Since ancient times, the Hre people in Ba To (Quang Ngai) have known how to weave brocade to make costumes and household items, but until now, only Lang Teng village (Ba Thanh commune, Ba To district) still maintains this profession.

KEEPING THE VILLAGE'S CAREER

One day recently, a friend showed us some samples of brocade clothing, dresses, bracelets, etc. woven by the Hre people. Surprised by the innovation and creativity, we assumed that these were products woven according to the designer’s designs. However, when we asked more carefully, we learned that the person who designed and woven these unique products was a Hre girl from Lang Teng village.

Hre girls in Teng Village next to brocade weaving looms. Photo: D.MINH

Teng Village has more than 200 households, about 3 - 4 km from National Highway 24. Like many other Hre villages located on the peaceful Lieng River, Teng Village has its own unique features. That is, this place has a cluster of stilt houses recreating the Hre village of the past, in which there are objects and pictures marking the daily life of the people of Ba Thanh commune, most of which are from Teng Village.

What is more special is that women in Teng Village still keep the brocade weaving profession, while women in other Hre villages have forgotten this profession.

In recent years, the brocade weaving profession of Lang Teng has become more vibrant thanks to a strong-willed and passionate mountain girl determined to preserve the traditional craft her ancestors left behind. That is Ms. Pham Thi Y Hoa (34 years old). Not only preserving the craft of her ancestors, she also has a passion for innovating the brocade weaving of Lang Teng to develop strongly in the market.

Ms. Hoa and the innovative design of Lang Teng brocade. PHOTO: NVCC

Thinking is doing, Ms. Hoa learned weaving from older artisans and researched to design brocade models, ensuring that the brocade was traditional with the main patterns, but also beautiful and modern. More importantly, when the product appeared, it was well received by everyone.

Thanks to her efforts to preserve the traditional craft, Ms. Hoa has initially achieved certain success. Up to now, she not only produces dresses and shirts but also diversifies product categories, such as: tablecloths, scarves, ties, passport wallets, handbags, dresses, loincloths, handbags, notebooks... Of which, ties and scarves have achieved 4-star OCOP certification at the provincial level.

Brocade weaving products in Teng Village are sold on the market. PHOTO: K.DOAN

In 2023, Ms. Hoa's brocade scarves, tablecloths, ties and vase liners were selected by Quang Ngai as gifts at the province's foreign affairs events in 17 countries. In 2023 and 2024, her facility produced 1,300 ties, 700 dresses, shirts and men's loincloths, earning more than 1 billion VND. About 30 workers in Lang Teng have jobs from her traditional weaving profession, earning 3 - 5 million VND/month.

A TIME OF COTTON GROWING FOR BROCADE

The elders in Teng Village often recount that in the past, the ancestors of the Hre people here grew cotton to weave brocade. Usually, around the end of spring, the cotton blooms white on the hills along the Lieng River, and Hre women go to pick it to make thread to weave brocade.

Remembering the time in Teng Village, we were told by the brocade weaver Mrs. Pham Thi Pot that the villagers also dig up forest roots to boil, then soak the fabric fibers in them to create black and red colors. The traditional costume of the Hre people is that women wear 2-layer skirts, black yem, headscarves, necklaces and beads around their necks. Men wear loincloths, go shirtless or wear short-sleeved shirts... The main colors of the costume are black and red.

According to cultural researcher, Dr. Doan Ngoc Khoi, there are 4 Hre groups located in the mountainous areas of Quang Ngai. Accordingly, only the Hre group in Son Ha district (called Hre Nuoc Rin) and the Lang Teng group (called Hre Nuoc Lieng) have the brocade weaving profession; the Hre group in the west of Ba To district and the group in Minh Long district (Quang Ngai) have not been found. Up to now, only Lang Teng still maintains the brocade weaving profession.

Innovative brocade costumes made by hand weaving in Teng Village. PHOTO: Y HOA

Dr. Khoi said that the weaving of clothes and products of Lang Teng people is similar to that of ethnic minorities in the Truong Son and Central Highlands regions, but the unique feature of Lang Teng is the traditional patterns on brocade.

According to Dr. Khoi, to have the color of the patterns, they used roots and leaves to mix black and red. Those patterns depicted natural life, nature, but did not have human or animal figures. In particular, the patterns of Lang Teng did not have a loop, meaning that the pattern band went on forever without stopping or repeating, showing the development thinking of the Hre people in Lang Teng in the past. There, the black color on the flowers was the color of water, earth, human life, and all things; while the red color was that of the gods.

The brocade weaving craft in Teng Village has now adapted to the market, because the villagers no longer grow cotton but use fabric threads, producing according to orders, so the products are more colorful and more beautiful, but the traditional patterns are still boldly imprinted on the village's brocade.

In particular, over the years, to show their respect, the people of Lang Teng always wear brocade when the village or commune has a festival or when someone returns to their grandparents and ancestors. Ms. Hoa once refused to weave Lang Teng brocade by machine and believed that the soul of Hre brocade in Nuoc Lieng region is hand-woven. It is not only a passion but also a way to preserve the cultural source of the village. (continued)

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doc-dao-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-lang-tho-cam-ben-song-lieng-185250405224152925.htm