The Long Journey to Beautiful Ceramics
The Clay
The digging of the clay is the most important and most dangerous part of the process. The women have the assistance of their husbands which is the only part that entails their help. The raw clay holds a great amount of nyama in the clay pit and has the capacity to destroy one's health and well-being if not handled properly (Frank 79). Prior to the clay expedition, men and women prepare a special solution to bathe in. The medicine solution protects the women on multiple trips to the clay pt and during their work with the clay.
At the chosen site, the potters and their husbands contend with the spirit forces or jinew. Special sacrifices are performed to ensure the safety of those who are digging and the success of the potters. The sacrifices may include a meal of white creamed rice and an offering of red or white kola. A pure white chicken may also be sacrificed to later be prepared for the midday meal eaten at the spot.
The best time to dig is after the fall harvest and before the beginning of the dry season. The men and women can recognize where the best quality clay is found by the telltale cracks. The men use axes and hoes to dig for the purest deposits of clay, usually found one to two meters down. The men fill huge basins with clay and pass to the women at the surface who distribute the clay equally among themselves. The clay is spread in the sun to dry and stored in large ceramic vessels until one day before the potter intends to use the clay where it is then soaked overnight. A large amount of grog, made from pounding broken pots into fine grain, are added to the mixture to prevent excessive shrinkage during firing (Frank 81).
The Formation
Bamana potters use damaged pots that are no long suitable for cooking as convex molds. The potters begin with a circle of clay shaped with the right foot and then it is placed on the mold (Frank 84). The clay is firmly pounded evenly to prevent air bubbles and left to sit on the mold until somewhat firm. There is no designated length of time for drying, the women are experienced enough to know by touch whether or not a pot is dry enough to stand on its own. The pot is placed upright on a turntable for the remainder of the formation. The inner surfaces are smoothed along with the trimming of the edges with a knife. The walls are built up with coils and the surface is smoothed with a piece of cloth or a sheath of baobab leaves (Frank 85).
The digging of the clay is the most important and most dangerous part of the process. The women have the assistance of their husbands which is the only part that entails their help. The raw clay holds a great amount of nyama in the clay pit and has the capacity to destroy one's health and well-being if not handled properly (Frank 79). Prior to the clay expedition, men and women prepare a special solution to bathe in. The medicine solution protects the women on multiple trips to the clay pt and during their work with the clay.
At the chosen site, the potters and their husbands contend with the spirit forces or jinew. Special sacrifices are performed to ensure the safety of those who are digging and the success of the potters. The sacrifices may include a meal of white creamed rice and an offering of red or white kola. A pure white chicken may also be sacrificed to later be prepared for the midday meal eaten at the spot.
The best time to dig is after the fall harvest and before the beginning of the dry season. The men and women can recognize where the best quality clay is found by the telltale cracks. The men use axes and hoes to dig for the purest deposits of clay, usually found one to two meters down. The men fill huge basins with clay and pass to the women at the surface who distribute the clay equally among themselves. The clay is spread in the sun to dry and stored in large ceramic vessels until one day before the potter intends to use the clay where it is then soaked overnight. A large amount of grog, made from pounding broken pots into fine grain, are added to the mixture to prevent excessive shrinkage during firing (Frank 81).
The Formation
Bamana potters use damaged pots that are no long suitable for cooking as convex molds. The potters begin with a circle of clay shaped with the right foot and then it is placed on the mold (Frank 84). The clay is firmly pounded evenly to prevent air bubbles and left to sit on the mold until somewhat firm. There is no designated length of time for drying, the women are experienced enough to know by touch whether or not a pot is dry enough to stand on its own. The pot is placed upright on a turntable for the remainder of the formation. The inner surfaces are smoothed along with the trimming of the edges with a knife. The walls are built up with coils and the surface is smoothed with a piece of cloth or a sheath of baobab leaves (Frank 85).
The Firing
Firing takes place regularly throughout January to May. Women of the same household often fire together with twenty-five to thirty-five pieces as average per firing. Bamana potters place their large pots upright on a bed of wood during firing and encircle the smaller pots around the larger (Frank 92). Branches are positioned on top of the pile to separate and secure the vessels. Within an hour of lighting the fire, the women use long wooden poles fitted with iron hooks called wolosow to hook or maneuver the pots from the fire. The wolosow is infused with nyama and produced by a blacksmith. The women begins with removing the smaller pots and immediately plunges the pots into a special bath that blackens the surface. The process of pulling the pots from the fire takes around an hour to two hours of intense activity. Obvious failures such as pots blown apart are rare and if they do happen, the pots are the work of a young potter and they are criticized for their mistake (Frank 94).
Firing takes place regularly throughout January to May. Women of the same household often fire together with twenty-five to thirty-five pieces as average per firing. Bamana potters place their large pots upright on a bed of wood during firing and encircle the smaller pots around the larger (Frank 92). Branches are positioned on top of the pile to separate and secure the vessels. Within an hour of lighting the fire, the women use long wooden poles fitted with iron hooks called wolosow to hook or maneuver the pots from the fire. The wolosow is infused with nyama and produced by a blacksmith. The women begins with removing the smaller pots and immediately plunges the pots into a special bath that blackens the surface. The process of pulling the pots from the fire takes around an hour to two hours of intense activity. Obvious failures such as pots blown apart are rare and if they do happen, the pots are the work of a young potter and they are criticized for their mistake (Frank 94).
Frank, Barbara E. Mande Potters & Leatherworkers. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998. Print.