(VOVworld) - Ta Oi people in the mountainous district of A Luoi in the central province of Thua Thien Hue have, for many years, turned to the “Zeng” weaving craft to earn their livelihood. Recently, local authorities have done their utmost to help the people develop the traditional craft by establishing weaving cooperatives. VOV’s reporter Le Hieu has more.
“Zeng” weaving is the traditional craft of Ta Oi people in A Luoi district, Thua Thien Hue province. “Zeng” cloth is a sophisticated marriage of colours in a wealth of motifs, using a black background with colored stripes and beads, woven into various artistic geometric patterns. Thus, “Zeng” weaving products are favored not only in Vietnam but also in other countries.

There was a time when the craft nearly fell into oblivion and small parts of the local population only weaved “Zeng” cloth for their daily life and families. Artisan Mai Thi Hop from the Ta Oi minority group, is someone who can’t stand to see the traditional craft being wasted and be lost over time. She has tried her best to revitalize the traditional “Zeng” weaving craft in her community. In 2004, Hop opened a small workshop where she taught the craft to the women in the area and helped them to take on weaving as a source of income. Ms. Hop: “I have tried to search for markets for these products. I am happy as this not only helps generate income for local women but also preserves a traditional craft”.

Artisan Mai Thi Hop is showing the weaving skills

At present, Zeng workshops have opened in Phu Vinh, Nham communes and A Luoi district, attracting the participation of women from other ethnic minority groups such as the Co Tu, Pa Ko and Van Kieu. Nguyen Manh Hung, Vice Chairman of A Luoi district’s People’s Committee, said: “We have paid attention to preserving “Zeng” weaving as part of the effort to preserve and develop the cultural values of the ethnic groups in the region. This is also aimed at developing both tourism and the economy”.

Thua Thien Hue province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has cooperated with A Luoi district in projects to revitalize “Zeng” weaving and reduce poverty in the Central region. Local products now have a firm foothold in the market. According to local Le Thi Kim Thoai, the price of a weaving product ranges from 15 USD to 75 USD, generating an average income of 100 to 150 USD per person per month” “I have done this craft, firstly, to preserve traditional craft of Ta Oi people. It has now become a source of income for my family”.

The local authorities have paid attention to developing “Zeng” weaving as a way to revitalize the traditional craft, preserve cultural values and help local women escape from poverty. Associate professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Manh, an ethnology researcher, said that the traditional cultural values of the Ta Oi lies in “Zeng” weaving. But it is necessary to include its economic values to account for its development: “At present, many items of tangible and intangible cultural heritage have fallen into oblivion, due to industrialization and the modernization process. There’s a need to preserve the cultural value of ethnic minority groups in general and “Zeng” weaving in particular”.

Thua Thien Hue’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism is preparing documents on the preservation and development of Ta Oi’s “Zeng” weaving to be submitted to Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consideration to be included on the list of items of national intangible cultural heritage.