weaving the 2 straps, weaving the lid and finally weaving the parts together" - Mr. A Bui said.
 The basket is not only a daily use item but also a gift for children in the family. Photo: MV |
For Ha Lang people, the basket is not only a familiar item used in daily life but also a precious gift with profound humanistic meaning for children and grandchildren in the family.
According to Mr. A Deng (81 years old, in Ro Koi village), the basket is also a precious gift for family members, showing the love and care of parents for their children. It has become a tradition from ancient times until now that after the harvest season, men diligently whitt bamboo strips and weave a Hnom basket (or buy or exchange it from skilled craftsmen in the village) to give to their daughters before they get married.
"I have personally made all the baskets of my family members to give to my children and grandchildren, hoping that they will be diligent and know how to build a family in the future," Mr. A Deng shared.
Not just a spiritual gift, through the image of the basket, the elders in the Ha Lang community also want to educate women and children in their traditional family so that when they grow up, they will learn good things and be filial to their grandparents and parents.
According to Mr. A Deng, in addition to being used in daily life and as gifts for children and grandchildren, the basket is also an indispensable item in the festivals of the Ha Lang people. Whenever there is a new rice offering ceremony or a peace offering ceremony, the village elder often places a Reng basket near the altar table to hold offerings including pork, chicken, and brocade. In addition, during the peace offering ceremony, there will be women carrying Reng baskets symbolically dancing next to the altar table.
Nowadays, although many Ha Lang families have integrated into the pace of modern society, the basket is still an indispensable item in the daily life of the people here. It is not only an essential item but also a beautiful traditional cultural feature of the nation.
Source: https://danviet.vn/nguoi-ha-lang-o-kon-tum-co-mot-vat-quy-lam-tu-cay-taopang-lo-o-thuong-tang-con-gai-khi-di-lay-chong-20250305213337638.htm
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