A group of Ma ethnic women in the Central Highlands province of Dak
Nong are sparing no efforts to pass down their traditional brocade
weaving skills to descendants in the hope that this traditional
profession will live on.
H’khieu, a woman from
Quang Khe commune in Dak G’long district is celebrated for her talent
and passion in creating brocade items. She is now responsible for
teaching local villagers weaving techniques as a means to serve their
own family life and increase their income.
Another
woman from Dac Nia commune, Gia Nghia town called H’Bach confided that
nowadays very few youngsters are enthusiastic about the craft. Hence,
local artisans are doing all they can to hand down their knitting
experiences to children in families and hamlets.
Vice Chairman of Quang Khe commune, K’Sieng, boasted that though brocade
weaving is not as popular as it used to be, many families in the region
still persist in keeping their traditional weaving looms in a bid to
maintain the industry.
Local authorities have
helped villagers raise their keen awareness of reviving their ethnic
cultural quintessences so that they will not disappear, K’Sieng said.
The Ma ethnic people are known by other names like
Chau Ma, Cho Ma and Che Ma. They live in their own villages called “bon”
in Bao Loc, Di Linh and Da Te plateaus in the Central Highlands, and in
the southern province of Dong Nai . There are around five to ten
stilt houses in each “bon”.
The Ma people have two
kinds of family relations, including a large patriarchal family and a
small patriarchal family. The oldest person of the highest generation in
the family will run all of the household’s business and take care of
valuable possessions such as gongs and jars.
They
believe in God (Yang), and worship many others like “Yang Hiu” (House
God), “Yang Koi” (Rice God) and “Yang Bonom” (Mountain God). They often
sacrifice animals to these Gods on the occasion of a good harvest,
giving birth, or when someone is ill or dies.
The
Ma people do not have a writing system. Their folk stories are passed
down orally from generation to generation, encompassing legends, fairy
tales and folk songs.
Ma youngsters like to wear
many copper bracelets with engraved signs of different sacrificial
rituals to pray for good luck.-VNA