24 girls and women of the Co Tu, Ve, and Ta Rieng ethnic minority groups in  Nam Giang district, Quang Nam province recently participated in a brocade weaving competition. Cor Lon of Thanh My township, Nam Giang district took part:“I’m very happy to participate in this competition because I learn techniques from others which will help me improve my products”.

Girls in Nam Giang district learn brocade weaving as children. Though the craft has become less popular, it remains important in local women’s lives. Local people have carried out a number of measures to preserve their traditional craft. Zo Ram Thi Nhung is Chairwoman of Nam Giang District’s Women’s Union:“This craft has been restored as part of local people’s lives. We want to preserve it because it is part of our traditional identity”.

Nam Giang district has 12 communes with more than 6,000 weaving looms. Cong Don village in Zuoil commune and Za Ra village in Ta Bhing commune still retain traditional ways of weaving and comprise the largest number of weavers. In Za Ra village, all weaving and sewing steps are done manually from planting cotton to dying, weaving, decorating and embroidering. All the looms are made of bamboo. Local people have set up cooperatives and coordinated with community tourism to promote their products. Ethnic minority people in neighboring communes have followed the Co Tu people in Za Ra village in promoting their brocade products through community tours. Tran Tan Vinh is a researcher of Co Tu culture in Quang Nam province: “Co Tu people still preserve their traditional way of planting cotton, dying, weaving and creating decorative patterns. The Co Tu traditional costume is the most typical of the ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands”.

Nam Giang district in Quang Nam province has organized several competitions and shows to introduce the weaving products of the Co Tu and Ta Rieng ethnic minority groups and preserve the traditional craft of brocade weaving.