Pottery, a home industry

One can get much benefit from the lands we live in Myanmar. It is very useful and gives great help in agriculture and way of life. Even the natural clay from the soil gives us very useful earthen wares for our daily use. You will be able to experience a family's pot making cottage industry in Shan state.

First, take good conditioned natural clay, sprinkled it with water and leave it for a night. In the morning, add the clay with sand and water and mixed them thoroughly. And then, pound and beat the mixture thoroughly to get the clay can be used in pot making. After that, ready to make unbaked earthen pots such as lid of the pot, vase, water-pot, earthen stove, etc on the potter's wheel.

Patience, perseverance, diligence, effort, imaginations and inspirations turned the clays into useful utensils.

There is a saying in Myanmar concerning this process. It says "you can get a flameless and magnificent pots only if you pound them it well enough". And then, apply red clay onto the unbaked earthen wares are left to dry in the sunshine. Later pile-up with straws and covered with ash and then baked at the fireplace. At the end, you get nice-shaped hand made pots, ready for use or sale.