Stilt house models – A bridge connecting past, present, and future

The traditional stilt house is a distinctive architectural and aesthetic feature of the Tay people, preserving unique elements of both their material and spiritual culture. At a time when stilt houses and many traditional values are at risk of fading away, there are still individuals who patiently, meticulously, and creatively craft vivid stilt house models to preserve a slice of cultural heritage, serving as a bridge connecting the past, present, and future.

Mr. Ngo Trung Thanh introduces various stilt house models.

Despite his advanced age, Mr. Ngo Trung Thanh in Residential Group 42, Phan Dinh Phung Ward, Thai Nguyen Province, continues to patiently and carefully create models of Tay stilt houses. Out of deep appreciation for these houses, he has sought to preserve them by recreating them in a new form for more than 20 years.

“In the past, my family evacuated to the mountainous area, so I lived in a stilt house. When we returned to live in the lowlands, I wanted to make these stilt house models to remember my childhood and also for future generations. When people learned that I was making these models, many visitors from different places came to admire them", Mr. Thanh said.

For Luong Ngoc Tu, a young Tay man from Tan Thanh Hamlet, Than Sa Commune, where a large Tay community resides, the stilt house is not merely a residential architectural form but also a miniature “cultural ecosystem”, both a living space and a sacred space.

“I was born and raised in a stilt house. When I am away, I miss home very much. I truly value the stilt house and the customs of my homeland. I make these stilt house models to express my affection", Mr. Tu shared.

A model of Tay stilt house created by Mr. Ngo Trung Thanh.

Though small in size, these stilt house models carry significant spiritual and material value at a time when traditional stilt houses are becoming increasingly rare, while love for this architectural heritage remains intact in the collective memory of Tay communities everywhere.

Diligent hands and souls moved by the beauty of stilt houses have both preserved tradition and created livelihoods through these model products. Social media has effectively helped them spread the beauty of stilt house architecture to customers at home and abroad.

Mr. Tu said: “The first products delivered to customers received positive feedback, which inspired me to produce more items for sale. The product I am most proud of is the model of Uncle Ho’s stilt house.”

“Nowadays, traditional Tay stilt houses have basically disappeared. Customers now wish to recall the beautiful cultural values associated with the image of traditional stilt houses through my products", Mr. Thanh said.

Although merely decorative items, these stilt house models have become a bridge between the past and the present. And perhaps through these models, more people will return to the villages, rediscovering the original Tay cultural ecosystem and realizing that the palm-thatched roofs and wooden pillars of stilt houses all tell the cultural story of a people.