Drum occupation in red river delta (case study of Doi Tam drum village, Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province) = nghề làm trống ở đồng bằng sông Hồng

The researches project of “drum occupation in Red River delta case study of Doi Dam drum village, Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province” expect to contribute to raising the

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI INSTITUTE OF VIETNAMESE STUDIES AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENCES

-

PHAN THI HUONG GIANG

DRUM OCCUPATION IN RED RIVER DELTA (CASE STUDY OF DOI TAM DRUM VILLAGE, DOI SON COMMUNE, DUY TIEN DISTRICT,

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude and deepest respect to Assoc.Prof.Dr Le Sy Giao, my supervisor, who enthusiastic instruct and conveysbasic knowledge to me, as well as contributes valuable ideas to help

me complete this thesis

I would like to sincerely thank the Management Board, the teachers, and staff of the Institute of Vietnamese Studies and Development Sciences, Vietnam National University They have created the best conditions for me to participate in the learning process and complete successfully my MA course

I am also thankful to the People’s Committee of Doi Son commune, and Doi Tam people for creating the best conditions for me to complete my research trip I would like to especially thank Mr Dinh Van Luong (one leader of Doi Tam village, Doi Son commune), Mr Pham Chi Khang (one of two experts of Doi Tam drum village) that enthusiastically provide me information and statistic data during my fact-finding time

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the people of Doi Son commune for their enthusiasm in supplying me information during my field work in these areas

I am also thanksful to the office which I work, that is National Political Publishing House, especially Kinh dien - Ly luan branch for creating good conditions for me to complete this thesis

Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends who always care, share, motivate and encourage me

Student

Phan Thi Huong Giang

COMMITMENT

I hereby declare that the researched results in this thesis are absolutely honest Information and results published in this thesis are my researching work If there is any shortcoming, I will bear all responsibilities before the training unit and the law

Student

Phan Thi Huong Giang

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 5

1 Reason for topic selection 5

2 Scientific and practical meaning 7

3 Objects and scope of the study 8

4 History of issue study 8

5 Studying method 9

6 Structure of the thesis 9

Chapter 1: FORMATION CONDITIONS OF DRUM PRODUCTS IN DOI TAM VILLAGE 11

1.1 Cultural space of Doi Tam drum village 14

1.2 Drum founder 15

1.3 History of drum craft village 16

Chapter 2: COMPONENTS OF A DOI TAM DRUM 21

2.1 Productional materials 21

2.1.1 Wood 21

2.1.2 Leather 23

2.1.3 Other materials 26

2.2 Productinal tools 27

2.2.1 Sawing tools 27

2.2.2 Planing tools 28

2.2.3 Cuttingtools 30

2.2.4 The other tool 30

2.3 Productional techniques 31

2.3.1 Leathering 31

2.3.2 Drum body manufacturing 33

2.3.3 Drumhead stretching 38

2.3.4 Drum painting and maintaining 42

Chapter 3: TRADITIONAL AND MODERN DRUM PRODUCTS OF DOI TAM VILLAGE 48

3.1 The traditional drum 48

3.1.1 Thunder Drums: 48

3.1.2 Large drum 50

3.1.3 “De” (base) drum 52

3.1.4 “Khau” (mouth) drum 54

3.1.5 “Bong” drum 55

3.1.6 “Manh” drum 58

3.1.7 “Chien” (fighting) drum 59

3.1.8 “Ngu loi” drum 60

3.1.9 Paper tambourine 60

3.2 Drum of the ethnic group 61

3.2.1 Acur drum 61

3.2.2 “Ghi nang” drum 61

3.2.3 “Tang sanh” drum 61

3.2.4 “ Hagunsit” drum 62

3.2.5 Paranung drum 62

3.3 Modern Drum 63

3.3.1.Jazz Drum 63

3.3.2 “Seng” drum 64

3.3.3 Meca drum 64

3.3.4 “Sai dam” drum 64

Chapter 4: DRUM PRODUCTS IN DAILY LIFE OF DOI TAM 72

4.1 Effects of drums occupation economic life of Doi Tam village 74

4.2 Effects of drum occupation on cultural life of Doi Tam village 78

4.3 Effects of drums occupation on social life Doi Tam village 78

4.4 Open issues 88

CONCLUSION 97

REFERENCES 99

LIST OF INFORMANTS 103

Table 4.2: Reports for achievement of officials and residents of Doi

Tam village – Doi Son commune in building new rural area model,

2009-2011 period

7

7

INTRODUCTION

1 Reason for topic selection

Since a long time ago, drum is a mean of communication of many ethnic groups, including the Kinh Drum involves in many human events such as notifying events of the village (dyke maintenance, flooding, fire, etc.), notifying festivals, funeral, etc Drum is very closed to children (notifying class time, counting for lion/dragon dance team) The drum appears in many art forms such as chèo, Chầu văn, classical drama and so on Drum has become an indispensable part in the spiritual life of man It contributes to transmit information quickly and widely

The drum is a cultural product of each region, each ethnic group In Vietnam, from the very primitive material like jackfruit wood and buffalo skin, craftsman, by their skillful and sophisticated hand, have created complete drums of different sizes, with a sonorous sound in distant space The patterns, lines on the bronze and wood-frame drums profoundly represent personal points of views and philosophy of human life Drum sound plays an important role in many arts (“chèo”, “hát xẩm”, water puppet, etc.), shows the mood of both performers and audient Drums contribute to represent the unique character and enrich Vietnamese cultural traditions

Over the course of historical development, nowadays, drum is still a mean of communication, an important musical instrument in the cultural life

of the nation Research on drum is a practical to contribute to maintaining, reserving traditional cultural value of the nation and developing those values

in people’s lives today and tomorrow Vietnam is a country rich in cultural tradition – the culture is crystallized in the life and inherited and developed over generations Over thousands of years, the essence of traditional culture

remains the bright spot, the factors that make people’s vitality, a source of great encouragement for Vietnamese people

