That old man is Pham Van But, 78, a farmer from Thuy Thanh commune, Huong Thuy district, Thua Thien Hue province. In 2002, hearing of the Hue Festival Rural Market event, he spent two months to make miniatures of farming tools and fishing equipment like bamboo baskets, rice grinders, buffaloes, ploughs, etc. as souvenirs and brought them to the market. Since then, he has taken part in every Hue Festival.

“I worked for two months and I sold all my miniatures on the first day. Many visitors wanted to buy my products; I told them to come to the next festival,” Mr. But recalled.

Since Hue Festival 2002, the farmer has been known as a bamboo-knitting craftsman. The local authorities nominated him for the Hue souvenir-making contest in 2006. He brought a bamboo made tile-roofed Thanh Toan Bridge, a tourist site in Hue, and a rice grinder to the contest and won second prize.

But’s bamboo products are favoured by foreign tourists so everyday he makes bamboo miniatures of farming tools for his wife to sell on Thanh Toan Bridge.

“Foreigners love handmade products which are related to the lives of Vietnamese people. They also like seeing my husband making bamboo souvenirs. Some have wanted to learn how to make bamboo farming tools,” said But’s wife.

(Source: TP, Vnn)