The unique traditional handicrafts in Hang Kia commune, Pa Co

5/28/2019 - 7:07:04 PM

(HBO) - Mong ethnic people in Hang Kia and Pa Co communes (Mai Chau) have also been preserving a lot of cultural beauty through their traditional costumes, languages, handicrafts and so on. In which, linen weaving, beeswax drawing, paper making are being preserved and promoted after a long time of gradual extinction. A large number of tourists coming there also want to learn and experience this unique handicraft art.

The women of Mong ethnic people in Cha Day hamlet, Pa Co commune (Mai Chau) are making Do paper (poonah paper).

Ms. Mua Y Mai in Cha Day hamlet, Pa Co commune says to make the Do paper from Aganonerion polymorphum, first look for the small young parts of the plant, peel off the hard shell, then mix them with the ash and put it in cooking pans. The cooking time is up to 3 days and 2 nights. To be more successful, they are put into the sacks, soaked in water for about 10 days and then picked out. The ash is washed off and then it is smashed into a kind of powder. The pulp is then mixed into clean water, and stirred until the powder dissolves. After that, the women prepare the paper molds stretched with mesh fabric. They use a large ladle to scoop up the liquid pulp to spread onto the cloth. The finished paper after drying under the sun and wind will be peeled and folded for use when having important family matters.

Besides, the linen weaving and beeswax painting of the women of Mong ethnic people are like an art. Ms. Sung Y Mua in Hang Kia hamlet, Hang Kia commune says that it is necessary to make the wax hot so that it can melt before drawing the patterns. It is important to keep the fire evenly when cooking so that the wax does not dry out. Therefore, the drawing person always sits next to the oven, putting a pen into a hot pan of wax and putting the hand in straight lines on the fabric. The process of drawing beeswax on fabric seems simple but takes a lot of effort and time. First of all, it is necessary to make linen and weave the cloth.

It takes from 6 – 7 meters of linen to make a dress of Mong ethnic people. And it takes 32 stages to make a linen sheet.

For Mong ethnic people in Hang Kia and Pa Co communes, Do paper is always associated with the spiritual life. According to Mr. Sung A Mang, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Pa Co commune, Do paper is often used in festivals, Tet holidays and for worship.

The amazing natural landscapes, the traditional cultural identities, the villages of Mong ethnic people in Hang Kia and Pa Co have created tourist attractions to domestic and foreign tourists coming to Mai Chau in recent years.

3.6 Billion VND Allocated to Preserve Traditional Cultural Values of Ethnic Minorities in Lạc Sơn District

As part of Project 6 under the national target program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in 2024, Lạc Sơn District, Hoa Binh province focuses on diverse and practical activities to promote the project's goal: "Preserving and promoting the beautiful traditional cultural values of ethnic groups in conjunction with tourism development."

Mobilizing the power to preserve and promote the cultural heritage values

After 3 years of implementing Resolution No. 04-NQ/TU, dated October 11, 2021 of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on preserving and promoting the cultural heritage values of Hoa Binh province's ethnic groups in the period of 2021 – 2025 with the orientation to 2030 (NQ04), it has mobilized the participation of the entire political system, the people from all walks of life and there have been positive changes. So far, out of the 10 targets of NQ04, 3 targets have been met and exceeded the plan set for 2025. Typically, 70% of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of ethnic groups in the province is on the list of the national ICH items and they have been protected and restored, exceeding 20% of the proposed Resolution.