Craft villages reserve the essence of art and traditional techniques over generations That tradition has become an indispensable part and enriched the cultural identity of Vietnam since a long time ago Research on drum products

of Doi Tam village is also to discover the unique culture of a drum craft village, contribute to diversifying the image of Vietnam craft villages

In major festival including 990th, 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, there was participation of great thunder drum as well as spectacular drum teams They are all products of craftsmen in Doi Tam village By their emotion, passion and talent, Doi Tam craftsmen have created masterpieces, treasures of the nations to retransmit to future generations

Doi Tam is not well-known for drum products in major festival but for a famous drum craft village in the North Doi Tam drum are present in most localities throughout the country and involved in many aspects of people’s lives

Being located 60km far from the Capital and limited in development of a craft village, the reputation of Doi Tam village has not been known yet Research materials for products of the village are scarce as well

For the desire of discovering products of Doi Tam village from formation, material, structure and classification, the writer wants to get closer access to the life of a craft village in northern delta Also, the writer wants to

go further to find out shortcomings and disadvantages of the village and propose solution to make the village and its products more complete and public and to have closer look at the reality of “development process of human culture is a continuous succession What remains today and people

2 Scientific and practical meaning

* Scientific meaning

Presently, there are not many writings about Doi Tam village, particularly, general study on the village The project of “drum occupation in Red River delta (case study of Doi Dam drum village, Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province)” will contribute to enrich the materials sources on the village The drum product of the village will be systematically presented from formation conditions and factors, type of drums to its meaning

to people’s lives in the Doi Tam village Readers will have scientific and comprehensive view on the products of the villages not only in the past but in the present

* Practical meaning

Doi Tam drum craft village really became famous after making thunder drum in 990th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi Since then, Doi Tam drums have been present in many large or small-scale events of the country as well as people’s lives in other regions The researches project of “drum occupation in Red River delta (case study of Doi Dam drum village, Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province)” expect to contribute to raising the fame for the products of the village Studying the products of Doi Tam village, the writer also has closer approach to the village life in all aspects of economy, society and culture, to see not only the achievements but also shortcomings and short-term limitation of the village Accordingly, local authorities and people will have specific orientation and solutions for future development of the village to make its drums popular products in the country and the world

3 Purpose of the study

1-Find out drum products of Doi Tam village from tradition to modern type

2-Study the formation condition of drum products, factors to create drum products and their impacts on people’s lives in Doi Tam village

3- Have holistic view of Doi Tam drum craft village in term of economy, culture and society, etc

4 Objects and scope of the study

* Objects of the study: studied objects of the thesis are drum products

of Doi Tam Craft village – a typical drum making village in Red River delta The writer is going to focus on formation conditions, factors of drums, types

of drums and its meaning in the lives of Doi Tam people

* Scope of the study: Thesis on traditional and modern products of Doi Tam village (Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province), in which the thesis focuses on studying traditional products, particularly actual status and solutions for current development of Doi Tam village

4 History of issue study

The products of Doi Tam drum craft village have important meaning in people’s lives, but have not been satisfactorily studied and understood There

is hardly any intensive document on drum of the village The drums are only

mentioned to in general in Traditional craft village of Vietnam book by Pham

Con Son, the reader know the name, products and formation time of the craft village

Products of Doi Tam is mentioned much in internet journals such as Ha Nam Portal, marketing websites of enterprises in Doi Tam or e-journals

including vietbao.vn (Article: Doi Tam drum craft village), zing.vn (Article:

strange customs in Doi Tam drum craft village), anninhthudo.vn (Article: Doi Tam drum craft village by Thanh Phuong), baomoi.com (Article: Doi Tam

village) However, above articles are mostly report mentioning to most

common information about Doi Tam drum craft village such as origin of formation, materials, processes of producing drums and the most typical craftsman and drum products of the village (the drum served in 990th, and

1000th year anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi)

There is a very careful and meticulous study on Doi Tam drum village,

the Final Project of “Drum manufacturing occupation in Doi Tam village, Doi

Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province” by Ms Nguyen Thu

Huong The thesis scientifically and specifically described the drum village: formation, the founder, production processes and its effects on aspects of people’s lives in Doi Tam The author; however, focusing in studying traditional as well as modern products of Doi Tam village

Basing on materials of culture books, practical experience and materials from internet, the writer has selected, systemize them to present her specific

idea in the thesis of “Drum occupation in red river delta (case study of Doi

Tam drum village, Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province)”

6 Structure of the thesis

Besides the introduction, conclusion, the thesis will include 4 chapters:

- Chapter 1: Formation conditions of drum products in Doi Tam village

- Chapter 2: Components of a Doi Tam drum

- Chapter 3: Traditional and modern drum products of Doi Tam village

- Chapter 4: Drum products in daily life of Doi Tam

Chapter 1: FORMATION CONDITIONS OF DRUM PRODUCTS IN

DOI TAM VILLAGE

During the historical development, the appearance of craft is associated with the division of social labour, the cause for disintegration of primitive communal system as well as for appearance of state, and changes the primitive communal system into a higher socio-economical form, that is division of social labour History of ancient society experienced three times of social labour division, including: The first time, breeding separated from cultivation; the second time, craft separated from agriculture; the third time, commerce appeared After the first labour division, both breeding and cultivation developed with the application of breeding into cultivation The society has certain changes; there appeared private ownership, the society is divided into slave and slave holder class

Metal was discovered and metal tools helped to increase labour productivity The metal manufacture, textile, ceramic industries and agricultural product process are more and more developed As the result, the craft is separated from the farming to become an independent occupation Since then, various crafts were formed and developed

The appearance of many professions in production has generated demand for goods exchange in society The development of commodity production leads to the development of trade which was later separated as an independent sector This labour division made profound changes in society with the advent

of merchant class

Thus, the craft has been formed since ancient time with the division of social labour and the establishment of craft villages over the time development

