Ham Yen Brocade

There were times the traditional brocade weaving craft of the Tay people in Tuyen Quang was at risk of disappearing. Thanks to the locals' great efforts, it has been preserved and developed, bringing a stable income to many households.

There were times the traditional brocade weaving craft of the Tay people in Tuyen Quang Province was at risk of disappearing. Thanks to the locals' great efforts, it has been preserved and developed, bringing a stable income to many households.

According to Ban Thi Minh in Ba Chang Village, Tan Yen Town, brocade weaving was not only a craft, but also served as a criterion to evaluate the characters of the Tay women.

Apart from their field-work, the Tay women must know how to reel silk and weave fabrics to serve their life and serve as a dowry when they get married.

A few years ago, due to the economic market’s impacts, the craft seemed to be forgotten. However, the locals with their determination and love for their traditional craft have made joint efforts to restore and develop the craft.

One of them is Nguyen Van Manh, a native of Tan Thanh Commune, Ham Yen District. Originating from the idea of getting rich from the traditional craft of his hometown, he established Manh Binh Weaving Workshop in 1997.

Despite tremendous difficulties, the workshop has now become one of the largest one in Ham Yen. So far, the workshop has trained over 100 local employees.

Besides working right at the workshop, the locals can bring the materials to their house to make more products. It is a new initiative of Manh and his wife with the aim of providing favourable conditions for their employees to both take care of their family and earn more money.

Ham Yen brocade product are very unique in styles and patterns that show the typical cultural features of the ethnic people in the northern highlands. From this material, Ham Yen villagers produce a series of products, such as handkerchiefs, bags, hats, covers of pillows and blankets and costumes of ethnic groups, which are sought after by tourists.

At present, the brocade made by Ham Yen villagers is not only provided to the community of ethnic groups in the region, but also exported to China and tourism areas, hotels and restaurants to serve both domestic and foreign visitors.

Over the years, the craft has helped improve the living standards of Ham Yen villagers. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve and develop the craft, which is a typical cultural feature of the ethnic people in the northern mountain area.

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