The conical hat has become familiar to Vietnamese women across many generations; rich and poor, in big cities and rural areas. The conical hat has given a discreet charm to Vietnamese women, and has become a unique feature of Vietnamese culture, sought after by many foreign visitors.
One village works quietly, night and day, to preserve and uphold the longstanding craft of conical hat making; it is Chuong village in Thanh Oai district, on the outskirts of Hanoi.
It is difficult to nail down precisely when the villagers began crafting the hats. It is said that the craft has been handed down through generations in the village for hundreds of years. According to the elders, the quality of the village’s products was recognised long ago in a folk song: “Whoever wants a beautiful conical hat can come to Chuong village”.
In olden days, Chuong villagers earned their living by producing hats in many different shapes for many different customers: women, men, the rich and the not-so-rich. The craft had its heyday during the first three decades of the 20th century, when the village’s hats were given as gifts to queens and princesses.
Unfortunately, economic recession forced many villagers to abandon the craft, pushing the techniques of making the iconic conical hat into oblivion.
Concerned about the threat of losing an ancient craft, Hai Cat, a village artisan, went to the capital to learn from the conical hats produced in Hue, which were in favour in Hanoi at that time. At the Ha Dong fair in 1930, Hai Cat’s products were highly appreciated by visitors, earning him a certificate from the authorities.
After being recognised for his skill, talent and creativity, he returned to his birthplace to provide vocational training to his fellow villagers and revive the hat-making industry 30 years after the craft’s decline.
Thanks to Hai Cat, many villagers came back to their hometown to learn the traditional occupation, carrying their products out of the village and promoting them at home and abroad.
According to artisan Ta Thi Huong, it takes time, patience and painstaking accuracy to make a conical hat. Green leaves brought from Quang Binh and Phu Tho province are left to dry in the sunshine until they turn white. The craftsmen then iron the leaves under a heated ploughshare to make flatten and harden them.
Next, the leaves are assembled in a wooden frame and sewn with 16 rounds of needling, using silk thread. It is easy to recognise a Chuong village conical hat at first sight because only Chuong villagers sew their hats with 16 rounds of needling, which tightens the layers of leaves while maintaining the product’s elegance.
Finally, the hat is lightly coated with oil of turpentine to avoid becoming mouldy in damp or rainy weather.
Chuong village has been promoted nationwide for their products. Special conical hats measuring three metres in diameter were used to inaugurate the 22nd SEA Games in 2003 and the 14th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Hanoi in 2006.
It is difficult to make a beautiful conical hat, but selling it on today’s market may be even more difficult. Due to the reduction in customer demand, the price of conical hats has fallen, forcing many of the villagers to take up other occupations.
“I thought of quitting this craft and turning to another job, which brings a higher income, but I am still attached to this. In addition, if I quit, who will hand down our longstanding tradition to younger generations and how will our ancestors’ craft be preserved and upheld?,” said Ha, a Chuong villager.
Many people with the same thought as Ha have quietly contributed to preserving the image of Vietnamese traditional conical hats and promoting them to Vietnamese and international visitors.