Craft village is a cultural and socio-economic environment Craft village

in Vietnamese is a term that refers to communities, mainly in outskirts and rural areas, a joint production of traditional craft products of the same type Craft village is often characterized by the unique, typical and not only economic but also cultural tradition Findings of archeology and the historical evidence have proven that Vietnam craft villages were born thousands of years ago Together with the development of agriculture, many craft careers were formed in rural areas of Vietnam Initially, it was extra work at free time

to make necessary items tools for daily life; it developed into demand of commodity exchange and seeking for extra income outside agriculture As agricultural characteristic and inter-village, inter-commune relation of Vietnam, these crafts were selected and easily developed from individual to family size Gradually, craft villages spreaded among craftsmen, families and developed throughout the villages or neighbor villages in the principle of handing down For different benefits of craft, there appeared separations among crafts, which brought much benefit strongly developed whereas low-efficiency or inconsistent crafts gradually disappeared

Be one of musical instruments, percussion instrument contributes to create the uniqueness of traditional music The sound of percussion instrument make people think of working tools closed to people from primitive time such as the clapping, stamping, crashing of tree branches or stone to each other to threaten the wild animals while hunting or in the happiness after returning from hunting activities It might be the rice-pounding pestle associated with agricultural civilization The beats created the primitive sounds and rhythm for traditional musical instrument

Drum is a musical instrument in percussion instrument, it decides the

many songs need only drum Drum is the earliest musical instrument From primitive time, the man learned to use drum to make the fist sounds with rhythm in the history In the past, drum was just an empty box covered with skin and spreaded hard to make sound Since then, drum was being used in festivals of ethnic groups and to encourage the troops before the battle as well

as in training

A complete set of drums includes: large drum responsible for keeping main rhythm in the set Other drums are called small drum, they have different external structure as well as low or moderate tune; it also depends on which drum the drummer wants to play to make a complete song with the help of other musical instrument

Drum is musical instrument of many parts of the world such as Japan, China, Nepal, Mongolia, India, Indonesia, Canada, Kenya, Peru, and Ecuador

In general, the drums called Denden-daiko in Japanese are the toys for children and

also the musical instrument of monks in Buddhism in Nepal, Mongolia and India Materials of drums are different from each place; it depends on natural conditions of each country In Japan, drums are made of wood and paper, but

in other countries, animal skin is used to cover the drum surface In china, drum surface is covered by plastic In Kenya, cement tools are used to beat the drum Decoration in drum surface is diversified and attractive, zebra is seen in the drums in Kenya and tropical bird is in drums in Ecuador Drums make unique marker reflecting culture of each country

In Vietnam, a tropical country with rich cultural tradition, drums have had close relation with people since ancient time Through the ups and downs

of history, drums increasingly play an important role in the cultural life of the nation Drums appeared in every large-scale or small-scale cultural event of the country and participated in many activities, important milestones in the

life of everyone Speaking of space, it is impossible for us not to mention to Doi Tam drum village – a craft village well-known not only in northern delta but also all over the country

1.1 Cultural space of Doi Tam drum village

Doi Tam or Giap Ba, Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province is a separate administrative unit established during the separation of villages It is one of three villages: Doi Son, Doi Nhat and Doi Nhi or Giap Nhat, Giap Nhi and Giap Ba

Doi Son is located in the South East of Duy Tien district which includes

8 villages: Doi Tin, Doi Nhat, Doi Trung, Doi Linh, Doi Nhi, Doi Tam, Hoa Thinh and Son Ha Doi Tam village is next to the foot of Doi mountain, bordering to Mieu village and Noi village to the West, Doi Nhi and Doi Tin villages to the North and Doi Nhat to the South

In the East, Chau River originates from Nhue River running through Gie bridge to the center of Duy Tien and Phu Ly districts and is 27km long, 200m wide in average, the largest section in Phu Ly is 350m, the narrowest section

in Hoa Mac is 180m, 3m deep in average, 400m far from Doi mountain

Doi is a sacred mountain; name in Han script is “Long Doi Son” (Dragon mountain) Observed from the western foot of the mountain, Doi Mountain include three tops, two side protruding tops are like a two-handed seat, the central top is coat-alike At the foot of the mountain there is a well deep into the mountain like dragon’s mouth Observed from the North, the mountain looks like an elephant So, "Doi" word includes the "elephant symbol" in the right From the mountain the view covers the plains, green corn, potato fields and Chau Giang River running sinuously

There are 9 natural wells near Doi River According to ancient notions,

local people also found iron-wood piles of 2m length, 30cm diameter plugged around these tombs to avoid erosion by water

By now, Doi Son is archeological site where many integral skulls of ancient people at Dong Son civilization 2000 years ago were found Thus, via measurement and study, archeologists have defined the gender, age and ethnics of Doi Son ancient people, from15 - 17 to 40 – 50 years old In remains found, there was also southern mongoloid peoples and Southeast Asia peoples (Malayo Polynesian)

1.2 Drum founder

Only Doi Tam village in Doi Son commune has drum craft Doi Tam locates in the Northwest of Doi Mountain Center of the village is an ancient communal house worshiping tutelary gods – Two founders of drum draft Founder is a sacred concept in the spiritual life of each craftsman It is taught by our ancestors that “everyone has a job though poor or rich” A job is created for the demand of living, and aesthetic Any job starts by the invention, creativeness of one or many people who are called the founder Back to ancient time, people of Dong Son culture knew how to cast copper drums with sophisticated techniques (2500 years ago) So, when was wood drum created and by whom?

