The traditional craft of 'zeng' (brocade) weaving of Ta Oi ethnic group in A Luoi District, Thua Thien–Hue Province was recently recognised as national intangible cultural heritage under a decision issued by the Minster of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
According to Le Thi Thiem, Head of the district’s Culture and Information Office, the craft has a long history in the locale. Zeng are indispensable for offerings in the Ta Oi people’s community activities, when participants are also dressed with costumes made from zeng cloth.
Zeng weaving has been well preserved through generations in A Luoi, where women play a very important role in teaching their daughters about the cultural practice so that the girls will continue the tradition when they become mothers in the future.
In the Ta Oi community, when a girl reaches the marriage age, she must know to weave a beautiful piece of zeng as a present for her future husband’s family, so it is considered a measure of the girl’s proficiency in domestic affairs.
Zeng products are also works of art representing the indigenous culture of the Ta Oi people.
In modern life, the craft helps create jobs for local residents as it has been utilised as a typical tourist product for visitors to A Luoi District.
