Mông artisans preserve traditional silver craft in dong van karst plateau

Mua Sè Sính, a 73 year old artisan, continues to practice traditional silver carving in an ancestral home in Lao Xa village, Sa Phin commune, within the Dong Van Karst Plateau in Vietnam.

He has practiced the craft for more than 50 years and is considered one of the most prominent artisans in the local area.

His family operates a workshop where approximately 10 people, mostly relatives, work to produce jewelry that holds both aesthetic and spiritual value for the Mông people. The production process involves 10 distinct stages, including melting, thinning, pulling silver into strands, and shaping the final product. While some steps now use machinery, the most intricate details still require manual skill.

Mua Sè Sính uses a copper scale passed down through generations to weigh the raw materials before they begin the crafting process. The workshop serves as a space for visitors to observe the techniques and purchase items ranging from 200,000 dong to tens of millions of dong. The jewelry features patterns like spirals and thorn leaves that reflect the Mông people's connection to nature.

One notable item is the Xa Tich, a traditional piece of jewelry for women that weighs 550 grams and takes nearly half a month to complete.