The sounds of rhythmic drumbeats, the tinkling of silver carving tools in workshops, or the lively laughter and conversations of the women and girls from the Red Dao ethnic group sitting together embroidering in front of their houses are familiar images and sounds when visiting the tourist villages of the Red Dao in Sa Pa.

The Red Dao is one of the five minority groups living in Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province. The Dao people have a long history of development, with a rich cultural heritage. Their traditional customs are preserved and continuously developed. Besides, traditional handicrafts are maintained to serve daily life, religious beliefs, and spiritual practices, as well as to produce unique products for tourists.

Traditional Drum-Making Craft in Tả Phìn Commune

When mentioning the traditional crafts of the Red Dao in Sa Pa, the drum-making craft in Tả Phìn is particularly notable and attracts many domestic and international visitors eager to learn. Recently, the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism recognized the traditional drum-making craft of the Red Dao as a national intangible cultural heritage. For the Red Dao, drums are used in many ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and spiritual rites. The drum’s sound is seen as a signal connecting the earthly realm with the spiritual world, gods, and ancestors, signaling significant events happening within the family.

The craft of making traditional drums by the Red Dao in Sa Pa requires skilled artisans with experience. Like many other drums, the drum surface is made from buffalo or cowhide, carefully thinned; if too thick, it must be shaved thinner before use. Unlike other drums that are nailed with metal tacks to attach the hide, the Red Dao artisans use natural rattan cords to secure the hide. These rattan strands are fixed on both sides of the drum, then woven diagonally to keep the drumhead taut. Notably, the drum rim is decorated with wooden pegs arranged evenly around it, serving both as decoration and to tighten the drumhead over time.

Besides the skilled handwork, the craftsman must have good listening skills and a refined sense of sound to produce drums with deep, resonant tones that are loud yet not harsh when near. Today, alongside producing drums for their traditional ceremonies, the Dao artisans also craft drums of various sizes with attractive designs for decoration, based on orders. This not only helps improve their livelihood but also preserves and promotes their craft.

Traditional Silver Carving of the Red Dao

The traditional craft of silver carving is also a long-standing art of the Red Dao. Historically, this craft was mainly used to create jewelry, decorative accessories for traditional costumes, or silver coins. Silver carving requires meticulous craftsmanship, patience, and experience passed down through generations. From selecting silver, melting it, to carving, each step is performed manually by skilled artisans, requiring significant time and effort to produce intricate patterns and sharp details.

Every motif and pattern carved into the silver holds meaning related to the daily life of the Dao people. According to traditional practices, after carving, the Dao artisans coat the silver with a natural forest plant extract to enhance its whiteness and shine. The Dao artisans who preserve and develop this craft have created many modernized, eye-catching designs for tourists, using pure silver to maintain the integrity of their traditional craft.

Embroidery of Traditional Costumes

When visiting the Dao villages in Sa Pa, it’s impossible not to mention the embroidery of traditional costumes, which is still maintained by diligent and hardworking women. The image of Dao women dressed in vibrant red traditional attire is a familiar sight across the villages. To complete a traditional costume, each woman spends up to a year. Dao traditional clothing is made from four main colors: red, white, black, and yellow, all embroidered by hand on linen fabric.

Through generations, elders teach the younger ones embroidery techniques and motifs, and by the age of 9–10, girls are already proficient in basic embroidery skills. For Dao women, embroidery is a symbol of their industrious and diligent nature. Young Dao women must sew their own wedding outfits. The clothing features key motifs such as swastikas, pine trees, birds, and human figures each conveying unique cultural identity and hopes of the Dao people. Dao women work tirelessly, often carrying sewing needles wherever they go. During breaks, whether working in the fields, tending livestock, or carrying their babies, they sit and embroider, creating beautiful and impressive patterns that delight visitors.

They also craft small embroidered items like scarves, hand-held wallets, and bags with traditional motifs, making meaningful souvenirs for tourists.

During your Sa Pa journey, join Thổ địa Sa Pa – Original Sa Pa to stroll through the Red Dao villages, observe daily life, listen to the faint sounds from families making drums and silver crafts, and witness the skillful hands creating lively embroidered artworks. This will make your trip more memorable and allow you to experience the rich cultural traditions of the Dao people.