Location and history of conical hat making village
When you think about the conical hat, the first thing you think of is the region of Hue. Conical hat making has been a traditional craft there for hundreds of years, and there are many craft villages like Da Le, Phu Cam, and Doc So. However, Tay Ho is the most famous because it is the birthplace of the conical hat in Hue. It is a village on the bank of the Nhu Y River, 12 km from Hue City.
How the conical hat is made
A conical hat may look simple, but artisans have to follow 15 stages, from going to the forest to collect leaves to ironing the leaves, making the frames, ect. Hue's conical hats always have two layers of leaves. Craftsmen must be skilful to make the two layers very thin. What is special is that they then add poems and paintings of Hue between the two layers, creating the famous bai tho or poetic conical hats.
Present status of the craft
Conical hat making in the village has been passed down from generation to generation because everybody, young or old, can take part in the process. It is a well-known handicraft, not only in Viet Nam, but all around the world.