Stemming from his passion for lion dance, at the age of 12, Hoang and his friends founded a small local lion dance troupe. Unable to afford a lion head, he made his first lion head himself using simple materials such as bamboo, newspaper, scraps of fabric, etc. Although the product was crude and heavy, it was the beginning of a long journey with the profession.
After many years of learning, especially from artisans in Ho Chi Minh City, Hoang's skills have become increasingly solid. He started taking orders for making lion heads in 2005, and his products have gradually created a buzz in the locality and neighboring areas; especially orders from Laos, Cambodia...
According to Mr. Hoang, a lion head takes about a week to complete, going through stages such as: weaving the frame (folding the ribs), gluing paper, drawing patterns, attaching decorative feathers, etc. Of which, the pattern drawing stage is considered the most difficult, requiring the craftsman to have a talent for painting and a high ability to appreciate art.
“You can’t make a unicorn without passion. This job is not easy to make a living, it requires perseverance, meticulousness and many complicated steps,” Mr. Hoang shared.
In the past, lion heads were only consumed during the Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival. In recent years, lion dance has grown and been performed at many festivals and dragon dance competitions. The demand for lion heads has therefore increased. Each year, Mr. Hoang produces about 50 large lion heads, with an average selling price of about 5 million VND/piece.
After hearing many people introduce Mr. Hoang's products, Chau Do Gia Phu (14 years old, Tay Son commune) and his friends came to buy a lion head in time to practice for this year's Mid-Autumn Festival. "The lion head made by Mr. Hoang is very beautiful and sophisticated", Phu said.
In addition to production activities, Mr. Hoang also founded the Tay Son Lion Dance Club, with more than 40 members, to create a healthy playground for young people, contributing to preserving folk art.
Although his income from this job is unstable and he has to do many other jobs to make ends meet, Hoang is still determined to pursue his passion. “Seeing the children excitedly learning lion dance, I feel proud that I have contributed to preserving a beautiful national culture,” said Hoang.
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/huynh-thanh-hoang-22-nam-gan-bo-voi-nghe-lam-dau-lan-post568452.html
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