An enduring love for folk toys
More than 10 years ago, Ngo Quy Duc founded My Hanoi group to preserve and promote Hanoi culture. Many people thought that it was in light of his youth. As time goes by, that love for Hanoi culture does not fade but multiplies …
Ngo Quy Duc is a member of the judging panel in the contest of making Tò he and introducing traditional Mid-Autumn toys. (Tò he is a Vietnamese folk toy made of rice powder.)
Ngo Quy Duc founded My Hanoi group at the age of 21 in 2006. At that time, information technology had not developed strongly, so it was very meaningful to build an electronic library to provide information about Hanoi. The library has a variety of information about natural conditions, history, economy, culture, society, streets, places, people of Hanoi. Establishing “My Hanoi”, Duc wishes to unite those sharing the same love for Hanoi, so that they can join together to preserve the beauty of the Capital, regardless of differences of their generations. Arranging, managing, screening, and posting information on the website are difficult activities. Thankfully, the young members received enthusiastic supports from researchers such as historian Duong Trung Quốc, Dr. Vu The Long, researcher Vu Tuan San … Many people have accessed and found useful information on the history and culture of the Capital of a thousand years of civilization. My Hanoi has many diverse activities. In particular, there are cultural expeditions to handicraft villages or traditional cultural preservation activities that attract many people at every age.
For a long time, Duc has worked as a collaborator for publishers and worked at Photography Magazine but the main purpose of those work was to access traditional culture and handicraft villages. My Hanoi is leaving a more and more prominent mark in the community, especially when Duc and his partners implemented folk games conservation activities. The group has worked hard to revive folk games through many activities, for example, the incorporation of folk games (nhảy dây, đánh chuyền, kéo co, ô ăn quan…) into community events and activities. Before the New Year of 2016, unexpectedly, the group received an invitation from the Hanoi Department of Tourism to participate in the Hanoi Memories event. That was the first time children’s folk games had appeared on such a big event. The group was invited to organize folk games at various events. The group was invited to organize folk games at various events. My Hanoi became the organizer of folk games around Hoan Kiem Lake. Those activities attracted many people.
At the end of 2017, Duc left My Hanoi group to discover a new journey. Now, Ngo Quy Duc is the Head of the Vietnamese Folklore Club under the Vietnam Association of Craft Villages. Duc said, “The beauty of Vietnamese culture lingers in the craft villages. I have been fascinated with folk toys from a young age. Therefore, I oriented the Vietnamese Folklore Club to focus on preserving and promoting the value of craft villages in general, especially those making folk toys ”. Easier said than done. What will they do to preserve and promote the value of traditional careers when the club has only cultural enthusiasts and without the support of any organization? Duc reached out to the artisans, searched through their thoughts and aspirations, found out weaknesses that make handicraft products and folk toys difficult to access modern life. From there, connect agencies and organizations to find a way to promote handicraft products and folk toys. On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, the Vietnamese Folklore Club was responsible for 22 stalls of introducing traditional culture and craft village culture in the space of Phung Hung Mural Street. To organize the stalls, with limitation of resources and personnel, Duc and his colleagues spent a lot of effort connecting artisans with the Old Quarter Management Board. At a recent event, Duc and the members of the club organized an expedition to Thiet Ung village (Van Ha commune, Dong Anh district) to learn about the craft village culture and the character of the hundred-year-old fine wooden carvings.
Contrary to the dynamics at work, Duc is timid and quiet, which partly makes the artisans trust. Like the story of Duc was taught to make mặt nạ giấy bồi (Mid-Autumn paper mask) by artist Nguyen Van Hoa (living in Hang Than street, Ba Dinh district) – the only person who kept making mặt nạ giấy bồi in the street. Artisan Nguyen Van Hoa is a punctilious person. He also did not believe that such a young man would be so passionate about this craft. Many times Duc came to him and he realized his love for the craft. Artisan Nguyen Van Hoa not only taught Duc but also promised to give him all the tools when he was tired and trembled. Ngo Quy Duc said, “Hanoi has many unique folk toys makings such as making Mid-Autumn toys in Hau Ai (Hoai Duc district), making iron toys, making Mid-Autumn paper masks … My wish is not only for conservation but also for creativity and innovation so that folk toys can meet the increasingly diverse needs of young people ”.
There were always groups and clubs about the traditional culture of young people born with time. Then, they gradually collapse when the members passed through their youth. However, Ngo Quy Duc is through the nearly-15-year journey with Hanoi culture. Beside Duc’s story, many journeys have just begun…
By Giang Nam (ND)