In the myth of local people, drum craft was formed 1000 years ago It comes from ancient time that one day while two brother of Nguyen family are passing Doi mountainous area they saw many beautiful jackfruit trees so they decided to choose this place for settlement and handed down drum career The older brother Nguyen Duc Nang and the younger brother Nguyen Duc Dat chose strong young and skillful people to teach them drum career Until one day, they were informed that the King Le Dai Hanh would hold plaughing

festival here, two brother decided to make a special drum to welcome the king That drum was completed in spring of 987

Other myth says that: Drum career has existed for very long time, no one remembers They only know that Mr.Nguyen Quy Cong or Phuc Nang in Han script is now being worshiped as the founder and founder’s grave is built as imperial tomb in the eastern side of Doi Mountain

It is said by People in Doi Tam that, when the King Ly Cong Uan was moving Hoa Lu capital to Thang Long and passing Chau River, Doi Mountain

he heard very beautiful drum sound from Doi Tam village and allowed local people to come and settle in the capital, thus the drum street is formed and widely developed The drum career from Doi Tam village has been well known since then

In the notion of people, they believe that there is virtual relationship between the drum founder and them In the heaven, the gods will support them to overcome difficulties for survival and development The worshiping

of the founder who though is real or legendary characters is aimed at confirming and honoring that career On anniversary of the founder’s death – January 07th each year is the actual evidence proving the living of drum career

in the lives of local people

1.3 History of drum craft village

Before the Queen mother Y Lan and the king Ly Nhan Tong came Doi Son to build Long Doi Son pagoda (1118), Doi Tam drum village had been over 200 years old

During feudal time, the drum career of the village was undeveloped Drums were used only for festival or emergency of the village such as patrolling, dyke maintenance, etc Doi Tam craftsman had to carry furniture,

there was demand for drum, they stopped, sought for material, sawed, planed wood to make drums on the spot

In subsidy period, drum craft of the village developed at wider scale but still fragmented During this period there is more drum demand for schools, children and cooperatives Drums become the work signal for people in the cooperatives Lives of farmers are most realistically portrayed in poem of the Poet To Huu "All the time in the village is full of drum beat" In the morning, drum sound announce the work time, at noon or afternoon, it announced break time People worked and took a rest in compliance with drum sound This period in Doi Tam drum career development at individual scale Materials for drum are scarce as buffalo skin is mainly used for defense or producing beam pier, footwear for soldiers

At that time, the Government prevented superstition, Doi Tam craftsmen, though they already had bicycles to go and make drums for other communities but they had to make the drums on a hill and could not try the drums after making as they might get arrested

Boys at Doi Tam village were taught how to make small drums since they were at 12 or 13 years old and they would go along with their father and brothers to make big drums Thunder drums could be made by healthy and skillful men only Doi Tam craftsmen could make any type of drums: drums for temples, drums for traditional operetta, drums for schools, and drums for mid-autumn festival, etc In the past, craftsmen could make up to twenty thousand drums and sold everywhere

Innovation time brought back many changes to Doi Tam drum making village People got interested in their spiritual lives, pagodas and temples were built everywhere leading to the demand for drums Especially, after the Government restricted people from setting off firecrackers, drums were more

and more common used In the past, firecrackers were used in most of the events, now it is the drums to be used

Over the thousands of years, Doi Tam villagers still keep and have been developing their traditional industry Doi Tam drum making village became famous of their traditional industry after making the drums for Thang Long - Hanoi 990 years event (in 2000) In October, 2004, Ha Nam granted a certificate recognizing Doi Tam drum making village as a traditional craft village And in November, 2007, the village was granted with the credit of

“Typical Craft Village of Vietnam” by Vietnam Association of Craft Villages Doi Tam drum making village managed to keep their traditional industry over the economic depreciation period by helping each other among the villagers Nowadays, Doi Tam craftsmen are still trying to keep their ancestor’s traditional industry Many families are living on drum making and are having a better life because of the industry Not only good at making drums, Doi Tam villagers are also very good at drumming Not sure whether there is another female drummer team like in Doi Tam They are not only performing on their traditional carnival on January 7 in lunar calendar every year, they would be willing to go wherever they are invited to On those events, hundreds of drums at various sizes would go along with their drummers to anywhere

 Regulations for drums and for the industry

There are regulations either in a separated written document or in village convention of each village for most of the long-standing craft villages Documents about traditional industry are called “vow” These regulations are descended from generation to generation and are required to be strictly followed by family members or craftsmen of the villages

The regulations for Doi Tam drum making village regulated strictly that: the secret of making drums are handed down within family and drum makers People who are going out are not allowed to discrete the secret; the secret would not be handed down to a girl who is going to get married to a man from another village The state-of-art (secret) is handed down to sons, grandsons, and daughter-in-law only And it can also be handed down to a son-in-law who is also living in the same village

The handing down of the secret is performed in a way: a grandfather hands down to a father and the father hands down to his sons or nephews Like all other traditional handicrafts, Doi Tam craftsmen are taught by showing how to work and ask for practicing Learning by practicing is the main idea, not the theory

There is a curse in village that: If a family discretes the know-how-to secret to the outside, they will not be helped out by “not letting to eat, not helping to burry”, and “the family will be cursed for 3 generations” The village’s secret is for the villagers only The curse is embedded in every Doi Tam villagers’ memory of all generations

Wherever they go, Doi Tam craftsmen still follow their regulations The know-how-to secret is kept within the families Even the chief drum maker would not let his assistant know all the skills In the past, the formula for making the drum rim, and taking measurements, etc., are kept in secret, only the chief worker knows

Though the industry is very competitive, the relationship among the craftsmen is not affected, especially among craftsmen who have the same mentor There is also an article in the regulation saying that: If a worker has a new contract and there is another worker in his team, there are two options If the other worker already removed the drumhead, the one who has the contract

would offer that worker a meal before letting him off the work And the other worker would not ask for a share in the work If the other worker is making a bargain with the one who orders, both the craftsmen will cooperate to make the drum and will share the pay If the other worker does not agree with the bargaining price and another worker can work with that price (lower price),

he can have the contract

Mutual assistance is also typical in the drum making industry A working who is making a drum, but runs out of material, can borrow materials, and even helpers, from another team

There are some forbidden in the process of making drums such as women are not allowed to climb onto the drums, especially the drums for worship purpose Men are not allowed to have sex for 1 week before and during the making of drums to keep the drums sound good and loud enough

Conclusion 1

Thus, in the point of cultural origin, Doi Tam drum craft village locates

in the hollow land of Red River delta with the history of 1000 years Legend has it that the founder of this craft was Mr Nguyen Duc Nang and his grave was built in the eastern side of Doi Mountain January 7th of each year is the death anniversary as well as the important festival of the village Over stages

of development: difficult feudal, undeveloped subsidy time and widely and strongly developed transitional time, by now, Doi Tam village has produced drums serving people nation wide

