(HBO) - Although a trade village of Do paper making of Muong ethnic people in Suoi Co village, Hop Hoa commune - now Cao Son commune (Luong Son) has not yet been established, it is only a production group, with a passion for the traditional craft, the artisans have been preserving and developing the profession the forefather has left, gradually "recovering” Do paper.
The artisan making Do paper in Suoi Co village, Hop Hoa
commune - now Cao Son commune (Luong Son) is performing the process of making
paper on the mold.
Do paper is very special paper, so the production process is
not simple. To make paper, it is necessary to go through 35 stages. It takes
half a month from taking materials, soaking and making products. The type of
trees used most to make paper are Do (Aquilaria crassna) and Duong
(Broussonetia papyrifera) (called Rang tree by Muong ethnic people).
The equipment for making Do paper is also gradually improved
to reduce the time and the stages of completion. The main tools are cloth
molds, available in various sizes (30 x 40 cm, 60 x 80 cm, 60 x 120 cm),
cooking pots and machines for stirring materials, tanks for soaking margins and
for lifting up the paper pulp with a crowbar…
After being taken home, the leaves and branches of the
broussonetia papyrifera are removed, the bark is taken to be boiled and soaked
with lime water to make it puree, then it is put in the stirrer into a puree,
filter to get the pure water (also known as the margin), the margin is soaked
in the tank and the paper is lifted up with a crowbar. This stage is usually
undertaken by Muong women. The loose paper pulp is poured on the mold, coated
very thin like the coated rolls, then it is peeled off. Each stack of paper is
pressed and dried. Every 10 kg of fresh bark or 4 kg of dried raw bark will
produce about 120 sheets of paper. The final step is to put the sheets in
layers, depending on the type of paper to use a piece of cork to pulley in the
size of 10 x 20 cm or 20 x 30 cm.
From the skillful hands of the artisans, according to their
own secrets, Do paper is thin but it is tough and durable than the paper made
in the industrial process. It has the
faintly scent of forest trees. If it is stored in a dry place, the paper can be
left for several decades. Therefore, now it is not only a material for
painting, writing, under the creativity of the artisans Do paper has become a product
for tourism development in many parts of the country.
In addition to the Northern provinces, Do paper of Muong
ethnic people in Suoi Co are also trusted to use by the travel and tourism
companies in the Central and Southern regions such as Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang, Lam
Dong ... Currently, the artisan Nguyen Van Chuc continues to search for the
output for the product with the hope to contribute efforts to the craft
villages throughout the country to help Do paper gradually regain its position
in the traditional culture.
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.