Buzz
In daily life, the art of balancing on stilts aids the villagers of Quan Vinh (Nam Dinh) in fishing at sea, while assisting the people of Jun Village (Gia Lai) in navigating through the flood season.
Quan Vinh Village (Nam Dinh)
Stilt-walking is a traditional skill utilized by coastal fishermen to catch marine products. Despite the advent of boats and ships, stilt pairs gradually faded into obscurity, only revived during certain traditional folk festivals. However, in Quan Vinh, Nghia Thang Commune, Nghia Hung District, Nam Dinh Province, stilt-walking remains preserved and increasingly popular.
Stepping into Quan Vinh, visitors can't help but marvel as if they've entered a foreign land with towering figures. These elongated legs, aided by stilts, are controlled with finesse by villagers of all ages and genders. Even during sea voyages, the shortest legs stretch to about 1.5 meters, reaching heights of 3-4 meters.
The 'long legs' of Quan Vinh, though accustomed to sea and mud, remain straight, uniform, and incredibly flexible, capable of bearing weight. To achieve these 'ideal legs,' residents of Quan Vinh often select bamboo shoots grown in fertile soil, with diameters ranging from half the size of a palm to a forearm, soaked in mud for a year, and hung over the kitchen hearth to be smoked until they acquire a golden-brown hue before being crafted into stilts.
Observing the people of Quan Vinh gracefully stilt-walking, many might think it's simple, but in reality, they must train extensively to walk as if on their own two feet. These 'legs' were originally used to wade through water to catch shrimp, crab, and fish, like a game aimed at preserving the cultural beauty of their homeland.
They can perform badminton, swing, sword fighting, folk singing, soccer, singles and doubles tennis, wrestling... all on those long, meter-high stilts. Balancing is already difficult, but competing and performing on stilts is even more challenging. Watching their nimble steps on the field, they resemble true long-legged artists.
Jun Village (Gia Lai)
In contrast to coastal fishermen, the people of the Central Highlands mainly use stilts to avoid getting sandy soil on themselves during rainy days, or to ascend to raised houses instead of using stairs. Nowadays, as muddy roads are gradually replaced by clean concrete ones, these stilts are disappearing.
However, Jun Village, Yang Bac Commune, Dak Po District, Gia Lai Province, is an exception. Stilts are like a second pair of legs for the villagers of Jun when crossing muddy puddles on the road or participating in festivals. Many are left wide-eyed seeing villagers hanging clothes to dry, and even racing and playing soccer on stilts.
The small village with its charming stilt houses nestled under tall, lush ancient trees always has young ones practicing stilt-walking. Falling down and getting up is part of the process, but amidst laughter, the children persistently take slow steps. Over time, their steps become faster, then they turn, move left, move right, all with finesse. Starting with walking, then running, combining playful stilt-walking performances.
Although the stilts in Jun Village aren't as tall as those in Quan Vinh (Nam Dinh), walking is more challenging underwater due to the hard ground and increased danger. Yet, this doesn't diminish the grace and agility of these stilt-walkers. Like the stilt-walkers of the coastal village, the long-legged inhabitants of Jun Village have ventured to distant regions of the country such as Ninh Thuan, Phu Yen, Quang Nam, and Binh Phuoc.
***
Source: Travel guide Mytour - According to Vnexpress
MytourJanuary 2, 2014