Chapter 2: COMPONENTS OF A DOI TAM DRUM

2.1 Productional materials

Doi Tam drum quality is preserved through the generations because the work man worked carefully, creative with basic techniques steps such as skin doing, the face of the drum doing, drum trap To do the face of the drum, they choose the female buff It is soaked and deodorized then dried

The out side skin is used to do big drum, the under skin is used to do the small drum Wood to do the drum is soft, flexible, many songs were cut into pieces then crushed Depending on the size of the drums, the worker divide how many pieces of chips to do the drum, and plastic curvature of the particle to be

Calculated at the drum graft to fit snugly The most important step is the drum trap When the crank circle buffalo skin tension on the many kinds

of the drum all sizes, competent workers inspect the sound, when they are satisfied, the key to nailing drum fixed to the body The drum sound quality depends on the skill and standard of the workers…

Jack fruit wood consists of three parts: the outer shell of wood is rough, dark brown, the inside of the timber class – divided into two categories: the first layer of jack fruit wood, called wood “feeling” in white and divivory to resistance weaker the the inner layer, inner layers of jack fruit wood called

“core” has bright, that is very yellow

Drum “bare core” meetings (full wood core) is the truth ideal, because the wood core strong, fared and “older” than should not suffer, with srand great force Doing the drum, the “bare core” (full wood core) is the best ideal, because the wood core strong, hard and “older” than should not suffer, with srand great force

Days ago, people in other places often carry wood to Doi Tam village

to sale, or the workers go to any where often take saw, plane to do the drum is place as required, taking wood at the place Now jack wood is rare the wood

in the village is not enough to provide to do the drum Doi Tam workers usually order or purchase processed jack fruit wood in the different place, sawn chips available at various facilities in the areas of the other provinces by the Doi Tam, that submitted there Northern areas now jack fruit wood are very rare, Doi Tam workers rally to buy wood in the Thanh Hoa, Nghe An,

Ha Tinh, Hue, Da Nang…, the people of ethnic minorities, bored areas of Ho Chi Minh trail or in the central highlands People come to consider it carefully and the choose to buy timber for transport or processing, cut it to chip in on the light transport In the area of provinces such Quang Nam, Da Nang has many settings in the produtions of Doi Tam drum frame to establish the business in which chips are often sent timber vack to the village Exerperience

of some elderly artisand in Doi Tam village, the experince of some elderly artisans in Doi Tam village, the jack fruit trees live for over 50 years, its new

than that in the soil plains Because trees are planted in bad soils, they habe less fruit, but well wood To distingiuish the forest trees and the garden jack fruit tree, the workers based on experience The forests jack fruit tend to be larger, the bark rough, winding immediately, but the gardens jack fruit tree also have smooth trunk, young wood, so it has less core, the more sense, if we use, it will waste wood However, in reality, there are very old gardens jack fruit tree wood, bark and rough because they have been grown by long years There are trees that look very nice, very like but only a small connection will damage the tree The workers should have a keen eye of long time to know how is the tree to buy It be can external wound have a small hole but it cuts deeply into the core and damage the wood

According to the experience of veteran workers when choosing wood that the “armpit” fruit with small holes (about 2cm section) – called “just – upper”, if not see any more holes, this wood ve decayed only half and it still

be used In the case of the “just – upper” but then found at the bottom to have such decay, called “just down” then it can not be used timber (decay of all the trees) When cut chips of the drums, the workers do not cut straight that follows the contours of shavings glide space So, bad place when the tree is sawn wood entangled in and take Especially with jack wood to do the drum, the workers do not choose straight timber to slightly curved timber “the role

of cattle” If the wood is straight, while the timber is sawn, the workers will throw away much Slightly curved trees will be cut many more chips

2.1.2 Leather

The buffalo skin is used to trap the face of drum, is a material commonly used in the production of drum villages in many rural areas in the country The characteristics of buffalo skin are suitable for drum trapping In

the addition, the cowhide leather, deer skin, python skin, frog skin is also used

to do the drum

Market in the central region and the Mekong delta usually like to use cowhide skin to do trap the drum rather than buffalo skin cowhide leather is the less weight than buffalo skin but the price is higher In term of economics Buffalo leather is used more efficiently But we also admit that the drum is trapped by cowhide leather have a voice more reviews (because the thinness

of the skin) In the many courses of processing, features very well, flexible, soft of cowhide leather help workers easily perform operations For some types of skin sich as python skin, frog skin… just to trap the small drum (as the drums in art, children’s drums) Particularly with the big, important drum,

to ensure the durbility of the drum, the buffalo skin is the most appropriate

In some ethinic minorities such as ede, monong use deer skin to trap the drum Deer skin is also very flexible, soft and tough but not as common as buffalo skin To choose satisfied buffalo leather to trap the drums, the workers have long experience in the profession The buffalo skin were selected bring all cell membranes, anti odor soaked dry rot The outside skin is used to do big drums and under skin is used for children/drum When the Doi Tam village have someone ordered the large drum, Doi Tam artisan usually find themselves buying the big, old buffalo brought back They will flesh this buffalo They dare not let the butcher do it for fear he would damage the skin Patch head, neck, limbs and even ve inspect skin carefully before putting a kinfe to slit in the step of the doing the skin To do the buffalo skin the major skin peeling plates, the Doi Tam workers will bring the processing buffalo skin than many other villages that doing the drum in the country This meticulous phase requires worker must have experience Doi Tam workers

it is exposed immediately Under the fierce sun, buffalo skin will be dried, thus The voice of drums is warm, sonorous In the process of skin cell, skilled workers have to put all minds at work If the piece of buffalo skin is thicker or thinner than the “standard”, the voice of the drum will turn negative So with a drum, but two face of drum will sound very diffirent People often leather is scene, so not as strong, only to trap the small drum for the children When purchasind leather, choosing the more wrinkled skin, sparse the skin on hair is silver and old buffalo (it can be based on teeth, the old buffalo have six teeth, long horns) If doing the drum surface to diameter

of 50cm or more to choose the old buffalo, flat skin, less wrinkles, as the

“legs” (elasticity), low and no scars Doi Tam workers who only select the female buffalo skin to trap the drum because it is thin, flexible and tought, when skin tension flow, easier to do

