“Hoa Rừng Hương Đất”: experiencing Dao Tien culture of Xóm Sưng in Hanoi
A series from 20 to 28 May 2023 with a Xóm Sưng cultural space, a beeswax-on-brocade workshop and a talk on cultural preservation, with Diplomatic Academy students.
- When
- Where
- 2nd floor, Chie, 66 Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi
- Format
- In person
- Organiser
- Chie Dù Pù Dù Pà Social Enterprise
“Hoa Rừng Hương Đất – Trải nghiệm văn hóa Dao Tiền xóm Sưng” (Forest Flowers, Scent of the Earth: experiencing Dao Tien culture of Xóm Sưng) was a series of events from 20 to 28 May 2023 on the second floor of the Chie store at 66 Hàng Trống, Hanoi, open 9:00–19:00. It brought the simple, peaceful cultural space of Xóm Sưng village (Đà Bắc, Hòa Bình) into the heart of Hanoi.
The project to spread the traditional culture of the Dao Tien people of Xóm Sưng was started by students of the Faculty of Communication and Foreign Cultures at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, in cooperation with Chie Dù Pù Dù Pà. Through its activities it supports villagers in preserving and sharing their culture.
The cultural space “Xóm Sưng in the heart of Hanoi”
A miniature of life in the Dao Tien villagers’ mountain home, set in the capital, with four zones:
- Brocade display: traditional costumes, indigo-dyed cloth, beeswax-painting tools (stove, whetstone), handicrafts made by villagers, and a brocade-pattern colouring activity.
- Photo display of nature, life and people of Xóm Sưng, taken by Dao Tien villagers themselves.
- Herbal bath zone showing rare medicinal leaves from Xóm Sưng.
- Dó paper zone where visitors share impressions. Dó paper is what the Dao Tien use to write down their language.
Workshop: “Beeswax on Brocade”
The workshop ran 9:30–18:00 on 20 and 21 May 2023. Participants watched the traditional beeswax painting of the Dao Tien and drew beeswax patterns themselves under the guidance of artisans. The winding lines on the skirts recount the hard migration journey earlier generations endured.
The workshop drew many young people and foreign visitors interested in the culture of ethnic minority communities.
Talk: “Dao Tien people of Xóm Sưng and the story of cultural preservation”
The talk ran 15:00–16:00 on 20 May 2023. With digital technology and globalisation, the question is how to “integrate without dissolving” traditional values. Speakers were Ms Trương Thủy, founder of the social enterprise Chie Dù Pù Dù Pà, with Ms Lý Hằng, representative of the brocade group at the Xóm Sưng community tourism site, and Ms Lý Nhất, Ms Lý Quyết and Ms Lý Bằng from Xóm Sưng.
They spoke about bringing brocade to the city, the difficulties and challenges, and the goal of taking the value of brocade to a wider audience at home and abroad.
Looking back
After more than a week the series closed to warm interest from young people and journalists. Chie thanks the Diplomatic Academy students, the villagers of Xóm Sưng and everyone who visited.
Translated from the Vietnamese original.
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