Of ships, planes and war By Thu Hien
Publisher:Viet Nam News - Publication Date: 29-02-2008

There’s more than meets the eye to 57-year-old Nguyen Van Leo, a Vietnamese fisherman who has compiled a unique collection of models of the nation’s traditional vessels, war crafts and aeroplanes. The most extraordinary thing about the collection, which is comprised of more than 100 wooden models, is that it has been created entirely by Leo over the past 16 years.
When Leo was young his father would take him on the boat to catch fish, and when he turned 20 he became the boat’s owner.
Having spent most of his life on boats, he was inspired to use his free time to make a model of a fishing boat. This was back in 1992.
"It was very difficult to make the boat model at first; I felt very clumsy. I had never built a model boat before, even though I spent everyday on a real one. So I set about learning the craft step by step," said Leo.
It took him a few months to shape the first boat model, which even though in the end looked a bit unpolished, Leo took an immediate liking to it.
Afterwards, his very first models were of Can Tho Province’s sampans (outrigger boats), a popular form of transport in the southern provinces.
Leo’s collection can be divided into three sections: waterway transports, sea transports and war transports used by American troops during the war in Viet Nam.
As for the waterway and sea transports of the southern provinces, "I only made the traditional crafts and boats, as they bring a specific character and soul to Viet Nam, not being mixed into other cultures," said Leo.
Every other junk or boat in every different location has a specific feature, unique unto itself.
Junks from Long An Province have a domed rudder which is higher than those of many other junks, and which is made from a special tree, with high quality wood; junks from An Giang Province differentiate the rich from the poor through the various colours of paint they use; and boats in Ca Mau Province generally boast a bed and hammock.
There are also the ferries of Rach Mieu and several variations of shrimping canoes.
"Some of these crafts are still in use, though some have not withstood the test of time," said Leo.
Especially since appearance of modern boats, many traditional ones may disappear slowly over the next few years, so it is necessary to build models so that the next generation knows about the vessels, and how important they were to the southern provinces, said Leo.
The second section of Leo’s sea transport includes cargo boats, tourist boats and a team of 17 fishing boats with several fishing and shrimping nets.
"All of the parts of these boats can move just like real ones. I have also fixed antennae, radios and regulators on them," said Ba Leo.
After finishing the first two sections of the collection, with a total of 70 models, Leo put forth the idea of recreating the setting of Thoi Thuan Commune in the days of the war, through transport vessels used by American troops, including planes and boats.
"I went through that difficult war, and I hope our children and all others can acknowledge the previous generation’s courage and can learn from it and follow its example," said Leo.
The collection also includes fighters, rescue helicopters, B57s, B52s, F7 jet planes and several different types of boats.
Each model is on average 60cm long and 13cm wide and uses about 4kg of wood.
"These things are special things that can talk about our life amongst the rivers and seas. Leo’s creations are a product of hard work and passion," said Nguyen Minh Hung, deputy chairman of Thoi Thuan Commune’s People’s Committee.
Leo’s interest in wooden models has taken away all of his free time.
"Sometimes I get angry because he has no time for his family or for himself," said Leo’s wife.
People used to assume that Leo was mad, making such useless things that earned him no money.
"It just seems right, because I think about my models all the time. I don’t know when they become a part of my life. It can be said that I am obsessed by these wonderful things which keep and hold the soul of Viet Nam and show our children the nation’s traditions," said Leo.
Before moving to his new house at Thoi Loi 2, Binh Dai District in Ben Tre Province, Leo had to put all his models into storage because there was no space to exhibit them.
"But now I have saved a room 6m long by 5m wide to present my models. Unfortunately, it is still not large enough for all of them," said Leo.
Leo has spent more than 15 million dong (US$937) buying wood to make his models, even though his family is not rich.
In harder times when Leo’s family plunged into poverty, some people wanted to buy his models, but he refused to sell them.
"I do not create these models for money; they are my true interest," said Leo.
Old age now prevents Leo from making models. "I hope one day some museum will take responsibility for storing and exhibiting my collection so that many young people can see our history more clearly through them," he said.

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