The embroidery craft of Dao ethnic people in some communes and towns in Son Dong district has existed for a long time.

Members of the embroidery club in Tuan Son village, Tuan Dao commune are doing the craft.

Previously, Dao women learned to make embroidery since they were small children to embroider handkerchiefs and clothes for their relatives and for themselves.

Patterns in the embroidery have profound meanings, which are close to the living, belief and agricultural practice (with blade shape) or show wishes for a good life (with the patterns of roads, birds, 8-petal flowers, the sun or leaves).

Tuan Son village (Tuan Dao commune) established the Dao costume embroidery club in 2022 thanks to the support of the communal people's committee and women's unions.

The club members weekly gather at the cultural house to teach and make embroidery. With shared experience, their products become more beautiful and exquisite, which are fancied by many people.

"Doing the traditional craft helps local women earn more income while contributing to preserving and promoting the cultural values and identities. The number of club members has increased to 55 from the initial 25 members. Besides, we teach the craft to young people in the locality. We are provided fund to buy tools and materials and supported in product promotion and consumption", said Dang Thi Phuong, secretary of the village party committee and the club leader.

The province is home to more than 257,000 ethnic minority people, in which the Nung, Tay, San Diu, Hoa, Cao Lan, San Chi and Dao take the majority living in the 4 mountainous districts of Son Dong, Luc Ngan, Luc Nam and Yen The.

According to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the ethnic minorities are preserving traditional unique crafts such as brocade weaving, making traditional costumes, making hats and bags and handmade do paper.

Particularly, the brocade weaving craft of Cao Lan people in Luc Son commune, Luc Nam district has been recovered for 20 years and taught to young generation by active artisans. Besides, artisans learn to advance and create diversified products to enhance competitiveness.

San Chi people in Kien Lao commune are also proud of preserving their ethnic identities by creating traditional hand-made bags. Local people peel bark of wild cassava tree for its white strings, then they dry the strings to weave into durable and sturdy bags.

These bags are not only used to contain stuff but they are also decorative accessories for women; thus artisans embroider colourful patterns on the bags. The bag mixed with traditional costumes of San Chi people creates unique features.

In line with high economic values, the traditional products forge identities and show meticulous craftmanship. The products are showcased at festivals and cultural events, which are highly evaluated by visitors.

There was a time when many traditional crafts stood on the brink of fading into oblivion. In recent years, the all-level government and competent agencies have paid attention to recovering traditional crafts of ethnic minority people.

The province is targeted to preserve traditional crafts in line with tourism development. Several embroidery products, bags and wallets are on the shelves at community-based tourist sites or festivals for tourist to buy as souvenir.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will collaborate with the localities to pay continuous attention to supporting craftsmen.

Particularly, they will promote investment attraction, develop community-based tourism and renew promotion methods.

In addition, they will encourage craftsmen to improve designs and product quality to approach the market and increase competitiveness, contributing to improving people's income and living standard.