Meet the keeper of childhood memories
During our recent trip to Tay Ninh, we heard about an artisan who makes traditional folk toys in the Go Dau area. Curiosity and a quiet urge drew us to visit, hoping to understand more about a person who has chosen to preserve things that seem small but carry a part of the memories of many generations.
His name is Tran Trong Viet, a native of Tay Ninh, living in a house right next to the Go Dau market. When we arrived, he was sitting in front of a fish pond, with a faded red plastic table in front of him, surrounded by familiar materials: craft paper, cardboard, watercolor paints, a small stapler, and bamboo shoots already carved. He greeted us warmly, pointed to each toy, and invited us to come closer and take a look.
On the table were toys I had never seen before: a cockfighting game made from bamboo and paper, where a gentle press would make the two roosters “fight” each other in a delightful way. Next to it were figures of wrestlers swinging on ropes, drawn in a style that reminded one of folk paintings. He told us that he had come up with all these toys himself after returning from military service. Seeing that children in the neighborhood had no toys, he experimented and made them for the kids. The children loved them, so he kept making more. Over time, it became a habit, a source of joy, and a part of him for decades.
He carefully attends to every step, paying attention to the smallest details.
As he guided us, he cut, drew, and shared stories from the past. He said the thing that made him happiest was seeing the children smile when holding a toy in their hands. He did not make them for anything grand, nor did he think about profit; it was simply out of passion. Watching him lift each piece of paper and adjust every bamboo segment, we could feel just how much love he had for these small toys.
A small wish for traditional folk toys
During our conversation, he shared that his daughter always hoped that one day these toys could be displayed at a cultural exhibition. Not for his fame, but so that people would know that Vietnamese children in the past grew up with simple things: a piece of paper, a piece of bamboo, and the joy of running around the small neighborhood.
He just smiled gently when he heard that. He said he made the toys to preserve childhood memories and to share a bit of folk culture. The toys are not complicated, yet they carry craftsmanship, heartfelt care, and a part of adults’ memories dedicated to children.
Besides making toys, Mr. Viet also paints traditional áo dài for the local people. Most of the patterns he paints evoke Vietnam: rice flowers, fields, countryside scenes… Whatever people need, he paints carefully and evenly. He does not take payment, seeing it as helping each other and maintaining the bonds and kindness of the neighborhood.
Conclusion
Watching him sit by the faded red plastic table and low stool, patiently cutting each line and drawing each figure, I realized that these traditional folk toys are not only childhood memories but also a part of Vietnamese culture being preserved in a very simple way. I hope this small story will help more people know about his humble toys so that they can continue to be cherished and shared more widely.
—---
CREDIT:
- Photography: Kien Trang
- Content: Vy Vy
- Design: Phuong Nguyen
