Dong Van girl brings H'Mong linen to the world

Born and raised in the rocky mountains of Dong Van, Vang Thi De has been familiar with the sound of spinning wheels and the steady tapping of weaving shuttles in her small house since she was a child. To her, linen is not only a piece of clothing but also the soul and memory of many generations of Hmong women.

Beeswax painting on linen. (Photo: QUOC TUAN)

Now, the young girl is persistently turning her love of indigenous culture into a project to create livelihoods for her people and contribute to bringing her national culture to the world .

As the first person in the village to attend university, Vang Thi De (born in 2002 in Nheo Lung village, Dong Van commune, Tuyen Quang province) clearly understands the gratitude of the community that has contributed every kilo of rice and coin for her to pursue education. She always tells herself: Going to school is not only for herself, but also for the whole village.

Starting from a season of shortage

The Hemp Hmong Vietnam project, founded by Vang Thi De, began in a difficult situation: During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, De lost her job in the city and had to return to her hometown. At that time, she only wanted to have money to buy a few kilos of meat for the children during Tet.

Seeing the linen fabric that her mother carefully kept in the box, she wondered: “Why is something so precious unknown?”. De’s first order was only worth 650 thousand dong, with a profit of only 30 thousand dong. Her mother prevented her from selling it for fear of losing the precious keepsake, but De was determined. Then small orders were placed, and fabric was collected from all over the village, even having to borrow money at high interest rates, and sometimes being returned, but she did not give up.

Thanks to those rolls of fabric, Cricket had enough money to support himself for three years in Hanoi . Then a thought grew: "I must repay linen with a mission more worthy than just making a living from it."

The Hemp Hmong Vietnam project does not stop at selling linen, but has formed an entire value chain: from growing hemp, spinning, weaving, dyeing indigo to creating handicrafts, fashion and decorative products.

The project has changed the lives of many Hmong women, as those who used to have to work far away can now take care of their families and weave at the same time. For De, success is not measured by money, but by the beaming eyes of the people when they see their products going over the mountains to many places.

Ms. Ly Thi Cay (Pho Bang commune) shared that she finds joy in every day of weaving at the workshop: “Here, I get to live with the job I have loved since I was a child. Although the income is not too high, I still feel much happier than raising livestock all year round without profit. And the most important thing is that the weaving profession of H'Mong women will not be forgotten.”

The journey of bringing linen to the world

Not only being welcomed in the domestic market, international customers also love the project's products. Ms. De proactively told the story of linen to the world through social networks, by writing emails in English to stores in Japan, Thailand and personally finding foreign partners. With her tireless efforts, she has welcomed many international delegations to visit the factory, so they can directly see, touch and try.

Foreigners not only praise the durability and beauty of Hmong linen, but also consider it a “living work of art”. For them, wearing a piece of linen means accompanying the history and culture of the Hmong people. In particular, it is the appreciation of international friends that has changed the way people in the village think. From thinking that only Hmong people use linen, they are now proud that it is also loved by foreigners.

During her years of working with linen, Vang Thi De has attended many prestigious forums and seminars at home and abroad. In 2023, she was the sole representative of Vietnam to participate in the “Lancang-Mekong Intangible Cultural Heritage” Conference in China, along with students and lecturers from four countries in the Mekong River basin. In 2024, she continued to attend the “Southeast Asia International Hemp Forum” held in Thailand. In addition, De also participated in many other international fairs and seminars to expand her vision and connect with partners.

During the implementation of her project, Vang Thi De received much attention and encouragement from local management agencies. Ms. Sung Thi Say, Director of the Dong Van Regional Culture, Information and Tourism Center, Tuyen Quang province, commented: “Previously, linen weaving only served family needs, as dowry and in beliefs. But thanks to De's project, linen weaving has revived and become a profession that brings stable income. Not only that, the project also contributes to raising community awareness of cultural values, each pattern and stitch carries the memory and identity of the H'Mong people.”

Vang Thi De’s journey is a testament to the power of knowledge combined with love for cultural identity. From raw linen, she has woven a story that both preserves the national soul and opens the door to integration for her homeland.

Talking about the future, De hopes to build a cultural space, a “living museum” of Hmong linen. She also aims to develop a variety of products such as clothes, bags, wallets, tea, etc. so that hemp can live “healthily” in modern life.

In the next two years, De's goal is to turn Hemp Hmong Vietnam into the largest supplier of hemp fabric in Vietnam for export. And above all, she hopes that the younger generation will see that the traditional profession is not outdated. On the contrary, the profession can become a source of pride and a sustainable path for the future.

KING'S BENEATHLETE

Source: https://nhandan.vn/co-gai-dong-van-mang-vai-lanh-hmong-ra-the-gioi-post914262.html