Brocade of the Cham, Khmer and other ethnic groups in Truong Son

The exhibition entitled “Fabric Patterns of the Cham, Khmer and Other Ethnic Groups in Truong Son – Tay Nguyen” featured 152 pictures and 84 objects describing the traditional techniques of weaving, dyeing and forming patterns on cloth that are handed down by ethnic people from generation to generation.

Nguyen Thi Tham – Director of the Southern Women’s Museum acknowledged that these patterns are inspired by the people’ habitats as well as representing their culture, religion and beliefs.

A weaving loom of

E de people. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

A woven belt of Ninh Thuan Cham people. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

A tool used for Khmer people’s ikat dyeing technique. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

A spinner of Ninh Thuan Cham people. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Brocade weaving tools. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Patterns on brocade. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

The Hre, M’nong, E de, Ba Na and Ma women’s clothes made with brocade. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

A blanket of Lam Dong Ma people. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Patterns in the shape of animals. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Patterns in the shape of a human. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Brocade patterns of Pa Ko people. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Patterns on Hre people’s clothes. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Patterns on Ma people’s clothes. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Patterns on E de people’s clothes. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Black, red, blue and yellow are the major colours used on clothes of the E de, Gia Rai, Stieng and K’ho people. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Foreign visitors are amazed that the simple weaving techniques can create beautiful cloths with diverse patterns and colours. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

It takes time and great effort to create beautiful pieces of brocade with unique patterns through material processing, spinning, dying and weaving. The techniques are handed down through generations of weavers by ethnic women.

What makes the brocade unique are the colour schemes and patterns. The main colours used in brocade of the Ede and Gia Rai people are black, red, blue and yellow. In their culture, black represents the land that they are closely connected with for their whole life. Red stands for passion and love while blue is the colour of the sky and yellow is for the light.

Besides coloured thread, the Co Tu or Ta Oi people also use beads to decorate their cloth.

Another characteristic of the brocade is that the dye is made totally from natural ingredients. Black is extracted from Mac nua (Diospyros mollis) fruit, yellow from turmeric or B’hoot’s bark, red from Pa-Keik’s resin and orange from cashew nut oil.

Bark used for thread dyeing. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Resin used for red dyeing. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Cashew nuts or castor beans are used for orange dyeing. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

Mac nua fruit used for black dyeing. Photo: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat/VNP

The Cham and Khmer people have developed very complex methods of weaving cloth and forming patterns which require consummate skills at every stage. This turns different pieces of brocade into pieces of art.

David Walker, an English visitor said: “I am totally surprised by the weaving techniques of Vietnam’s ethnic people as it produces beautiful cloth of patterns and colours along with the humbleness.”

The exhibition aims at honouring ethnic women in preserving and developing the traditional craft of their community as well as promoting local tourism./.

Story: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat – Photos: Dang Kim Phuong

Brocade of the Cham, Khmer and other ethnic groups in Truong Son Related image(s)