Male buffalo skin is thick, crispy the cost is high (because it is heavier) For buffalo skins for drums as selected taboos fat buffalo skin because the skin – fat, no guest drum noises and can not be dried, when wet weather rot prone skin, reducing the durability of the drum Also because of the reason, workers prefer more forest buffalo than home buffalo After purchase of buffalo skin the workers planed shaved took the kidney out but would have to know to reach for a good drum Next we stretch the skin to sun exposure on the iron frame of about two days

After sunning, if not used immediately, they must maintain good standing buffalo skin because in the wet conditions, skin to mold broken When skin tight space, the worker want to know the right way up place, dinner with draw the circular drum Experienced workers will undersrand this

When trapping the drum, the workers select the appropriate skin as each part of buffalo skin has different characteristics of sound transmission

Spine leather is very back and plastic When trapping, it is true leather but very “brittle”, brittle skin The noise of the drum is not big as the noise in the neck skin The skin on the buttocks with the most toughness, hit do not call Abdominal skin was flowing, the trapping, the workers must note “step” carefully, if not later sagging skin, the drums do not sound

The color of the skin is lighter than other parts The skin of under arm

is the most soft but the sound is very well, because the skin is thin However, when wet weather prone to acne, and mold Leather thigh sound warmly and durable Skin in three paint (the tail) “stand” skin is crispy skin but does not flow much The skin on the neck, is that “two water cannon” is the best, is

“standing” the sound is “bong” Doi Tam workers often hides in the buffalo slaughter in Hai Phong Price from 18,000 to 20,000dong/kg buffalo skin The big skin is better Even the best buff up to 26,000/kg A drum with a diameter

of 60cm is approximately 65,000 pre buffalo

2.1.3 Other materials

In addition to wood and leather are the two most important raw material in the drum still need raw some of the materials such as song title to play drums, bamboo to make nails, paint to decorate the drum

- Tree song: After the worker transplantate drum, sanded for smooth, smooth, but the worker will use to locate the empty tree, make sure a drum canvas Doi Tam workers usually go to buy trees in the forest but as Mr Pham Chi Minh families often buy in the forest of Phu Tho The cost of a tree to about 40,000d/m song but small trees, about 10,000d/m An average tree is about 5 – 10 m song After purchasing fresh song about trees, the workers will carry the oil interest It will put the song into a bucket tree, aluminum bottom oil boiling a pot, heat the oil topenetrate the plant through song created for the

At the same time appealing to the tree but all the oil is fresh water, so that will not vermin After that, people will bring out the sun but trees When strapping, workers split song to close the plant, with drums to the song to use trees, small boxes but use smaller trees Normally a drum one plays the title song but with two drums to match, close to the beautiful land adjacent anh fixed, small space just close a belt

- Bamboo: Bamboo is used is the old bamboo, dried anh is split into samll fragmants (nails) about 10cm The delay will play the drum skin Workers also used bamboo to make temporary belt, with just the drum size, horizontal stems warpped boxes Bamboo is taken right in the village artisans

In addition, workers also used to force cracker giang hips

- Paint: In the past, workers Doi Tam drum paint used to paint, but now they use western painting In the village, his store provides Le The Trong western painting If not there to buy paint, a mechanic can be up to buy beautiful city Son bought used or a mechanic can always prepared to create new paint For example, red mixed with black paint was plum, white mixed with red anh blue violet, blue and white phase is the color of milk Drums are often painted red, with space given that the black paint, free for children, can

be more green, white, felt – phon…

- Melon seeds Chainsaw: Chainsaw is formed by a steel blade 25cm,

wide 60cm long Two chain ends of the timber to handle This saw used for sawing thin wood box, easily slipped across the wood tosplit Since the type

of sawing machine and and worker can cut wood, saw and chips are very effective

- Machine sawn wood into blade length: The body consists of three parts, which are two gears at both ends called the two fly wheel, in the middle

of the table saws and saw blades mounted horizontally from this gear to another gear When the machine boots, two gears spin, slide the blade will follow the wood grain Special purpose machines for working wood, sawn timber into each plate, each piece

- Machine cut chips: Structure as saw mills sawn chips but lighter due

to lighter weight machine Saw blade is mounted vertically

- Horizontal Planes: Structure from a piece of wood about 25cm long, hovering on the edge of a curved (to create traction on the drum)

Blade inserted between the cell body cell, a padded piece of wood about 6cm long, 4cm wide This type of cell used to drum for smooth, smooth Also tools

to ensure that, in cells, the workers also needed in the skin cells They are:

Game cells: cell is made of wood or grinding wood to ensure consistency, long – time use Game cell length 1.3m, width of about 60cm

Game has a long rectangle, the surface of the laminate is made slightly curved

to grip the skin to swell Title up 600 games compared to cell surface to the cell slope

- Flaps cells: rectangular length 50cm, width 40cm Affection is a piece

of wood cells long, flat, at the head plays a small wooden stick is used to

“pair” on board when skin cells, is made from the wood type Flaps cell acts

as a fulcrum for standing skin cells

- Dao cells: all stages from particle pair as drum, drum skin cell are needed to trap kinfe Have very sharpe kinife to empty, especially in the range

of the skin as to identity One must put its own black smith makes Only long time blacks mith, skilled, exerienced new knives are forged this Forged steel

to be very good, the steel I just right, not non so that is not “old” too Want to keep sharp knives, sharpening steel workers to regularly When the blade, a mechanic to replace other knife and a year, they replaced about 10 knives

