Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyễn Thúc Thuỳ Tiên collects 'cỏ bàng' (Lepironia), a kind of sedge, in the first episode of the YouTube show called 'Nông Dân' (The Apprentice Farmer) to honour the traditional crafts and culture of the Mekong River Delta. Photo courtesy of the producer

HCM CITY — Young Vietnamese artists are presenting a YouTube show highlighting the culture and traditional crafts of the Mekong River Delta.

The show, entitled Nông Dân (The Apprentice Farmer), consists of six episodes, featuring the journey of Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyễn Thúc Thuỳ Tiên, singer Đức Phúc, and streamer MisThy as they discover the daily life of people in the region and how they preserve local traditional crafts.

The show also highlights the beauty of the region with green rice paddles, beautiful lotus ponds, and peaceful rivers, along with specialties such as bánh xèo (sizzling rice pancakes), and bánh tráng sữa (milk rice paper).

According to Tiên, Nông Dân reflects their love of the agricultural culture, the beauty of work, and the magnificence of nature. It is also a bridge to connect young people like them to the traditional cultural values of the country.

In the first episode released on July 27, the artists travelled to Tân Phước, a rural district of Tiền Giang Province, to learn about turning cỏ bàng (Lepironia), a kind of sedge, into beautiful traditional handicraft products such as bags, hats, and sleeping mats.

They spent two days collecting and processing sedge, and learning weaving with skilled craftswomen in Phú Mỹ Village, one of the oldest cỏ bàng weaving villages in the region.

Tiên said, “The job is really too hard. It requires strength, patience, sharp eyes, and caution.”

The first episode has received good comments from audiences, earning more than 307,000 views in the two days after its release.

Trần Hoài Anh of Đồng Nai Province said that “the show is funny and meaningful. It provides useful information on Vietnamese traditional crafts and life in the Mekong Delta to the community, particularly young people like me. It also reminds us of our responsibility in preserving and promoting the country’s culture.”

The show is broadcast at 8pm every Thursday on Nong Tiên Official’s YouTube channel. – VNS