Ha Noi (VNA) – An 87-year-old war veteran is known far and large nationwide for his great effort to preserve a traditional craft that makes conical palm hats, known in Vietnamese as non .
The talent craftsman is Pham Tran Canh who has also become famous as the first Vietnamese person to bring abroad for exhibition a specially giant conical palm hat from the Chuong traditional craft village in Phuong Trung commune, Thanh Oai district, Ha Tay province, 30 km west of Ha Noi capital city.
“Witnessing the hat-making craft falling into oblivion, I felt remorseful to ancestors to ancestors,” the old artisan said, explaining why he had refused a chance to relax at a sanatorium dedicated to seriously-wounded veterans to return home and restore the traditional craft.
Canh said he began his efforts by visiting Ha Noi and the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Hung Yen to seek traditional flat-top hats known as non quai thao to study their sizes and styles. He then tried to refresh his memory of the way his grandmother had made the special product.
“This is not a simple work, especially when traditional materials as well as patterns or molds have been lost,” Canh said.
After many trial and failures, in 1989, he introduced his first flat-top hat of original style. Eleven years later, he sewed a big flat-top hat, which is 2 meters in diameter, for an overseas exhibition.
As part of his effort to restore the craft, Canh opened a free vocational training class for young people. Nearly 100 people, including non-locals, have been learning the craftmanship.
“In a modern world where many people turn their eyes to modern products, Canh’s effort is contributing to preserving and developing a traditional craft,” said Luu Duy Dan, General Secretary of the Viet Nam Craft Villages’ Association.
For his contribution, last year, the association granted the artisan the Ha Tay Traditional Craft Master Certificate.
At present, Chuong village produces around 7,000 conical palm hats a day, selling not only in the country but also to China , Japan and some European countries.-Enditem
|