Part of any American’s trip to Vietnam should include a visit to the American War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a sobering lesson about how the wide-spread use of Agent Orange by the United States Army still affects many Vietnamese to this day.
That’s where Handicapped Handicrafts comes in.
The numbers are in the millions of Vietnamese who have suffered birth defects caused by a potent toxin in the Agent Orange defoliant that was sprayed on crops and water sources during the war. Handicapped Handicrafts is an organization that trains and employs those marginalized by Agent Orange while raising money to support those affected by the problem.
These trained artisans meticulously create beautiful Vietnamese lacquer art pieces at a factory warehouse on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a common stop on the popular day trips to the Cu Chi Tunnels, another Vietnam War site.
At the factory you get to see the artisans working. The lacquer art is made by embedding egg shell or mother of pearl on a lacquer surface that eventually will receive a shiny polish to enhance the colors and durability. It’s a process refined by generations of Vietnamese artists.
I’m happy to say that I bought a piece. It’s a picture of a lake with the sun low on the horizon reflecting across the water’s surface. A person in a boat rows across the water’s radiating ripples. All this made from tiny pieces of egg shell placed one by one on the plate. Amazing.
I carried it with me for six weeks carefully tucked away at the bottom of my backpack. In the moment I almost didn’t buy it for fear that it would be damaged, but it made it back in perfect condition.
I’m now really glad I have it. It’s the type of travel memento that I cherish, one that carries a unique story with it.
Unfortunately, Handicapped Handicrafts does not sell their products online. The only way to support their cause is to purchase in Vietnam. There are, however, other avenues to find Vietnamese lacquer art in the U.S. if you want it.
Above is a map showing the workshop’s location.
I’m not the first one compelled to write a blog entry about this place. I found a report on WorldNomads.com from someone who seems to have shared my appreciation for the place.
