VietNamNet Bridge – Before the mid-20th century, Non ba tam and other hats with big rims were common in the literature, photos and art from Northern Vietnam, however, since 1940 they have all but been replaced by the ubiquitous conical hat, and few even recognise their names anymore.

Wide brim: A woman wearing an ancient hat in a photo taken in early 20th century by the French. - Photo courtesy of Quang Thang

Since 1940, conical hats originating from the central region have overwhelmed the country. Non ba tam and other hats with big rims have gradually disappeared in the North.

In thousands of photos and hundreds of paintings made by the French on daily life in the Northern delta at the end of 19th and early 20th century, we can see hats made from leaves everywhere.

Hats at that time were diversified in form, but the most popular were hats with big round rims and as flat as baskets holding silkworms.

The hats were associated with women in daily life at home, at markets, in paddy fields, by their sewing frames and at festivals. In many places, the white flat rims were distinguished, like a typical cultural feature of the region. They are non ba tam.

In the book titled Technique du peuple Annamite (Techniques of Vietnamese People), published in 1909, the explanation said: hats for women, called ba tam. The word tam here refers to the size of the hat.

In another book titled Connaissance du Viet Nam (Knowledge of Viet Nam), 1954, the writer explained: non ba tam, trois fois 8 pouces (1.20m)" (hat of three tam: three times of 8 inches (1.20m).

I asked some hat makers in Thanh Oai District in the western outskirts of Ha Noi, who have maintained making ancient hats. They all confirmed: “the word ba tam refers to the measurement of the hat rather than the number of leaf layers the hat is made of".

They further said that such a hat is made of two layers of leaves. Some hats have one more layer in the middle of two layers of leaves. The middle layer was mo nang (the outer skin of bamboo shoots) to make the hat stronger.

I don’t really understand the 1.20m measurement. I think ba tam refers more to a bigger measurement than a concrete size.

Misunderstandings of the hat

Today, few people can distinguish between non ba tam and other kinds of hats with broad rims. Since 1940, conical hats, or hats originating from the central region, from Hue, became popular throughout the country. Non ba tam and other hats made of palm leaves with broad rims almost disappeared in the North. Many villages quit their traditional handicrafts of making hats.

The next generations have only been able to hear non ba tam and non thung (hats in the shape of baskets) in folk verses or tales told by old people.

Non thung has always been miscalled non ba tam, as they were also popular in the north.

Non thung has a big round rim the same as non ba tam, yet it has a deeper middle. The edge of non thung is softer and rounder rather than being straight like non ba tam. It was called non thung as it really does look like a thung (basket).

Old yet new: A hat made recently in style of an ancient "non ba tam" by artisan Nghiem Phu Luan, from Tri Le Hat Making Village, Thanh Oai District, on the outskirts of Ha Noi. - Photo courtesy of Quang Thang

Many people are also unable to distinguish non ba tam from non quai thao.

Non quai thao is actually a common name rather than depicting a particular kind of hat.

Earlier, people named hats according to their forms: non ba tam, non thung, non long chao (hats that look like saucepans), non bua (hats look like brindleberry) and non chan tuong (hat that looks like the leg of an elephant).

Other kinds of hats were named after the people using them. For example, non thay tu (hats of monks), non thuy thu (hats of sailors), non linh tap (hats for junior soldiers), non ki ma (hats for horse riders). They were hats with the same form, but could be of different sizes.

Non ba tam with large diameters of up to 70cm were called non muoi. Non ba tam with a deep body and high edges were used at important events, while lower edged hats were used when working and trading at markets.

People did not distinguish hats according to their strings, as the strings could be taken out. Hats and strings were produced and exchanged as two different items. At first, the string was made of bamboo, then it was replaced by cloth or silk.

Quai thao is a kind of string for hats made of special silk by workers from Do Thao Village, Trieu Khuc Commune, on the western rural district of today’s Ha Noi. The string was weaved and dyed very carefully and turned into a high-ranked kind of hat string. The string actually cost much more than the hat itself.

Quai thao was used with many kinds of luxurious hats like hats for brides, hats for monks (in black), non ba tam, non thung for women from wealthy families or ordinary women at special events like festivals and weddings.

So, quai thao could be used with different hats. The most popular was quai thao worn with non ba tam.

Non thung quai thao and non nghe (hats originating from Nghe An) have been popular in folk songs:

Co kia non nghe quai thao

Chong co danh giac biet bao gio ve

(For whom is that young woman wearing a Nghe An hat?

Her husband is not expected to return from the battlefield any time soon)

Or

Chua chong non thung quai thao

Chong roi non rach, quai nao thi quai

(Single women wearing non thung with luxurious strings

Married women wearing torn hats, not caring about the strings)

So why does quai thao appear so often in folk songs and verses?

As I mentioned earlier, quai thao was something like special jewellery. Because the string was made with great care and skill, it was even more striking than the hat. Because of that feature, non quai thao has turned into a concept meaning valuable or festive hat and started being featured in folk literature as such. More than that, it was a metaphor for female beauty.

Non quai thao has been part of the popular costume for young women at festivals while non ba tam are common for elder women while working.

VNS

Quang Thang