In the highland commune of Khanh Son in Khanh Hoa Province, Mau Hong Thai is one of the few remaining artisans who still crafts and plays traditional Raglay musical instruments. His handmade creations have been recognized as 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) items by the local government.

From simple Raglay household items

Ông Thái ảnh 1.jpg
Artisan Mau Hong Thai performs traditional Raglay instruments with local youth. Photo: H.L

Despite his advanced age, Mau Hong Thai still meticulously shaves bamboo strips and carves wooden pieces daily to make baskets, crossbows, and musical instruments.

In his modest home, he carefully selects 1-year-old lo o bamboo stalks that have been sun-dried for 25 to 30 cycles, drilling holes and attaching strings to create the body of his chapi instruments.

According to Thai, in the past, a Raglay man was not considered an adult unless he could weave a basket for fieldwork, make a crossbow for hunting, and craft musical instruments like the chapi or khèn bầu for social occasions.

Those who could create sturdy and beautiful baskets, accurate crossbows, and melodious instruments were admired and often caught the eyes of young women.

For Thai, the most difficult part of making these traditional items today is sourcing the right materials.

“In the old days, the forest was abundant, so it was easy to find materials. Now I have to place orders from elsewhere,” he explained.

In addition to making chapi instruments, Thai also crafts khèn bầu (a type of wind instrument), and weaves traditional baskets and arrows.

These handmade items were once part of everyday life for the Raglay people, but as society evolves, they are used less and less.

Now, only a handful of elders still know how to make them.

Thai’s greatest concern is the declining number of people capable of carrying on these traditional crafts.

"My children all work for the government now, and none of them want to learn the trade. Young people in the village have jobs and hobbies of their own. They don’t even watch me work, let alone learn. What will happen to our ancestral crafts when we elders are gone?" Thai expressed.

As a result, he is always willing to teach anyone interested in learning how to make traditional instruments or handicrafts.

"Some young people I’ve taught can now make their own chapi instruments. When they bring their work to me and I play it, I’m very pleased," he said.

From heritage to 3-star OCOP product

Ông Thái ảnh 3.jpg
Artisan Mau Hong Thai weaving a traditional Raglay basket. Photo: H.L

Tourists visiting the community-based tourism village of Hon Dung are often amazed by the souvenir shop run by Mau Hong Thai’s family, especially when he performs with self-made traditional instruments such as the chapi and khèn bầu.

Beyond musical instruments, Thai also crafts Raglay baskets and crossbow sets.

Thai proudly shared that all four of his handcrafted items-the chapi, khèn bầu, basket, and crossbow set, under the name "Hong Thai"-have been certified as 3-star OCOP products.

“In the past, I didn’t really care about registering my work as OCOP products. But when visitors from the lowlands came and bought what I made, I felt happy. That’s when I realized I should officially register to affirm the quality of my products and better serve tourists,” he said.

"Thanks to that, traditional Raglay products are now more widely recognized and have a stronger impact within the community."

Initially, Thai created his instruments and tools purely for entertainment and cultural preservation.

It wasn’t until 2004 that he began producing them as marketable goods.

Still made entirely by hand with skillful craftsmanship, his products now come in a variety of designs, sizes, and types.

A complete set including a basket, crossbow, and chapi instrument can range from 750,000 to 1.5 million VND (approximately 30 to 60 USD), depending on size and purpose.

Nguyen Ngoc Hai, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Khanh Son Commune, noted that the area currently has nine OCOP-certified products: one rated 4-star and eight rated 3-star.

Notably, four of the 3-star OCOP products under the "Hong Thai" brand were created by members of the local ethnic minority community.

These products are now part of the tourism offerings at the Hon Dung community tourism village, serving to preserve and promote the cultural values of the Raglay people.

Le Phuong