Drum-maker Bui Van Dong, 41, is the third-generation descendant of a family with a long tradition of crafting drums in Bac Thai Village, Thach Ha District, Ha Tinh Province.
Dong said that there are 15 households in the village still following the traditional craft. They have customers from many localities nationwide and work throughout the year, but usually receive the biggest number of orders at the end of the year.
"Now as people are preparing for many ceremonies during the coming 2023 Lunar New Year and upcoming spring festivals, we've received many orders," he said.
The artisan shared that they now have support from many machines and modern equipment, so the work is much easier than that of the workers from older generations. However, it still requires more than 20 meticulous steps to finish a single drum.
"The most important material for making drums is the wood to build their bodies," he said. "The wood for the body of the drum must come from an old jackfruit tree. And the drum surface is made from the skin of cows more than 10 years old."
Dong said that it usually requires from one week to several months to make a drum.
"Our workshop is making some 20 drums which have to be completed before the Lunar New Year Festival," Dong said. "The biggest one has a diameter of 1.70 metres and a price of VND40 million. The smallest one has a 30-cm-diameter and is priced at VND600,000. Each drum has its distinctive features to create different sounds for different purposes."
The artisan said that he expects to earn VND200 million during this busy season.
