Archive

Elements

Dza-zo: Traditional Art of Pottery
English List
  • 1/1
    이전 다음
    확대
  • Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright
    Manage No EE00002321
    Country Bhutan
    ICH Domain Performing Arts
    Address
    Traditional pottery was first practiced in the villages of Rinpung in Paro; Wangbarma in Thimphu; Shar Goenkha in Wangdi; and Gangzur in Lhuntse district. From these places, the skills and knowledge have been passed down from generation to generation until today although the practioners are dwindling in number with younger generations preferring to seek urban jobs over local skilled production. This is apparent in the village of Maenjabi, in the Maenbi block, where the practice has ceased. Artisan Martangmo had no students interested in learning her skill even as she retired from it. Her daughter has a full-time job in a government office in Thimphu, and never learned traditional pottery skills or knowledge. Although people from Maenjabi go to Gangzur to purchase ceramics there is no one remaining in the five households of Maenjabi village who would be interested in reviving the skill by learning it.
    Year of Designation 1971
Description Traditional pottery art in Bhutan is known in Dzongkha as Dza-zo and the artisans are Dza-khem; in Kurtoep dialect they’re known as Phreng, art, and Phreng cho-khan, artisans. Dza-zo traditional form of pottery falls within the scope of recognized traditional Bhutanese arts and crafts. Today, traditional artisans in Gangzur village in Gangzur village block, Lhuentse district continue to make Bhutanese pottery. The nearby village of Maenjabi in Maenbi block formerly practiced the art, but over the past twenty years lost its artisans to age and migration for work. Archaeological evidence shows that ceramics have been important from the time of early settlement in Bhutan. Earthen pots were used as household items in the absence of utensils made of copper, bronze, and iron as we know them today. With the visit of Guru Rinpoche to Bhutan in the 8th century, handicrafts were introduced to Bhutan, including Dza-zo pottery, which was then propagated by Drubchen Thangthong Gyalpo (1361-1485) and Rigzin Pema Lingpa (1450-1521) in the 14th and 15th centuries. The tradition of handicrafts reached its peak in the 17th century when Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (1594-1651) took personal interest in arts such as Lhadri painting, patra engraving, tshem-zo embroidery, chag-zo blacksmithing, and troe-zo silversmithing. He reinforced the practice of these artisanal skills including pottery. Traditional pottery was first practiced in the villages of Rinpung in Paro, Wangbarma in Thimphu, Shar Goenkha in Wangdi and Gangzur in Lhuntse district. From these places, the skills and knowledge have been passed down from generation to generation until today.
Social and cultural significance Pottery is a living practice of traditional craft in the Gangzur community. They have a strong sense of identity and are quite proud of their skills and traditions. However, as society rapidly changes and opens up, an inventory of skills may be urgently needed as a protective measure in addition to oral and community practices. The two active potters practice the traditional art of pottery making. Their daughters are also actively involved in learning this art. The government supports the transmission, protection and continued practice of this element. The district administration encourages them to continue practicing this traditional pottery art by visiting the potters regularly. The district administration has also assured them of a new building.
