Craft villages play a crucial role in Hanoi’s socio-economic development, particularly in rural economic growth, and their products deliver messages about the culture, history and people of the capital city to domestic and international consumers. Over the past years, the capital city has focused on tapping advantages and strength of craft villages, particularly the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme to elevate the locality’s cultural values.
The Vinh Thinh conical hat making village in Hanoi's Thanh Tri district has a history of hundreds of years. It was recognised as Hanoi's Traditional Craft Village by the municipal People’s Committee in 2020. Not only being consumed in domestic market, the village's hats have also been exported.
“Nón lá” or conical hat is a traditional symbol of Vietnamese people. However, among them, Hue is considered the most famous for creating the unique conical hats with poems or inscriptions on them.
In traditional markets and villages in Vietnam, visitors will probably see the non la, or conical hat. The humble hat becomes deeply imprinted in the hearts of visitors and overseas Vietnamese.
Making conical hats in Ngoc My commune in Quoc Oai district, Hanoi, is not only a way of protecting the local traditional craft but also a good source of income for residents.
A performance combining contemporary dance with Vietnamese traditional and ethnic music, entitled Non (Conical Hat), will be held for the first time in Hanoi next week.
