Exploring paper-making craft of Dao ethnic people in Cao Bang
Khanh Viet - VOV journalist in the northeast region -
(VOVWORLD) - Paper-making is a traditional craft of the Red Dao ethnic minority in Nguyen Binh district in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang.
 Lung Ot hamlet of the Red Dao is located about 40 km from Nguyen Binh district. Over 90% of the households are making paper manually.
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 The main material used to make paper is trúc, a type of bamboo plant. In the second lunar month, when the bamboo plants have young leaves, Dao men go to the forest to cut bamboo plant to make paper. First, they remove branches and leaves, cut the bamboo into tubes of about 1 m, split them, and soaked them in lime water for at least 2 months and 2 more months in clean water. When the bamboo stalks are soft, they step and knead them into paper pulp. Recently many households use pulp mills to save time and labor.
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 Hoang Mui Chuong of Lung Ot hamlet said they choose bamboo plants of 40 to 50 days old and about 3-4m high. |
 Young bamboo plants are soaked in water, pounded, and then crushed into pulp before being mixed with resin of several other plants. An indispensable additive is the sap of the “chầy kêu” tree to enhance adhesion. |
 The craftmen use molds made of bamboo and dip them into the mixture of paper pulp to create thin paper sheets. |
 The paper sheets are dried in the open air. |
 Then the paper sheets are smoothed and packed into stacks. |
 In average, a household can make 100 to 200 stacks of paper a year. Each stack is sold at about 6USD. |
 Paper of the Red Dao is tough and durable. |
 The Red Dao use their hand-made paper to make votive paper for worship, decorate the house, and write prayers. The paper is durable and absorbs ink well. |
Khanh Viet - VOV journalist in the northeast region