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Many festivals in Hai Phong incorporate craft village spaces into their festivities, giving artisans opportunities to demonstrate their skills, visitors a chance to experience traditional crafts, and traditional occupations greater exposure.
Craft villages become part of festivals
During recent festival seasons, alongside the sacred atmosphere of the heritage site of Con Son - Kiep Bac, visitors could also find stalls showcasing the distinctive character of craft villages. There, handicraft products were not merely displayed on shelves; artisans directly practiced and demonstrated the crafting process, sharing stories about the origins, techniques and values passed down through generations.
As planned, this year’s Con Son - Kiep Bac Autumn Festival will feature five traditional craft villages, including Dong Giao woodworking, Chau Khe jewelry making, Thanh Lieu woodblock printing, Chu Dau pottery, and handicrafts and wood carving from Thuong Hong Commune, as well as embroidery, metalworking, bronze casting, decorative bronze embossing and calligraphy presented by the Hai Phong Association of Skilled Artisans and Craftsmen, with a total of 300 – 400 products.
For artisans from Thanh Lieu woodblock printing village, their presence at the festival is not simply about promoting their products. It is also an opportunity for visitors to understand that behind a beautiful print lies a system of techniques, knowledge and craftsmen’s perseverance. By witnessing each stage of the process firsthand, visitors can gain a fuller appreciation of the products’ value.
The talented artisans of Dong Giao woodworking village do more than display finished products; they also demonstrate their skills directly before local residents and visitors. Many visitors are excited to see artisans create products firsthand for the first time.
From festival highlights to crafts’ vitality
Hai Phong has more than 70 traditional craft villages in various fields. According to Pham Thi Dao, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, bringing craft village, OCOP and distinctive agricultural products to festivals creates opportunities for these products to reach consumers directly while expanding market connections for producers.
More importantly, demonstrations and hands-on experiences help the public recognize the value behind each product, thereby contributing to the preservation of traditional crafts.
In particular, as the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac complex has been inscribed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site, connecting festivals with craft villages takes on even greater significance.
Handicraft products, traditional techniques and stories about artisans add another cultural layer to the heritage exploration experience, allowing visitors not only to see values that have been preserved but also to recognize the vitality of culture nowadays.
When craft villages are given their proper place in festivals, cultural values are no longer confined to finished products but continue to “live” through artisans’ hands, visitors’ experiences and the creativity of craftsmen. And when visitors discover a traditional craft at a festival and can later visit the craft village itself, the promotional value can continue to grow.
TAM PHUC
