The old rhyme of the land recalls the making of wooden cutting boards in Lai Thieu, leaving behind the wood dust lingering all around the small village and the images of wooden cutting boards and many other wooden kitchen-ware carried on bikes to all corners of the villages and alleys.
Many workers are allocated to Thanh Dien production site of wooden cutting boards
The resounding memories
We headed back to Thanh Dien production site of wooden cutting boards in Thuan An city in the jubilant days of the “new normal”. The google map led us to the endless alleys. A smart and darken-skin girl welcomed us by the best respect of the child to the inferiors. Her joyful steps led us through the factory of busies activities and brightest faces among the resounding engines.
Unlike our imagination about the factory owner of long-term history, we were received by a very young man, Ngo Minh Dien. Under his unique voice of Lai Thieu, Dien slowly told us the stories of the old factories of wooden cutting boards and his engagement to the traditional career. The making of wooden cutting boards had been brought to Lai Thieu of Thuan An in the 1970s to make the locality the most jubilant production site for wooden cutting boards in the Southest region of Vietnam. Locals of Lai Thieu had produced many types of wooden cutting boards from a variety of wood trees to bring them all around the region.
In Mr. Dien's memory, that day each factory was a household. Men do heavy work such as sawing, chiseling, and cutting, while women do smoothing and sanding. The sound from the chopping factories echoed throughout the village. But in the early years of the 21st century when the fast pace of life in the process of rapid urbanization as industrial zones and clusters sprang up leading to the disappearance of traditional craft villages and despite the decline of the profession, every day, his father still worked hard on chiseling and sanding carrying a few dozen cutting boards around the market in the area. Partly for a living, partly because he wanted to keep the profession that he had attached and been close to for many years.
Being sentimental for the elderly father who could not go far and loving the chiseling sounds coming from the village, the young man in his twenties decided to quit his job as a manager in a foreign garment company with a stable salary to start a business. Calling it a big startup, he took the job of cycling every day to the neighborhood. His legs became stronger to more distant and more crowded areas. “At night, I changed my three chisels and sanders to make cutting boards in time to go to the market. Every 5 a.m., I cycled down to Cho Lon and Bien Hoa market to sell our goods. Initially, because he had not done the business with him, the merchant flatly refused. But I quietly left samples and waited. And, those deals I keep until now.” Through his every word, we understood that, without the love of the profession and holding on to the cultural values of the profession and he would not have chosen the diversion of his career because of the hardships surrounding him.
Just like that `until 2009, Thanh Dien cutting board factory specializing in manufacturing kitchen wares such as wooden cutting boards, mortars, chopsticks etc. from recycled wood was established. Over time, the products of Thanh Dien cutting board have covered all provinces and cities throughout the country and reached the international markets. The memory of the cutting boards of Lai Thieu craft village in the past is the motivation for the owner of the Thanh Dien cutting board factory to keep the inspiration and develop the profession.
From the wood grain of mother-of-pearl, melaleuca, etc. of the regenerated forests of Phu Yen, and Lam Dong and through the stages of sawing, drying, sanding, shaping, and packing at Thanh Dien facility with the given CNC technologies, the superior kitchen products are produced. The facility always strives to gradually change production technology and reduce manual steps to improve product quality and quantity. With a big step forward to the European market, the establishment has confirmed the quality of its products from food display utensils, outdoor party decorations to wooden kitchen utensils. Before that, to enter the European market, the establishment had to strictly comply with regulations on product safety, sophistication and high applicability. The items of Thanh Dien facility are increasingly popular and trusted by the market.
To live is to love
Keeping more than 50 workers getting through the COVID-19 epidemic, Thanh Dien cutting board factory still keeps operating and developing. Talking about her husband, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu said that in the 3 months during the peak of the 4th wave of COVID-19 epidemic, Mr. Dien stayed at the factory for every related activities of the factory and its workers. In particular, the place is always warm and loving, the owner of the facility treating the workers like his own family. He always creates conditions for the weak to participate in the lightest jobs to create joy in life. Pointing to Ms. Cao Thi Diu, about 50 years old weakly lifting each cutting board, Mr. Dien said that she had very severe diabetes and had a mild stroke. In here, she could only sit and fold each cutting board and was afraid to interact with strangers. "Actually, other people do better at this stage, but I want to help her ease the feeling of being sick," Mr. Dien confided. However, as recently informed us, Mr. Dien said that Ms. Diu passed away because of COVID-19 infection. She passed away leaving a 14-year-old child who he accepted to take care of.
Introducing us to a boy about 12 years old, sweeping the inside and outside of the workshop with a broom, he said he has been raising him for several years. “Initially, he was addicted to the game, I had to make it a rule every day to play 1 hour before bedtime. During the day, he takes a broom to clean the workshop, invites guests, and opens the door for the delivery of goods. Now he’s very good, he knows how to keep a decent salary of VND 5 million a month. If I didn't save him, he would have been out in the streets as a corrupted boy," added Mr. Dien
Looking at the boy's small body compared to his 16 years old, we understood that what he said came from the heart. Interrupting our train of thought, the little girl followed her mother to the factory earlier and interrupted to inform paying from Ms. Thu. It turned out that she followed her mother to the workshop because she was in an unattended motel room. Coming to the factory and study online, the girl has been paid VND 1 million.
"Everybody's life is lived once no matter how long it is. Everyone needs food and clothing. I have rice to eat, then try to help others to live better within my ability. I produce not only for profit but for the survival of the weaker. The jobs that machines can do for me, I try to invest to reduce heavy labor for the workers. After going through the epidemic, I see that nothing is more important than human health and life. I have the health to support others is the biggest reward I have, ” said Mr. Dien in his slowly voice.
Reported by Tieu My – Translated by Vi Bao
