Non la Vietnam: Explore the world-famous symbol of culture and beauty

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Together with ao dai, non la is an icon of Vietnamese clothing (Source: Collected)

During your Vietnam travel journey, you will easily catch sight of Vietnamese women wearing conical hats. Non la Vietnam has been with the Vietnamese people for such a long time that it has become an icon of this country.

1. Things to know about non la Vietnam (conical hat Vietnam)

If you have ever visited Vietnam, you may have wondered why locals wear conical hats. Non la Vietnam is a vibrant part of Vietnamese culture, even though it is now more frequently seen in rural areas than metropolises. Similar to other traditional clothings, Vietnamese conical hat history originally comes from a legend related to rice cultivation.

1.1. Origin and usage

Legend has it that there was a downpour that lasted weeks, which drowned farms and homes and caused lots of disturbances to the country. Then, a goddess descended from the sky, wearing a huge hat made of four giant leaves and bamboo sticks. This hat was so large that it protected the people from the whole rain, and the goddess dispelled the clouds and rain so that the people could resume their usual life.

The goddess even taught the locals how to raise crops. One day, as she was telling her educational stories, people fell asleep to the sound of her soothing voice. When they woke up, she was gone already.

Non la Vietnam plays an important role in the life of Vietnamese people (Source: Collected)

A temple was built in her honor, and everyone adopted her teachings and followed suit. People searched for leaves like what the goddess wore on her head and sewed them together on a bamboo frame. The final product is called non la Vietnam. It eventually became an indispensable item for Vietnamese people, such as farmers working on rice fields, ferrywomen, and people traveling great distances in the scorching sun.

Non la Vietnamese hats are also a great souvenir for travelers to bring home after their trip to this beautiful country.

1.2. Cultural significance

An elegant Vietnamese girl in ao dai and non la (Source: Collected)

Vietnamese women have worn conical hats for a very long time. Non la Vietnam was carved on the Ngoc Lu kettledrum and the Ao Thinh bronze jar which date back to 2,500 to 3,000 years ago.

Together with “ao dai”, non la hat Vietnam is an irreplaceable traditional clothing of the locals. These two embody the femininity and charm of Vietnamese women.

2. How to make non la: Explore an amazingly skillful process

Vietnamese non la hats might look simple, but their making is a true art. Different types of leaves, including bamboo, palm, and coconut leaves, are used to make non la Vietnam. The locals use tiny and thin bamboo sticks to form a circle for the hat rim, which is then attached to the frame by silk, filament, or other durable thread. The artisans will flatten the leaves and sew them together to form a conical shape.

It requires meticulous hands to make a good non la Vietnam (Source: Collected)

After that, the sewn-on leaves are attached to the frame. The leaves are exceptionally thin, which makes them susceptible to deterioration when exposed to water. Therefore, they should not be worn in case of downpours. However, some hat makers use bamboo swaths to cover these leaves.

Hat makers use thread to secure a strap around the hat. The strap often comes in a variety of colors and is made of silk or velvet. Additionally, varnish is applied to the hat’s outside to increase its durability and improve its aesthetic appeal.

3. How many types of non la has Vietnam had so far?

During its thousands of years of existence, non la Vietnamese hats have had many variations. Some notable types of non la Vietnam throughout history are:

• “Non quai thao” (or “non ba tam”): the popular conical hat in Northern Vietnam, especially during festivals

“Non quai thao” – a traditional hat worn by northern people during festivals (Source: Collected)

• “Non cu”: a women’s hat that is often seen in the weddings in Southern Vietnam
• “Non go gang” (or “non ngua”): a hat made of pandan leaves, often worn by horse riders
• “Non bai tho”: a signature non la in Hue

“Non bai tho” – a reputable traditional item of Hue (Source: Collected)

• “Non rom”: non la Vietnam made of hard pressed straw
• “Non la sen”: a hat made of lotus leaves
• “Non khua”: Vietnamese conical hats worn by servants of feudal mandarins
• And many more

4. Where to buy authentic non la Vietnamese hats on your trip?

This signature Vietnamese handicraft item has made it to the world. Non la Vietnam can be found in many countries. You can even buy them on Amazon, also! However, to get an authentic non la meticulously made by Vietnamese artisans, there is no place better than Vietnam itself. There are many reputable traditional non la villages all across the country:

• In Hanoi: Chuong Village in Thanh Oai District, with its long-lasting tradition of making conical hats, is undoubtedly one of the best places to buy non la Vietnam. In the past, this village produced many kinds of conical hats. However, from 1940, artisans in Chuong Village only make the typical conical hats that we often see on streets today.

Chuong Village is one of the most famous traditional conical hat villages in Vietnam (Source: Collected)

• In Binh Dinh: if you love the quintessential beauty of “non ngua”, Phu Gia Village is where you should head to. This kind of non la Vietnam was mainly for mandarins and elites in the feudal era. The patterns on the hats would show the social position of the wearers.
• In Hue: The ancient citadel of Vietnam is perhaps the most renowned destination for non la Vietnam. This city is home to many famous non la villages, such as Da Le Village, Phu Cam Village, Doc So Village, Trieu Tay Village, Kim Long Village, etc.

Hue is home to many traditional non la villages (Source: Collected)

• In Can Tho: Thoi Tan Village is a traditional conical hat village with more than 70 years of history. This village is said to make hats of the best quality in Southern Vietnam.

As it is a traditional item, non la appears in almost all tourist destinations in Vietnam. You can easily find it in a local market or a souvenir store.

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Not only a familiar headwear of Vietnamese people, non la Vietnam is also an icon of Vietnamese clothings. No one knows exactly when this conical hat Vietnam came to appear, but its cultural significance is undeniable. If you have a chance to visit this beautiful country, do not forget to buy yourself a non la to bring home!

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