VietNamNet Bridge – The Friends of Vietnam Heritage (FVH) will host a craft-making workshop on Sunday, February 24.

Wisdom: A Tay ethnic shaman (right) conducts a ritual. FVH will host a talk on the theme “Shamanism in the Northern Mountains of Việt Nam” on February 25. — Photo vinaculto.vn

Vietnamese people have long made wall and door decorations from paper for special events, including the Tet holiday. Workshop participants will be guided on how to make New Year decorations for doors, windows, walls and tables, combining different patterns such as flowers, leaves and animals using kirigami.

Kirigami is the Japanese art of paper cutting, a variation of origami, which is favoured by many people around the world. Kirigami includes cutting the paper rather than just folding, and utilises different techniques.

The workshop will take place at To Chim Xanh – Bluebirds’ Nest Book Café, No 13, Alley 19, Dang Dung Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, from 1:30 to 4:30pm. The cost will be VND250,000 for each adult and VND100,000 for each child under 15. The maximum number of participants is 15. RSVP to Phuong Anh via email at phuonganhnguyen15@gmail.com.

Attendees should bring a pencil and some pieces of thin, used (on one side) paper to practice before working with the coloured paper.

The instructor is an elderly maths teacher who is skilled in the art of paper cutting and traditional crafts. He will instruct in Vietnamese, and English translation will also be provided.

Besides the craft workshop, the FVH’s lecture Shamanism in the Northern Mountains of Việt Nam on February 25 will offer a window into Vietnamese culture.

Lecturer Mark Rapoport, who also is a collector of the ethnic art of Vietnam, will discuss the ethnic groups of the country’s northern region and their shamanistic traditions. The talk will focus on the importance of old and new artefacts, paintings and ceremonial tools used by the shamans. Rapoport will also discuss the practice and ethics of being a collector of these objects.

The talk will be held at his 54 Traditions Gallery, 30 Hang Bun Street, from 10 to 11:30am.

Donation for the talk: VND150,000/person. Limit of 20 participants. To join, register with John via email at lefthanded2hanoi@yahoo.com.

Source: VNS