On the high mountain slopes of Son La, the H'Mong people have been associated with linen trees for generations as an indispensable part of life. In Van Ho, Long Phieng, Ngoc Chien or Chieng Hoa communes, the linen growing, spinning and weaving professions have been maintained through many generations, as the people preserve their roots and national identity.
Every year, around February - March, people start sowing flax seeds in the fields. After a few months of care, the flax tree is harvested, dried, peeled and then shredded into fibers.
The work seems simple but requires patience and skillful hands of the H'Mong woman. Each small linen strand is softly connected, without revealing the joint before being boiled with kitchen ash and lime water to create whiteness, chewiness and softness.
In the yard of Co Long village, Van Ho commune, long bundles of linen sun-dried create a characteristic scene of the mountainous region. For the H'Mong people, linen is not only used to make fabric but is also associated with customs, spiritual life and the pride of each family.
Next to simple wooden weaving frames, many elderly women are still diligently weaving each piece of fabric. They learn the craft from a young age and consider weaving linen as an indispensable habit in life.
To complete a piece of fabric, the craftsman must go through many stages such as spinning, weaving, indigo dyeing, and beeswax painting. Each step requires meticulousness and experience accumulated over many years.
In particular, beeswax painting technique is considered the most difficult stage. Traditional patterns appearing on the indigo not only create a unique beauty for costumes but also show the sophistication and creativity of the craftsman. Each family has a different way of creating patterns, contributing to creating a unique feature for the linen weaving products of each village.
Not only culturally valuable, linen weaving also opens up opportunities for livelihood development for people in mountainous areas. In many villages in Van Ho, households both maintain traditional crafts and combine community tourism. Linen products such as dresses, scarves, handbags or souvenirs are increasingly loved by tourists.
Amidst the modern pace of life, the sound of the weaving frame in H'Mong village is still regular like a bridge between the past and the present. From the rustic linen fibers, people in the highlands of Son La are persistently preserving a traditional cultural feature that has been associated with their nation for generations.
