Preserving traditional crafts

The traditional brocade weaving craft of the Muong people is a unique and distinctive cultural feature, occupying an important position in the daily life and traditional culture of the Muong people. With the efforts of the government and the community, it has contributed to preserving, maintaining, and promoting the heritage value of the traditional weaving craft, making the traditional brocade weaving craft of the Muong people in Kim Thuong commune, Xuan Dai commune, and Tan Son district recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The skillful hands of Muong women in Kim Thuong commune have contributed to preserving and developing the traditional brocade weaving craft in the locality.

Brocade products are indispensable in important ceremonies, funerals, and weddings and are a measure of the wealth, prosperity, and well-being of families in the traditional concept of the Muong people. Brocade fabrics, dresses, skirt waistbands, and blankets woven with exquisite patterns and vibrant colors are always a measure of the value of Muong women. The brocade weaving profession with its typical products has contributed to creating a unique, distinctive cultural identity, imbued with national identity through costumes, especially Muong women’s costumes. Therefore, the brocade weaving profession is not simply weaving beautiful pieces of fabric for use in life and activities but also contains the soul of the Muong people.

Over the course of time, there were times when the brocade weaving profession gradually faded away; in the villages, there were very few people who knew how to spin cotton and weave fabric. To restore and promote the traditional brocade weaving profession, the People’s Committee of Tan Son district coordinated with the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to organize a class to teach the brocade weaving profession of the Muong people in Kim Thuong and Xuan Dai communes, taught directly by Muong artisans. The district has coordinated with the provincial vocational training center to open brocade weaving classes, including a vocational training class implemented by the Spanish international cooperation agency through a pilot project on ethnic programs for disadvantaged groups in Phu Tho for students who are youth union members and women in Xuan Dai and Kim Thuong communes.

Currently, the brocade weaving profession of the Muong people in Tan Son district is still maintained and developed. The products are mainly used as costumes for local people and as dowries for daughters before they get married. Traditional brocade weaving products have become typical products, mainly consumed locally or consigned to shops, hotels, and tourist attractions in and outside the locality. Up to now, the products have attracted the attention and love of tourists because they are made from raw materials and go through a dyeing and weaving process completely by hand by the skillful hands of the Muong people.

In the two communes that still maintain the brocade weaving profession, Kim Thuong commune currently has over 50 households still weaving brocade, over 50 artisans aged 50-70 years old, holding the secrets and practical skills, and can teach the brocade weaving profession to the community; Xuan Dai commune currently has 1 hectare of cotton for weaving, about 173 households still weaving brocade, and a brocade weaving club in the Vuong area with 26 members. In 2008, Lang Chieng brocade weaving village was recognized by the Provincial People’s Committee as a traditional craft village, opening up many job opportunities and developing community tourism for the local people. Brocade weaving products of Lang Chieng craft village are introduced at fairs and exhibitions in and outside the province. The artisans: Dinh Thi Binh, Sa Thi Khoan, Sa Thi Sua, and Sa Thi Thoan... are those who were selected in the weaving competitions held during the annual festival and are responsible for taking charge of and maintaining brocade weaving classes for women in the commune.

Artisan Sa Thi Tam shared, "I and the children of Muong land are very happy and proud when our traditional brocade weaving profession is recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Although there are many difficulties, we will try to preserve and promote traditional cultural values and teach them to our children and grandchildren to continue to maintain the traditional profession".

Hopefully, with the recognition as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, the traditional brocade weaving profession of Xuan Dai and Kim Thuong communes will be taught to many young people so that brocade weaving will always be the soul and unique cultural identity of the Muong people of Tan Son.

Phuong Thanh