Members of the Dao ethnic traditional costume embroidery cooperative in Tan Quang village, Hoang Khai commune discuss how to embroider and complete the product.

Ms. Trieu Thi Lan, Head of the Dao Traditional Costume Embroidery Cooperative in Tan Quang Village, shared: Since 2003, people have resettled here to build Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant. Although life has changed a lot, women still keep the traditional costume embroidery profession. However, they are only small individuals.

In 2024, with the attention and support of the Women's Union of the district, commune and village, the Dao ethnic traditional costume embroidery cooperative was established. The group gathers members who know how to embroider traditional costumes, exchange and guide each other to make the finished products more beautiful; propagate and guide children and grandchildren to learn embroidery, preserving the traditional profession.

The headscarf is meticulously embroidered.

Ms. La Thi Duc, a member of the Cooperative, said that when she was 8 years old, her grandmother and mother taught her to embroider. She still remembers that on the first day of Tet, her parents made a meal to worship their ancestors, and her grandmother taught her to embroider. She said that if she did not study well, she would not be given rice to eat. She guided her through every stitch, from basic embroidery to patterned embroidery and taught her how to mix colors... until she got married and embroidered her own clothes and a headscarf for the groom at the wedding. These are good traditions, demonstrating the ingenuity and diligence of a Dao ethnic girl. Later, she embroidered clothes for her children and grandchildren.

Members of the Cooperative Group preserve the traditional embroidery craft of the Dao ethnic group.

The costumes of the Red Dao people usually include shirts, pants, bibs, headscarves, belts... The red color stands out. The most impressive are the large cotton balls and tassels made of red wool that decorate the costumes, creating highlights. The meticulously embroidered patterns with many typical images such as: sun, bird, tiger, horse... show the Dao people's closeness to nature, while also reflecting the spiritual life of the Dao people.

From embroidering clothes for themselves and their family members, up to now, some members of the Cooperative have been able to sell their products to the market, creating additional income. Ms. La Thi Vien, a member of the Cooperative, said that it takes a whole year to embroider a complete set of clothes, so she often takes advantage of her free time to embroider. Many customers from neighboring provinces such as Bac Kan have asked her to embroider pants, head scarves, etc. Depending on the needs of the customers, she has created additional income for her family.

Red cotton balls are decorated on the clothes, creating a highlight for the traditional costumes of the Red Dao people.

Mr. Trieu Xuan Quyen, Head of Tan Quang Village, Hoang Khai Commune, said: The village has 86 households, of which over 90% are Dao ethnic households. The village strongly encourages and creates favorable conditions for the Dao ethnic traditional embroidery cooperative to operate. This is a meaningful work contributing to preserving the ethnic culture, especially promoting propaganda and guiding the young generation in the village to learn the craft of embroidering traditional costumes. In addition, it is necessary to maintain wearing traditional costumes during holidays and Tet...

Huyen Linh (Tuyen Quang Newspaper)