Co Lao ethnic group preserves brocade embroidery craft

BHG - The Co Lao ethnic group, living mainly in Tung San Commune, Hoang Su Phi District, still preserves their traditional brocade embroidery craft as an important part of their cultural identity.

This embroidery craft is mainly undertaken by women, creating beautiful brocade products with rich patterns and cultural significance.Each meticulously embroidered product not only demonstrates the ingenuity but also the sentiments and identity of the Co Lao people.

Previously, the embroidery craft was only maintained within the family to serve personal needs, mainly for costumes during holidays.Each year, Co Lao women can complete only one to two sets of clothes for the family because the manual embroidery process is very elaborate.

Members of the Co Lao Costume Brocade Embroidery Group complete the pattern on a costume.

In 2020, the Co Lao Costume Brocade Embroidery Group was established in Ta Chai village 4, Tung San Commune.The group consists of young women who love traditional embroidery, always diligently learning from the previous generation to improve and develop embroidery patterns, and at the same time make costumes for neighbouring households.

Although the income from embroidery is still modest, the group still cherishes the dream of opening their own shop to develop the profession and promote traditional costumes to the market.

The traditional costume of Co Lao women includes a head scarf, shirt, and pants. The costume is embroidered with unique patterns such as squares, diamonds, and small triangles, with bright colours and woollen tassels.These patterns are not only beautiful but also reflect objects and phenomena in the life of Co Lao people, from production to daily life.

To preserve and develop brocade embroidery, the Tung San Commune has actively promoted and encouraged people to preserve the traditional craft and improve production techniques. Local people are also encouraged to bring their products to the market to help develop traditional handicrafts and their increase income.

Dam Duc Phuong, Secretary of the Tung San Commune Party Committee, emphasised that traditional costumes are indispensable in the holidays of the Co Lao people, and that preserving this embroidery craft is very important to the community's culture.

In the future, local authorities need to devise support policies to develop brocade embroidery and encourage more people to participate.This would not only contribute to preserving ethnic culture but also improve the lives of the Co Lao ethnic people, thus contributing to the sustainable development of the Tung San land.