- Planes: is a devide built exclusively to buffalo skin It enmerged with the advent of the method “table cell” Body length about 20cm cell, flanked

by two series of wood to hold hands on the user, and a blakin in the middle to about 2cm, with a small wooden stick, which is where the blade assembly cell The tounge rolled steel cell is a piece of thin, very shape, be “captured” into the wood with two screws at both ends of the blade through from font torea.Shank cross section of a wood is about 3cm, each about 10cm long wooden grip, set the blade about 10cm To increase the cell indentity, we also have regular sharpending

2.2.3 Cutting tools

- The brain í a tool for scraping drum for smooth, smooth, composed of

a steel blade about 25cm long, wide 4cm sheets, no pacifier string or timber designed to hold When scraped, the workers held the pieces of steel directly

to cells

- Opaque thigh: a piece of wood 40cm long, wide 5cm, used to type

play the drum to belt

- Perforated awl for evaluation: structures composed of three parts: body puncher is a square piece of wood, about 5cm, cross 5cm section, as well as holding chain The bottom piece of wood with a small piece of cast iron cylinder (to balance the effects of weight) and needle nose Needle 7cm long nose, a straight line and tapering to wards the nose Needle sharp, pointed, used to drill holes and bamboo crucified Perforted leather awl string

“hips” on the skin before a drum trap Needle length of about 18cm

In making the drum, Doi Tam workers now mostly use machines After the abdomen in people will use a lathe to shave roughly places for miles in excess equal, drum circles are results Lathes improve labor productivity for workers Never had to lathe the workmen cell to cell using the straight, flat

2.2.4 The other tool

In addition to the tools sawing, planing, shaping roughly in the process

of skin, exhibits, trap drums, the workers also need other tools as:

- Arm tube: made of bamboo to a diameter of about 15cm, used to hang

up when skin cells

- A crab: a piece of wood slightly curved structure a 6cm wide, long 11cm, 1.5cm thick wood There are many kinds of crab with different size Lands crabs used to close temporarily, graft chips genera ted cumulative

2.3 Productional techniques

2.3.1 Leathering

Bought fresh buffalo skin is washed with water about 5 – 7 minutes A skin used up 40 liters of water The purpose of washing to remove all the sand, but stick to the meat pieces Experience shows that, if not cleaned of dirt

to the vulnerable skin on the table “hit” knife (blade down quikly) but also tearing the skin

When buying skin on, sprayed right into the ground to back up the meat If folded in the skin will compost smells rotten The winter low temperatures can dry for 2 days were scraped But with the summer waether, maximum within 24 hours to evacuate immediately There are two ways to skin, traditional methods are “cell” column and how to do it “table cell”

- Traditional method (cell columns): It took a threaded tree, about 3m, diameter 15cm Poles at an angle up to 600 point Tapes one end skin blow up

a small bamboo tube, was forced to make to the loose skin that does not drop When the cell, holding a knife with both hands, so one by place cells, where cell to pull the skin back to here Each cell is a complete skin about 15cm cross section The skin hung on a column strtching the skin effect and position

of the workers work not be removed as well as table cells

- New method (cell table): This method appeared about 2o years People take a cell board, strip buff up Cells often relyon a gamepad broken brick or stone mortar, to take the title Get a piece of wood, “pair” the cell board, known as “affection cell” to make room for the head spleen cells Cell board also placed above the groundtilt (angel 300) to generate cell surface slope quickly The barber board stand cells, spleen cells of the affection The baber put the blade horizontal cell , cell vertically from top to bottom Cells in this way a lot faster, due to extensive cell surface of the

laminate (60 – 70cm), momentum is also larger cells Skin cells this way there

is no trace, very smooth and fine Skin by any method to workers only cell pores are stopped It totally depends on their experience, is based on “cool stuff”, “old hands” Blades completely under the control of skillful hands of the workers

The most important requirement is to have very hands If there are the cell will have a thick skin, thin skin, even taer the skin The eyes of the workers can look through any cell knowns where thin, thick cells (for any green skin is thinner than) Depanding on each type of space that needs thick, this skin will be different With the drum of the drum, the skin does not need very thick about 1mm

When it’s sunny too, to conceal, if not dry skin “charge” loss of plastic city It is often spread a layer of straw on the “bare” (fake) skin, morderate ,oisture, preventing the skin from the direct influence of sunlight Sunny weather, temperatures between 32°C - 35°C, the sun is just a dry skin During rainy days, they stretch the skin on the “gold frame”, rice husk around to dry skin At first drying gas through the dry straw, rice husk and then to smoldering fire burning, keep the heart moderate slightly

Need to flame the skin ranges from 30 – 40cm It should be noted if to the fire, nine skin will friable, easily torn If the weather is aoround 15°C, dryer fires in one night is dry skin But the conditons must be left unattended and keep a fire constantly Fordry skin such a need for two covered

There are two ways to stretch the skin on the frame:

- Nail: take a piece of wood to (probably a pair of wooden planks), placed on the skin, then crucified kept around This approach is faster but more difficult to move because of very heavy

- Pull the wire: get punched puncher on the skin, called “cut eye holes foot pile”, insert the wire around, tied to a bamboo frame square This approach takes time, the more sophisticated and difficult to do But the cord makes the skin stretch elongation best Because the punch, insert the lanyard

to the frame are also made to stretch the skin If you want to move is also very easy, since the frame is composed of simple bamboo (because bamboo tubes tied four together form a square bamboo frame) This skin sections performed

by men This stage requires the health and needs a lot of exeperience Women

do the job just to help in the stages of soaking, washing, dry skin…be put away To skin the ground, the soild moisture softens the skin, new skin easily cut valances If dry hard, very hard to cut Now workers will conduct drawing

“surface” skin that is drawing circles of different diameters One can draw into the skin type to (the diamater is 60cm), smaller type (diameter 48cm) For example, the skin will have 35kg weight for 10 and second skin to skin small However for convenience only face painting for purchase of leather, while the workers to buy the drum skin on, as the drums to fruit, cut into small pieces so that later Face painting, remove the knife cut off the “ventral skin” – skin punch pilling These pieces of excess skin is used to fertilize fieldsvery well

