Meritorious Artist Lo Lai Suu was born in 1963, is a Bo Y ethnic person, living in Lao Hau village, Muong Khuong commune (Lao Cai). From a young age, she grew up in the traditional cultural space of her ethnic group, where Bo Y costumes are present in daily life, from family activities to festivals and weddings.
The rustic colors and delicate patterns on each shirt and dress have early been imprinted in her memory, nurturing in her a lasting love for the traditional costumes of the nation.
When she grew up, amidst the gradually changing pace of life, Ms. Lo Lai Suu still persistently learned and preserved the technique of sewing Bo Y costumes, from the way of choosing fabric, coloring, creating patterns to each needle and thread.
Not only sewing clothes for her family and community herself, she also silently passed on the craft to later generations, with the desire to preserve the cultural imprint of a very small ethnic group before the risk of fading.
In the space of sewing clothes imbued with the colors of time, where golden sunlight creeps through each window, the hands that have been imprinted with the years of Mrs. Lo Lai Suu are still quick with each cut, needle point, sewing the soul of traditional Bo Y costumes.
Slowly wiping away her sweat, she shared: "Since childhood, I have learned to sew costumes of the Bo Y ethnic group. The older I get, the more I understand and love this costume culture. Although I am old and the sewing and patching is quite elaborate, I still always try to preserve so that the identity of my nation is not lost.
Expressing concern about unfounded innovations, Ms. Lo Lai Suu shared: "Currently, some people arbitrarily innovate ethnic costumes, from pants to skirts and then attach many other patterns. In my opinion, that is unreasonable. Outfits are heritage passed down by our ancestors, so they need to be kept in their original form, from long pants, long sleeves, yem che..., all details must be harmonious and discreet. Only then can the true identity of the nation be preserved.
With her tireless positive contributions, in 2015, Ms. Lo Lai Suu was awarded the title of Meritorious Artisan by the State. In addition, she was also honored to receive many certificates of merit and certificates of commendation for her typical example in preserving the culture of her ethnic people. But for her, the greatest reward is not on the wall, but in the fact that Bo Y's costume is still present in today's life.
