Brocade Weaving Recovery

The traditional brocade weaving has been passed down to many, many generations in the life of ethnic minorities in Gia Lai in particular and the Central Highlands in general. However, brocade products made by such ethnic people have only found their ways to the market within some recent years, and this has happened in some certain localities. A pioneer in this movement is Gla commune, Dac Doa district. During the last ten years, this commune has set up and maintained the operation of a brocade weaving co-operative house, attracting nearly 100 members with a couple of hundreds of looms, and regularly making unique products which are strongly characterized by cultural features of ethnic people in the Central Highlands. What is appreciated is the fact that the maintenance of traditional brocade weaving is paid special attention by leaders at commune and district levels. They consider this a job which does not simply help preserve traditional values of local people but also a way to generate job and increase income for their people during leisure time after harvesting crops.

 

Of over 50 students attending the course in the “Supporting project for training brocade weaving” of the commune, the majority are youngsters. There are even students who are at the age of 13 and 15. Ms M’lop, one of the two craftsmen, also a teacher for the course, says that “when attending this class, students are taught in a dedicated way. They are not only taught every pattern of Ba Na and Gia Rai people but also consulted with tailoring technique so that they can better complete and diversify their products. Showing us products newly completed by such students, Ms M’lop shares that, “during the training process, the 14 best students are selected to pay a visit to Dam Di brocade weaving co-operative house (in Dak Lak) to exchange experiences on techniques to create patterns and designs, etc. Thanks to this trip, their skills get improved significantly and they have created quite diversifying products which are accepted by the market.

Together with Gla commune, since 2004, Bien Ho commune (in Play Cu City) has also established a brocade weaving club with 53 members who are females from five villages in the commune.

Mr Huynh Huu Sam, Deputy Director of Gia Lai Industry Encouragement Center, says that, “when the society becomes more and more developed, some certain traditional values can fade away if we do not pay attention and do not have measures to preserve and develop them. The planning and recovering of traditional brocade weaving among ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands is a right and necessary move. What’s most worrying is the fact that the number of craftsmen and skilled weavers are not many. If we do not take the opportunity when these people are still alive, these values’ fading away is not too far away. And Mr Vu Tien Ha, project manager, is very optimistic to share that, “we lay our hope on this project and clearly identify the goal to create job and increase income for the youth. However, what’s more important is that via this project, we educate the young generation to respect and preserve a beauty in their cultural life…”

 

It is known that a current difficulty is the limited consumption channel. Products made are not sold in large quantity. Women working at Bien Ho brocade weaving co-operative house says that, “we are trying to contact Play Cu Commerce Center, directly go to tourist places to introduce our products with a hope to create long-term consumption points for them. Hopefully the initial obstacles will get tackled. A large support source for us is the project to recover traditional brocade weaving. We are very proud since our products will be paid attention and used by many. We believe that we will be able to attract more and more labourers to join us, etc.”

 

During the last two years of 2007 and 2008, Gia Lai province has made an investment of VND6.5 billion in two projects namely “Improve capacity for trade training” and “Trade training for farmers and ethnic minority pupils at boarding schools.” Capital is prioritized for such traditional trades as brocade weaving or knitting, etc. This year, the province is also determined to invest an amount of VND2.6 billion in constructing infrastructural facilities for two trade villages in Gla commune (Dac Doa district) and Kon Dong town (in Mang Yang). That determination, together with achievements gained during recent time should lead to positive results, opening a new approach for all trades in general and traditional trade in particular, in Gia Lai. It not only helps generate job, increase income, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty but also helps preserve and develop traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands.