The traditional craft villages of Thach That district have created a large, diversified volume of goods, serving consumption and export, creating jobs for workers, increasing income for the people, and contributing to preserving and promoting the value of its craft villages. The Metal Mechanics Village in Phung Xa Commune has 165 businesses, 800 mechanical production households, and attracts more than 5,000 workers. Or the carpentry and garment village of Huu Bang commune has become the main production profession of local people, with the economic structure of the industry – handicraft industry – services accounting for 99% of the economic structure of the whole commune. In particular, the carpentry and construction village of Canh Mau commune, have more than 3,000 households, of which 875 households work the profession. Since the career until now, the craft villages have constantly developed in both quantity and quality, creating jobs for many local workers, contributing to increasing income for each family, promoting the development of the craft village economy.
Chang Son fan products reach sophistication.
In Chang Son commune, it has long been famous for its carpentry of handicrafts. The craftsmen here have carved out works of high artistic value with the following products: mahogany, tea cabinet, horizontal lacquered boards, traditional houses, communal houses, pagodas, Buddha statue bearing traditional style. The Chang Son people are called the “hundred trades” people. In addition to carpentry, the people here also work as bamboo and rattan weavers, especially making paper fans to create the village’s reputation. Paper fans have not only high useful value, but also a long history of artistic values and philosophies. The fan can be used to cool the fan, as a hand-held decoration of the girls, as a prop to make the Vietnamese graceful dances. The fans are also places to show the artist’s talent through vivid pictures. Chang Son people make a variety of fans such as paper fan, bamboo fan, calligraphy fan, painting fan, etc. Today, these fans not only bring cool air for users but also help promote the craftsmanship of exquisite handicrafts of Chang Son people, attracting more and more visitors to Chang Son to visit and experience.
Bamboo dragonfly – a unique souvenir at Tay Phuong Pagoda.
Thach Xa commune – the place with a scenic spot is Tay Phuong pagoda has the profession of making a unique bamboo dragonfly. The wooden dragonflies with sophisticated skillful wings, just put lightly on their hands, they will stand still without falling, which is a toy associated with the memories of Thach Xa people. Initially, this was just a side profession that villagers worked part-time on during leisure time to sell to tourists who pilgrims to visit Tay Phuong pagoda. They do not think the simple but lively bamboo dragonflies are so attractive that the more products local people make, the more tourists buy. Along with the craft of making bamboo dragonflies, Thach Xa is also famous for its che lam ‘Vietnamese nutty ginger stick rice bars’ in the traditional manner. Only with rustic rural ingredients such as glutinous rice, peanuts, sugar, ginger, and malt, the Thach Xa people have created a great taste for this specialty cake. When visitors visit Tay Phuong pagoda, they buy Vietnamese nutty ginger stick rice bars, bamboo dragonflies as souvenirs, etc.
Only with the rustic ingredients, the people of Thach Xa have created a delicious taste for the Vietnamese nutty ginger stick rice bars that attract customers.
To further promote the potentials and advantages of craft villages, Thach That district implements the project “Development of trade – service – tourism in Thach That district in the period of 2016 – 2020”, in which the district encourages the development of traditional professions that are famous in the market; create conditions for young labor force to participate creatively and develop craft villages. Along with that, Thach That district synchronously deployed many solutions associated with the program of building new countryside and the One Commune, One Product (OCOP). The district speeds up the construction progress of Di Nau and Chang Son craft village industrial clusters – phase 2 to create production ground for households and enterprises in the area. At the same time, there is a mechanism to support funding for vocational training, skill improvement with the ability to create new products, with beautiful designs, good quality, low cost, in order to create opportunities to find new products, stabilize lives for local workers. The district will continue to coordinate with the city departments and the central government in the form of honoring the skilled craftsmen, considering giving the title of artisan, golden hand; support for craft establishments and trade villages to participate in trade fairs and exhibitions to access markets. The district encourages the tourism model to experience the craft village, history, culture, cuisine, etc. towards the goal of tourism development in the district associated with preserving and promoting traditional cultural identity.
Duc Long