THE TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGY OF EARTHEN POTTERY: A CASE STUDY OF OINAM VILLAGE, SENAPATI DISTRICT, MANIPUR.

Abstract

Oinam village is a Poumai Naga village situated at some 40 kilometers from Senapati District headquarter and 22 kilometers from national highway 39 at Maram town. It is located in the heart of Leopaona area surrounded by Thingba Khullen and Thingba Khunou in the west, Purul in the east, Khongdei and Ngamju in the north and Barak River in the south. Oinam village is located on a hillock with a sloping curve from north to south and east to west. The art of indigenous pottery making is called ‘Pouli’ in Poumai dialect, whereas in Oiname dialect it is popularly called as ‘Orae-La’. According to tradition, only the women folk engage in pottery making and men could only help the women folk in the process of collection of raw materials, firing pot, transportation and selling. Only the Oinam village women folk can practice pottery making. Women married to outsiders cannot practice the art of pottery making. Therefore, pottery making is solely confined within the territory of Oinam village.

In the early days many Naga tribes depended on the earthen wares produced by this village for utensils, to perform rites and rituals. A piece or whole part of earthen pot was used in the past in performing rites and rituals. It is an obligatory item that cannot be missed out. Oinam pottery

are wholly handmade without using potter’s wheel. The potteries are imprinted with unique designs known as “cord-marked”. The use of cord-marked design makes Oinam pottery unique and different from the ones made by other Naga communities. Oinam potteries are unglazed and were predominantly manufactured from three types of materials namely Dongae, Ngashung and Ngahei, which are mixed together in a ratio of 2:2:1. The potters and her family members collected the raw materials by walking 5-6 kilometers to a mine or pit and digging out and carrying back home with cane basket locally known as ‘Lao-Marei’. The black clay is known as Dongea. This black clay act as a glue to the two other types of clay. The two types of clay Ngashung (brown in colour) and Ngahei (red in colour) provided strength to the pottery.

Pottery is the main source of income for the artisans and the poorer section of the society. In early days, the neighbouring Naga villages come to this village and exchange the pot with other commodities. The craft is practice by women only. This craft plays a major role in the economic life of the poor section of the society. The Oinam village was once a commercial hub before the arrival of metal and steel utensils. Thus, pottery industry sustains the village economy in the past. In early days, the potters were respected and honoured in the Poumai society. However, with the introduction of Alunimium and steel utensils the use of earthen wares lost its importance and thus pose a threat to the potters’ source of income and livelihood.