Minxiong rice straw rope weaves lasting sentiments

Rice straw rope is a traditional product that uses modern machinery to boost production. Widely used in Taiwan and also exported to Japan, as a natural product, it can be returned to the earth without any worries about polluting the planet. Currently, it is chiefly used for wrapping plants during winter, preventing damage to goods during transport, and protecting the roots of trees during transplanting; it is even used to tie up the pincers of hairy crabs.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the farmers-cum-weavers of Minxiong would gather in groups to sun-dry rice straw and transform it into this durable rope that was sold at home and abroad, knitting together disparate industries. The additional cash helped supplement farmers’ incomes and so weaving rope from rice straw gradually became an integral part of the villagers’ lives. However, today, such scenes are a distant memory, and most of the old farmers who weaved rice straw ropes are already long deceased; for this age-old tradition to survive, it will require the input of fresh blood from the younger generation.

以下為中文對照

草繩是傳統產品，採用現代化機器生產提高產量，不但在台灣運用廣泛，外銷日本也受到歡迎。草繩取之自然，用過後再回歸自然，沒有污染的問題，目前主要用在包裹植物過冬、防止碰撞的捆綁材料、樹木移植時包裹樹頭等，連大閘蟹都使用草繩來捆綁。

自民國五、六零年代，民雄漸聚集群編織草繩的農民，將曬乾後的稻草轉製成草繩，向國內外銷售，結合了無數產業。賺取的零用金也貼補農家經濟，編織草繩成為全鄉的運動。然而，昔日的光景淡去，編織草繩的高齡農民多已離去，盼未來有更多年輕人願意投入。

照片