BAMBOO DRAGONFLY – BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAP
For a long time, dragonflies, having been by craftspeople of Thach Xa (Thach That District, Hanoi), have become toys associated with childhood memories of many people of the Capital.
Thach Xa Commune is located about 40 km west of Hanoi City. Thach Xa is famous for not only Tay Phuong pagoda located on the top of Cau Lau mountain but also bamboo dragonflies. In Thach Xa, craftspeople create beautiful bamboo dragonflies, which are favored by domestic and foreign visitors. For a long time, the yard in front of the house of Mr. Do Van Lien has been used for storing bamboo. The long, thin but sturdy bamboo stand side by side next to the plastic baskets with paint on them. This yard is the birthplace of the beautìul and colorful bamboo dragonflies, sold on the old quarter or the tourist attractions.
Accidentally came up with making the bamboo dragonflies
To create a lively bamboo dragonfly, Mr. Lien and many other artisans have to choose good bamboo (neither too old nor too young)in the Northwest mountainous region. The bamboos will be scraped off the green layer and then dried under the sunshine, then split into each segment to make dragonflies. “The dragonflies look so simple. However, to creating a dragonfly, the artisan must be meticulous at every step. If bamboo is not good, thousands of dragonflies will not be able to balance.” said Mr. Lien.
To make a bamboo dragonfly, the artisans have to be so meticulous and accurate in every detail.
Having been making bamboo dragonflies for 20 years, Mrs. Xoan, Mr. Lien’s wife, still remembers the very first day she made bamboo dragonflies herself. When they saw a dragonfly balancing on a finger, they decided to make this lively toy.
At that time, rattan and bamboo weaving is the main job of her family; therefore, making dragonflies in free time was just to ear a small amount of money. A few years later, the rattan and bamboo weaving is being lost, then making the bamboo dragonflies became the main source of income for Mrs. Xoan and her husband.
The hardest part is to plant wings on the body so that the dragonfly can perch on the tree in a balanced way.
More and more visitors and customers have come to their house to see and buy these dragonfly toys. Initially, retail customers bought a few for their interest. Over time, widespread fame, domestic and international visitors have come to bulk-buy products for selling or being a present. The family’s income has improved from then on.
“Every day about 500 completed bamboo dragonflies have been produced. They all are sold out.”- said Mrs. Xoan
As demand outpaced supply, Mrs. Xoan has to hire more workers to handle the different parts of the making process.
The youth bring the bamboo dragonflies to life
The room on the 3rd floor of the house is colorful and smells of typical paint.
This room seems totally different from the yard is full of rudimentary things, and covered by the ivory color of bamboo. The buckets of paint with many colors are arranged in a room with many windows. The morning sunlight of autumn slips down on the shoulders of the young girl being meticulously sweeping paint onto the dragonfly wings.
Young artisans are in charge of designing and painting.
She is Linh, 20 years old, a student of Vietnam National University of Forestry. “I have been working here for 2 years. My house is over here. I only work here at the weekends to earn a small amount of money” Linh said and blinked her eyes.
She confided that she always wore a mask because the pungent odor of the paint was not good for her respiratory. However, over time, she felt familiar with this odor that made her homesick when she went away.
After drying under the sunshine, the dragonflies will be decorated by Thao (20 years old), the niece of Mr. Lien
“I ‘lived’ with bamboo dragonflies since childhood. I learned to decorate the dragonflies from my cousins and my siblings so that I can help my grandparents in my free time at the weekends” said Thao. After finishing the decorating process, Thao will pack them into a foam box. They are ready for spreading to customers.
Bamboo dragonflies are packed into 10. They have the same designs but colors. Thanks to the artisans, the bamboo dragonflies become more lively and eye-catching. Customers can choose the colors and designs that they like.
Bamboo dragonflies – the bridge connects the generations
Bamboo dragonfly – The bridge to connect the generationThach Xa, where the artisans of all ages devoted to creating vivid dragonflies day by day. Bamboo dragonflies have been perfected through the hands of many generations.
Older artisans are more careful, so they choose bamboo and create initial shapes.
Young artisans are more sensitive about aesthetics, so they decorate and paint. Then, the lively dragonflies, beyond the bamboo fence of Thach Xa, fly to all parts of the country.
“Dragonfly!
Dragonfly! Flaps your wings!
A little boy is chasing behind.”
The folk verse has entered the childhood of many people. And the dragonflies’ image has become familiar with the children born in the village
For the city children, the bamboo dragonfly is a bridge to connect with the childhood of grandparents in the past.
Although people may forget a lot of things because of the bustle and hustle life, they still remember the peaceful childhood when seeing the bamboo dragonfly balancing on their hands.
For the children in the city, the dragonfly urges them to feel the countryside – where their grandparents grew up.
In recent years, many bamboo dragonfly workshops have opened a service of making dragonflies for tourists. This service is especially popular with foreign visitors and students from schools. The visitors will both experience making the bamboo dragonflies and keep their products as souvenirs instead of paying for the available bamboo dragonflies. This activity attracts more tourists.
The bamboo dragonfly only caught the initial curiosity of visitors. However, when knowing the bamboo dragonflies can balance on any material even the thread, Vietnamese and international visitors are extremely interested in this toy.
Epilogue
Vietnamese bamboo dragonflies, born from the countryside, now “spreading their wings” to urban and international markets. The lively dragonflies become a unique souvenir of Vietnam. Bamboo dragonflies, beyond the bamboo ramparts, “flying” across the country, and appearing in Japan, Korea, and China whose markets are so fastidious. Up to now, bamboo dragonflies making has become a favorite handicraft which has attracted a lot of visitors. This is a good signal for the development of traditional Vietnamese crafts.
by Minh Anh