Struggling with the taste of hometown fish sauce
"On August 30, the Nam O Traditional Fish Sauce Village Association Congress continued to trust me as the Association's Chairman for another term. Not for any personal gain, but I did it so that my children and grandchildren could see that there is still a person who, despite his old age, is still full of passion to join hands to bring the Nam O fish sauce brand further", Mr. Tran Ngoc Vinh began the story. 10 years as Chairman of the Association are 10 years that Mr. Vinh devoted all his heart and soul to bring the fish sauce village, which was on the verge of extinction, back to steady steps, as it had been famous in history.
Mr. Vinh said that to have standard Nam O fish sauce, the maker must "take care of the fish sauce like taking care of a wild child."
Talking about the Nam O fish sauce making profession, Mr. Tran Ngoc Vinh told in detail the milestones from the golden past as a royal offering to the time when the profession went into decline. Mr. Vinh said that after 1975, for profit, many Nam O villagers forgot about the fish sauce profession and followed the firecracker profession. In 1995, when the government banned firecracker production and implemented a policy of career conversion, the people of Nam O village thought of reviving the fish sauce profession. In 2003, Mr. Vinh became the first class of artisans in the village to be taught the fish sauce profession in a systematic way by the authorities. Two years later, the fish sauce profession began to revive with the participation of 38 households who had been retrained.
"The traditional fish sauce craft has been ingrained in my consciousness, so from the past until now, I have always eaten the fish sauce I made. The way Nam O people make fish sauce is to combine 10 cups of anchovies with 3 cups of Sa Huynh salt (Quang Ngai), ferment for 12-24 months to produce fish sauce. Making good fish sauce requires many unwritten techniques and experiences, but it is absolutely necessary to follow traditional principles. Only by preserving those values can our products survive with consumers. The Craft Village Association was established in 2007 and by 2012 had attracted 120 households to produce fish sauce," said Mr. Vinh.
Nam O fish sauce craft revived, artisan Tran Ngoc Vinh is also the one who coordinates day and night with other sectors to build a common brand for the whole village. He has brought the fish sauce of the association members everywhere to promote. In 10 years as the Association's Chairman, Mr. Vinh said his greatest joy was in 2019, when the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized Nam O fish sauce making as a national intangible cultural heritage. Last June, the Ministry of Science and Technology protected the Nam O geographical indication for fish sauce products.
"I am just a small spark…"
Mr. Vinh said that when he was elected as Chairman of the Nam O Traditional Fish Sauce Craft Village Association, he refused because his health was getting worse. However, the members and the new Executive Committee of the Association encouraged him to continue to pass on the "flame" of passion to the young people. He said that the craft village has stabilized, but if the craft village wants to develop sustainably, there must be successors, so that fish sauce making is not just a job for the elderly.
Ngoc Vinh fish sauce brand is popular with many people because of its characteristic flavor of Nam O fish sauce.
The good news is that thanks to his training, many people have mastered the fish sauce making profession and become members of the Association. One of his excellent students is Mr. Bui Thanh Phu (40 years old), owner of the Huong Lang Co fish sauce establishment. As a passionate person, wanting to bring the typical salty taste of his homeland to many places, even abroad, Mr. Phu has come up with many creative ways to approach customers, such as: making souvenir fish sauce bottles (60 ml) for tourists to take with them, making fish sauce powder to mix into fish sauce coffee... "Mr. Phu's way of doing things is worth learning. Phu has communicated, promoted, and brought the flavor of Nam O fish sauce further. Phu's establishment also welcomes groups of visitors to experience the fish sauce making profession, from which tourists can also visit and learn about the history of this ancient village of Nam O...", Mr. Vinh assessed.
For decades in the profession, Mr. Vinh has always kept in mind that fish sauce is a food that many people use regularly, so when making it, it must ensure health. His Ngoc Vinh fish sauce brand is always pure fish sauce, "born on the right day and month" with the principle of "4 no's" (no synthetic nitrogen, no preservatives, no additives, no colorants). He always conveys this spirit to his members, especially young people following the profession, because he is worried that because of the haste to release fish sauce to the market, some people will add substances, although permitted, to "age" the fish sauce. He also thoroughly understands that to become a member, one must be responsible for protecting the reputation and brand of Nam O fish sauce, not joining the Association to take advantage of support from the state.
"To preserve the identity of Nam O village, we must first preserve the traditional fish sauce craft. Nam O fish sauce is facing an opportunity when it has achieved titles that few craft villages in the country can match. In 2024, the craft village will produce 300,000 liters of fish sauce for the market. The association strives that after 5 years, the craft village will produce about 1 million liters/year. There is still a lot of work to do. I am just a small spark that has been lit, whether it burns or not depends on the people, especially the younger generation...", Mr. Vinh confided. (to be continued)
Passionate about ancient village heritage
Along with the national intangible cultural heritage of fish sauce making, Nam O village, with a history of 500 years, also has many historical and cultural relics, such as: Lieu Hanh temple, Huyen Tran princess ruins, ancient tombs of ancestors, whale shrine, Cham relics... For many years, as Deputy of the ward-level relic management board, Head of the fishing festival organizing committee, with extensive knowledge of customs and spiritual rituals of the fishing village, Mr. Tran Ngoc Vinh has organized unique cultural activities imbued with Nam O's character.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhat-nghe-tinh-nguoi-say-mam-o-lang-bien-nam-o-185241221184519323.htm
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