We had a trip follow the Stream of Huong River by boat to the Sinh confluence in order to visit handicraft villages after had come through the Bao Vinh market – was a well-known trade harbor. Spring comes, it has been a crowded spot to buy and sell or exchange goods, and they come from many villages such as: Huong Vinh, Huong Toan, Huong Phong (Huong Tra), Quang Thanh (Quang Dien), Phu Mau (Phu Vang), etc.
Vietnamese people are possessed of traditional fondness for learning and Dia Linh village which is studious land. They have called it with lovely name – Cham Can (Carving Village). A simple sound “click – click” under the skillful hand of craftsman bring his spirit to soulless wooden statue.
Not only this location has a Carving Village but also it has the other one. It is Printing Village where make Choi Card (they often play a Vietnamese card inside the hut in Lunar New Year festival – Tet). Normally, it is a little of factory to manufacture Choi card for retail but in “Tet” they often make it together, the tools as printer, paper-cutter, etc. Choi Card is the important game in “Tet”.
Thuy Tu village is a next destination. Bo River has been consolidating alluvium. This is a advantage to exploit clay for making bricks, tiles. The color of bricks looks like the colorful decoration on the water-color painting. Making bricks and tiles is the important occupation of them. From children to adults, they work hard to produce good goods in order to earn money for their life.
Come to the different village – An Thuan. The famous Com (grilled rice) village in Ha Noi is Vong, fresh your eyes with green-grilled-rice. In Hue, we also can taste something like that. With the harmonic combination among of rice, peanut, sesame, sugar, etc have been grilled carefully. In winter, a cup of tea and a little bit of “Com” is perfect thing! You won’t anxiously for sample probably!
The last place we have visited recently. Bao La village – the knitting rattan. It has over hundred years old. The ancestors who established this village were the fishermen. They created the tool from bamboo to catch fishes, etc. It has been becoming the main occupation of them gradually. The way to making a object from bamboo is not easy. It requires a complicated process. They usually go to Pho Trach or An Lo village to buy material. Making a bamboo basket, they had sawn before spited bamboo with many thin and long sticks. The arrangement also important too. They had knitted it into a sheet together then shaped with oval frame on top so that the sheet has a shape like half-sphere. Even more, they put the sheet with many classes to better ruggedness.
Couples in Bao La village would like to have a wedding, the boy have to be checked a knitting bamboo skills by girl’s parents in order to maintain the traditional occupation. The bamboo handicraft products like a symbol of close-knit emotion of everyone.
There are many villages inside the Tam Giang that have a special. Best experience in your hands!
TRẦN QUANG HÀO
