Buzz
Cẩm Nê village in Da Nang once echoed its name across the central region, known not only to locals but also reaching the ears of those as far as Hue and Dong Ha in Quang Tri. This is thanks to its renowned traditional craft of weaving exquisite mats that has stood the test of time.
Immersing in the tales of traditional mat weaving in the village of Cẩm Nê, Da Nang
Situated approximately 14 km from the heart of Da Nang city, Cẩm Nê village is famous for its craftsmanship in producing fine mats, a product that demands precision and patience from skilled artisans.
The craft of mat weaving in Cẩm Nê originated from Hoằng Hóa district, Thanh Hoa province. The skill was introduced to the South during the reign of King Lê Thánh Tông, when he incorporated Đồ Bàn into Quảng Nam – Da Nang after the victorious battle at Chiêm Thành.
After the conquest, many chose to settle here, bringing along their traditional handicrafts in the hope of building a prosperous life. Among them, the art of weaving mats became an integral part of the local culture and thrived in this fertile land.
The coir and rattan plants flourishing in the Cẩm Nê region and along the riverbanks from Đỏ Bridge up to the border with Thạch Bồ village are thriving. Skillfully woven by artisans, these coir and rattan fibers transform into captivating plain and floral mats. In those days, mat-making sustained the livelihoods of the locals, and they took great pride in their craft, a village tradition passed down through generations.
Over time, the products of Cẩm Nê mat village have earned the favor of customers for their solidity and meticulous craftsmanship. However, the younger generation no longer holds an earnest attachment to the weaving frames or the bundles of coir and rattan. The rhythmic sound of mat weaving frames may disappear due to a lack of successors.
In the memories of the villagers, Cẩm Nê mat village was renowned far and wide. In those days, the village was always bustling with enthusiastic production. Almost every household had at least one weaving frame, and some had three or four frames, hiring laborers to weave day and night. The rural village echoed with the sounds of weaving frames and the movement of transporting goods. As Tet approached, strands of coir in shades of yellow, green, red, purple, were dyed and hung to dry throughout the village.
Cẩm Nê mats are famed for their carefully folded, thick, durable, and comfortable edges. These techniques are the unique secrets of the people of Cẩm Nê mat village that few places can match. In the summer, lying on the mat feels cool, with the faint fragrance of sun-dried coir wafting through the air.
The Cẩm Nê village weaves various types of mats, wide and narrow, plain and floral. Plain mats are the natural, uncolored variety, woven with long, unspliced fibers, smaller fibers fetching a higher price than the spliced kind, woven with two short fibers joined together.
White plain mats use a specific type of lát (a plant) for drying, just enough to retain a slight green hue when dry. After weaving, the mats are sun-dried, creating a bright, shiny appearance and a crisp texture, with excess lát and rattan fibers then trimmed with a knife.
Creating floral mats in Cẩm Nê involves more than just weaving white mats and then using a flower mold; it requires selecting rattan fibers for dyeing before weaving. The dyed materials are immersed in, each handful of fibers individually dipped and sun-dried. A bundle of rattan can be dyed once or twice or even thrice.
The most intricate stage can be said to be the selection of plants for sizing and weaving tools. The chosen plants must be perfectly straight, lightweight, and durable. Cẩm Nê mat village often opts for aged betel palm trees for sizing and weaving. In the mat weaving process, two individuals are involved in each weaving frame. One person threads coir, while the other uses a shuttle to weave the coir securely.
After finishing the mat weaving, they are laid out across the yard, with the final step being to pin the ends of the rattan strands to prevent the coir strands from unraveling at both ends of the mat. To ensure the mats remain straight, this step requires skillful hands and keen eyes.
Today, Cẩm Nê mat village faces challenges with the industrial mat competition. To preserve and promote the traditional mat weaving craft, the community must support each other in terms of experience, capital, and the produced items must match in quality and efficiency with the market prices for long-term survival and growth.
According to Mytour
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
