Coming to Lam Binh district (Tuyen Quang province) today, the rows of plum trees along the road have bloomed clusters of white flowers standing out against the green slopes of the forest and rocky mountains... After finishing the rice field near her house, Ms. Ngo Thi Chin (in Na Ban village, Thuong Lam commune, Lam Binh district) comes to the loom and the steady "clack, clack" sound of the shuttle moving the thread back and forth, the squares of fabric thread keep getting longer...
After a few phone calls, the women in the village gathered together. With their hands moving quickly, some were sewing indigo fabric to make pillows, others were spinning cotton… their voices and laughter filled the stilt house.
Ms. Ngo Thi Chin introduces her part-time job: "The first step is to get the cotton and then spin it, after spinning it, we spin the yarn, after spinning we wrap it around the pillars of the stilt house to stretch the yarn into the loom. I weave any pattern I like, such as lavender, flowers, animals... A piece of fabric is 1.8m long, 3 pieces connected together can make 1 blanket. If we do it directly, we can make many products in one day, but we always rush, the women here all work in the fields, only working at noon and evening".
Taking guests to the stilt house, artisan Chau Thi Sen (52 years old) in Bo village, Thuong Lam commune introduced the set of blankets, pillows, and cushions that still smelled of new indigo, made by her daughter-in-law when she moved to her husband's house. She said that although not many young people know how to make them anymore, in the Tay villages in this land next to the poetic Na Hang lake, the beautiful custom is still preserved. When moving to her husband's house, the daughter will make blankets, pillows, and cushions to give to her grandparents, parents, and siblings on her husband's side, giving each person a set. That shows the filial piety of the new bride and also shows her husband's family that she is skillful and capable... Therefore, the craft of weaving, embroidering, and making brocade blankets, pillows, and cushions is still diligently preserved and maintained by the Tay people, especially the women here, as a part of their lives.
"I have been weaving since I was 15 years old. Back then, no one wanted to marry a girl who didn't know how to weave. My parents grew cotton for me to weave at home. After coming home from the fields, I would roll the cotton, spin, spin the thread, set up the frame, find patterns to make, and weave everything from blankets, pillows, to diapers for my future children. After Tet, I would go find a place to weave. Every family with a daughter in the village wove their own. When she got married, she had 13-14 blankets. In the past, I made them all myself, but now I buy some at the market," said artisan Chau Thi Sen.
Lam Binh is a land that converges the unique cultures of more than 10 ethnic groups, with traditional festivals imbued with folk colors, beautiful landscapes, and brocade weaving of the Tay, Dao, Mong, and Pa Then ethnic groups. In order to contribute to the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 2nd Lam Binh District Congress, term 2020-2025, one of the breakthrough contents is "developing the tourism industry". The Lam Binh District Vocational Education - Continuing Education Center has focused on training in occupations associated with local advantages such as: tour guide, culinary techniques for tourists (food preparation, beverage preparation) or souvenir production occupations such as rattan, bamboo, and giang weaving; traditional embroidery and brocade weaving, etc.
Ms. Ma Thi Hong - Director of the Vocational Education and Continuing Education Center of Lam Binh district said that in order to encourage people to preserve and develop traditional products of their ethnic group, Lam Binh Brocade Cooperative was established in early 2021, with 7 members participating. Up to now, the Cooperative has more than 30 members, divided into many groups and groups with the same interests located in the communes, such as the group with the same interest in weaving brocade scarves and brocade blankets; embroidery group; group sewing and designing brocade products, group promoting and introducing traditional Lam Binh products... on social networking sites.
"Seeing the potential and strength of brocade, a product that is popular with tourists, and also a product that can generate income for workers, suitable for all ages, especially rural women. I myself feel very happy and proud to have contributed my small part in preserving and promoting the traditional brocade weaving craft, not only preserving cultural values, but also creating sustainable livelihoods and increasing income for people in the mountainous district of Lam Binh," said Ms. Ma Thi Hong.
Preserving and promoting the traditional brocade weaving craft not only preserves cultural values, but also creates positive conditions for Lam Binh to develop tourism as well as create sustainable livelihoods and increase income for the people. When spring comes, small, beautiful brocade balls are thrown in the Long Tong festival and hung on the porch of the stilt house, symbolizing a new year of favorable weather, good health for everyone, and a peaceful and happy village.
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