Discover the Art of Making Palm Leaf Hats in Thanh Hoa
The traditional craft of making palm leaf hats in Xuan Loc (Thanh Hoa) has been passed down for generations. The women here, in addition to taking care of their families and tending to the fields, devote themselves to the art of hat making to earn extra income and preserve the culture of their homeland.
In Xuân Lộc commune, Triệu Sơn district, Thanh Hóa province, it is not difficult to come across the image of women, young ladies, and even young children skillfully making palm leaf hats.
According to local residents, the craft of making palm leaf hats in Xuân Lộc commune has been around for a long time. For generations, the people here have continued to practice this craft, not only to earn extra income during leisure time, but also to preserve and promote the cultural values left by their ancestors.
Women in Xuân Lộc commune passionately breathe life into the palm leaf hats to preserve the traditional craft of the village.The main materials used are various types of leaves such as palm leaves, banana leaves, straw, bamboo, lotus leaves, and pandan leaves. The people of Xuân Lộc commune often use water coconut leaves to make the hats. The process involves flattening the leaves.The leaves after being heated.Creating the frame of the hat.The process of making the hat’s structure is also very meticulous. Typically, the structure is made from bamboo or coconut midribs. Each hat uses 14-16 structures.After creating the frame, the craftsmen use a needle to thread and arrange 24 to 35 leaves evenly on the frame. Then, they tie the leaves tightly and sew them together.When sewing the hat, each stitch must be even. Only then can the hat be both sturdy and beautiful.Due to the manual process, on average, each craftsman can make 2-3 hats per day, earning an income of about 100,000-120,000 VND.In order to preserve the traditional craft village, Xuân Lộc commune has established the Xuân Lộc Agricultural Service Cooperative. Currently, there are 12 members of the cooperative participating in the production of palm leaf hats. According to Ms. Lê Thị Linh, Director of Xuân Lộc Agricultural Service Cooperative, the cooperative sells about 35,000 palm leaf hats to the market each year. The main consumption market is in the northern provinces and within Thanh Hoa province.
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