Khmu people weave to escape poverty

Dinh Son 1 Village, Huu Kiem Commune (Ky Son) is a long-standing settlement of more than 100 Khmu households. Previously, the Khmu people here lived in poverty, their economy relied mainly on slash-and-burn farming, self-sufficiency. Photo: Dao Tho

The Khmu community has a tradition of weaving. The items they made in the past were only for family needs. Mr. Lu Van Lien (63 years old) said: Khmu boys in the village are born with a talent for weaving. They just need to stand and watch adults weave and in a few days they can start doing it themselves. Currently, there are 30 households in the village engaged in weaving, and their products are sold everywhere, thus gradually eliminating poverty. Photo: Dao Tho

The products made by the people are mainly rattan trays and rattan chairs. Raw materials are taken from available sources in the forest. When brought home, they must be dried to ensure durability. "In addition to being beautifully woven, the product needs to be durable. To be durable, before weaving, it must be dried in enough sunlight to make the rattan and bamboo fibers flexible" - Mr. Lu Van Duc shared. Photo: Dao Tho

Most people in Dinh Son 1 village still maintain the traditional way of making rattan. The weaving process must be done meticulously and skillfully. On average, it takes 3-5 days for each skilled worker to complete a rattan tray. Trays, large or small, are sold for 600,000 VND to several million VND. Photo: Dao Tho

Mr. Lu Van Van in Dinh Son 1 village has been in the profession for more than 40 years. He is considered the best rattan chair weaver in the village. According to Mr. Van, if you want a chair to be strong and durable, choosing the right rattan is very important. Small rattan is easy to bend but not very durable. Large rattan is hard and difficult to bend, but on the contrary, it is resistant to termites, so the chair can be used for decades. Photo: Dao Tho

After finishing, the products are put in the kitchen and dried for a long time. The heat from the smoke makes the trays and chairs have a beautiful yellow color and last longer. "Every month, I earn about 5 million VND from weaving, much higher than from farming. That's why my family escaped poverty" - Ms. Luong Thi Que confided. Photo: Dao Tho

Khmu children watch adults weaving. Photo: Dao Tho

People's products are sold in the commune and district centers. Mr. La Van Ha - Chairman of the People's Committee of Huu Kiem commune said: Thanks to this profession, Dinh Son 1 village has gradually escaped poverty, and the whole village currently has no poor households. The commune is using capital from the production development project according to Resolution 88/2019/QH14 to buy rattan splitting and shaving machines, with a total capital of 100 million VND. It is expected that the machines will be available in 2023. Once invested and put into use, the commune will build a craft village for further development. Photo: Dao Tho

Source: https://baonghean.vn/nguoi-kho-mu-dan-lat-de-thoat-ngheo-post278491.html