The Xuân Giang hat - a cultural beauty of the Tày people in Hà Giang.

The two-layer conical hat is closely associated with the Tay people in Xuân Giang commune, Quang Bình district. The hat is made entirely by hand from materials found in the mountains and forests such as palm leaves, bamboo strips... The craftsman must go through many meticulous steps to create a sturdy and beautiful hat.

What impresses me the most is the part of the hat's body. After weaving is completed, the hat's body will be taken to the kitchen loft to be smoked for a very long time, sometimes up to 6 months. The kitchen smoke and heat from the firewood gradually dry the bamboo strips and turn them into a natural black color as seen in the photo I took. This black color is not dyed but is the color of time and the familiar smoke from the firewood stove.

Nowadays, the two-layer conical hat is not only a familiar tool in labor but has also become a characteristic cultural product of the locality.

Xuân Giang today is also known for the craft of making two-layer conical hats - a distinctive cultural symbol of the Tay people. In 2023, the craft of making two-layer conical hats was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, marking an important step in preserving and promoting the traditional values of the locality.

Being able to visit and experience making the two-layer Tay conical hat with Ms. Kim - to me, she is a very professional hat maker, I can feel the meticulousness, patience, and the "difficulty" involved in completing a two-layer hat.

I feel that the two-layer conical hat is not just a simple handmade hat. It is also an image of skill, culture, and the simple life here.