2.3.2 Drum body manufacturing

Bring fresh jack fruit wood soaked in water purchased lime Lime asspecific as possible, the lime water disinfectant pest in trees Soak the wood the longer the better sense and do not suffer If the wood was sawn into slabs, they may soak from 2-3 months Also to the whole tree, then soak in one year Actually not completely soaked wood is required Doi Tam worker soaked wood only in case of no use to hurry When timber is purchased, can

direct processing immediately Because of the trees have suffered long enough of rain, sun, wind, fog, high resistance connections

Actually soaking wood is required completely Doi Tam woarkers only soaked wood in case of no use immediately When timber is purchased, they can direct processing immediately Because the trees have suffered long enough of rain, sund, wind, fog, high resistance connections When Doi Tam workers use, they will salvage wood, rinsing with water, lime and water out all the dirt, filth stick When wood is drained, we dried because if the wood is not dry when mounting evidence and exhibits will be moist, for about ten days later has leveled off, the drum are not well Simultaneous transplantation

of fresh wood finish will be “sweet” to “shrink” skin drums The timber should not be exposed to excessive heat, wood will be cracked, broken, affecting product quality and economic efficiency Tree is split into slabs, sheets, depending on customer requirements, that each piece of wood cut into certain sizes This is called “wooden box” The “boxes” is important, requires highly accurate If you need to do a large drum, one large sawn logs fit specified size This work uaually done by two young men (women can not do this because health requires) Previously , swan timber workers often use hand saws (types of “sharks” or saw melon seeds) Two wokers do hard from morning to night sawn 1m3 timber And now with machines sawing, increasing productivity, reducing time and energy workers In one day, a worker in Doi Tam may sawn 10m3 jack fruit timber Short drum echoes the worse, because the distance between two contiguos drum With a funeral drum long, so far sided drum , while the drums, ranging from the drum side drum impact on the other hand, produce echoes The drum is considered beautiful results when the drum diameter nearly equal to height of the drum

greater than the height of the drum body shaped drum”fruit market” very unpopular

+ Modeling particle

This is the most important stage in the process drum It can be considered as traditional secret that has been handed down from generation The barber will follow customer requirements tin term of aneurysm of the curvature effects, they make any kind of the drum available for proper chip There was not a standard sample chips for all types odf drums in Doi Tam Depending on particle size boxes that have different patterns Small drum curvature moderate, the big drum is required curvature According to tradition, the workers divided drum curvature into three tyes: interest, four soldiers, the miliary

Get two blank chips facing together so that the two chips close to the heart, formin an oval Measure the distance from the back of the other chips

To chips back, is show much the length plus the diameter of the drum surface

to, total split Place a piece of wood to make” stample size”, measuring the distance from the center point a distance equal to half the total length measurement medium Mark the point location, using a rope, taking place at the center have identified, with a radius equal to the length of the wood, turning a circle Curvature of the stamp size will be determined by just the black of the other chip to chip back, is how much the leghth plus the diameter drum surface to do Total resplit, place a piece of wood to make “stamp size”, measuring the distance from the centerpoint of the timber with a point a distance aequal t half the total length measuremnt medium Mark the loacation point, using a rope taking place at the center have indentifid, with a radius equal to the lenghth of the wood, turning a circle Curvature of the stamp size will be determined by the circle you just drew Experience of

workers, the curvature of the exact stamp size when grafted together two blank chips, which has the lenghth size “hugged” back two chips fit is achieved is required Also place two chips back pair fell to the local point of size and distance between two curves of lenghth size must be equal to two miles in width when stacked together

+ Cut chips

Blank chips sawn angles and curves Each chip particle of about 1 – 1.5cm thick If cut chips is too thick, the noise of the drum is not big, some volume of drum by shrinking, despite the advantage of being very reliable Drum have the particle size, the chip is cut thicker Thick ness thin shavings

of drum chips depends on size of fruit boxes do

Previously using a hand saw cut chips made by two people We now have the engine, reducing the effort and work time, increased fast productivity With the split, woman can also participare in labor Chips with a chain saw cutting drum, the “belly chips” (the inside of the chip) with horizintal folds If the timber sawn by hand, it will be flatter Sawn wood shavings machine wear more often The chips in the car finished, only the

“fixation”, the workers have to go through so many stages processing, they can assemble into drum The worker must check all medium cut chips finished, see the curvature is appropriate First, use a knife all fine rough, jagged edges on both sides shavings, chips next to flat, smooth Because

“good” chips are flat, when the chips together puzzle can be fit together

second chip with the third chips And so, in turn transplant until the chips to

do, so that the final particle pair had just “fit” with the first chip

The number of chip miles drum in what distinguishes first, which follows When assembled into mourning, the workers themselves in numerical order which makes each shavings If they did not number chips, when put together, they will not know any chips before transplantation Depending on the size of the drum, that number of chips will many or little But rules are not necessarily availble to correct this size is how many chips This depends on the diameter of the trees If the diameter of the tress to the width of the chips space will be larger and will there fore reduce the number

of chips After checking the curvature as well as the joints between the chip, the worker can erect the drum The next stage is to do “advance belt”

Spliting the bamboo into yarn, wrap with rope way The length of the belt equal peripheral drum so that “hug” fit drum Roundness of the belt entirely by eye estimate, if the wide wrap up narrow the lack of excess chips

or shavings from getting “forced” overlap each other Temporary wrap belt was done, in which chips up the drum Sort order: chip 1, chip 2,3,4,5… The ranking process must be adjustted so that the chips together snugly, not loosely but do not “forced” to each other Assembled into finished shaped drums to the stage of “ cool”

Use a knife to chip, cut and trim the rough part of the mouth or warping drum If the mouth of the drum, while trap drums, tearing the skin puncture, and the fit between the chip of the drum can not be guaranteed These chips procuding or indented which must be adjusted so that the drum are very circle Get the knife type chips are available for weight Using cell shaping much of the rough, the drum body flat and smooth Take “wadge” woods trapping down Chips at first, just above belt near the drum, ginseng now