Transmission method Zangmo and Tshewang Choden learned by watching their mothers and engaging in hands-on activities alongside their mothers, the same way their own mothers had learned. Although their mothers taught them about pottery from a young age, Zangmo did not fully practice the art until she was 35 years old and Tshewang Choden was 40 years old. Similarly, the children and family members learn the skills from their elders by watching them make the pots. It is passed down from parents to children through oral tradition and practice and learning. The following describes the process of making pots: 1. The clay is collected with simple tools such as crowbar and spade. The clay is usually collected by men because this task requires a lot of effort and strength to dig and carry it from the source. There are red and white varieties of clay found locally. 2. After collecting the clay it is dried in the sun for two days. This is done to make the clay easier to pound and sift later. 3. Tamping clay for traditional pottery is locally known as Tetha laphay, pounding. Both the red and white clay are tamped in the sun with a local tool called Thong, a wooden hammer. 4. After tamping the clay, the tamped clay is sieved with a sieve with fine holes. The fine particles of the clay are used to make pots. 5. The red clay and the white clay are mixed with water in the ratio of 3:1 and beaten on the stone slab with the Thong. 6. The potter takes the finest clay from sifting and moulds it into a pot by hand. An appropriate mould depends on the size of the pots to be made. The moulded clay is kept for a day to dry to hold their shape. 7. The pots are then shaped by hand and watered from time to time to keep the mud moist. Most of the pot is shaped the same day with tools known locally as Tepa, stools. The next day, the bottom of the pots is shaped with Gangola, river stones, Pedmalai, Tukpun and Zharmala, all other types of shaping tool, which remove excess mud from inside the pot. 8. After shaping the bottom of the pot, the pots are kept in the potter's house for a week to dry. The pots are kept separated at least 10 cm from each other so that they do not stick to each other. 9. The pots are held around the small fire and gently heated. The pots are slowly brought to the center of the fire and held until they turn black. Then the pots are removed from the fire. This process of gently heating the pots is known locally as Kha-kong sang, second burning. This process prevents the pots from breaking. About 150-180 pots are fired at a time. 10. After the blackened pots are removed from the fire, the place is cleared of unburned firewood so that only the hot ashes remain. Then pots are then stacked upside down on top of each other into the hot ash, this process is called Nang yo-maley. 11. Once set in the hot ash, long pieces of firewood are stacked around the pots, up over the top of the pile. Then a new fire is lit, engulfing the pots. Almost seven Sang-rong or Shing-rong measures of firewood are needed for this burning process—one Sang-rong of firewood is equivalent to the load one man can carry. 12. Lachhu varnish is applied to the fired pots while they are still hot. If the ceramicist chooses, they may apply the Lachhu to the inside of the pots, which takes longer. Then the pot should be washed several times before use to avoid run-off varnish. Lachhu is not applied to Sang-phor pots used for burning and offering incense to the gods, because Lachhu is made from insects and it is considered a sin to apply it to Sang Phor and keep them pure. A kilogram of Lachhu costs Nu. 80, but the potter is willing to pay Nu.100 per kg for lachhu because the material is not available in her district and she has to source it from either Thimphu or Samdrup Jongkhar. Type of pots: 1. Lenka is used as an inner pot in the preparation of traditional fermented rice liquor. This form has been around for a long time. 2. Troezamai tsonmei phreng is a pot without handles that has been around for a long time. This pot is used for preparing curry. 3. Na-chanma is a pot with 2 handles on the sides that Mrs. Tshewang Choden recently invented herself and is used for preparing curries. 4. Throzom waley has only one handle and is used for frying or heating local Ara fermented alcohol. She has been making this design for only a year. 5. Waley pot has a short spout on one side and a simple handle on the other. This is the traditional form for roasting and heating Ara. 6. Dophengla is a pot with a long neck and no handle, used for making tea. 7. This small pot called Chongteng Chodmar has a short handle on one side and a handle on the other side. This is the traditional shape for preparing and cooking baby food. 8. Unlike other pots, Sang-phor has a flat and thick bottom and comes in two styles. One has a handle and the other has none. This pot is used for offerings and burning incense.
Community In Gangzur Mrs. Tshering Choden, 73 years old, is the elder bearer of this traditional pottery art in Gangzur village in Gangzur block. Tshering Choden learned traditional pottery by experimenting with clay with her mother, Kunzang, and has been making traditional household pots since she was 40. Her older sister Kunzang Pelmo, 83, could not learn pottery in the same way, but she had a peer in Jambaymo who had learned pottery from her own mother Nakchamo. Both of their mothers, Kunzang and Nakchamo, learned traditional pottery alongside Gangamo wo later moved to Maenjabi, three foundational practitioners in Lhuentse. Due to her poor eyesight and age, Tshering Choden has stopped making pots, and her friend Jambaymo has passed away. Their tradition is continued by their daughters, Tshering Choden’s daughter Zangmo, 43, and the late Jambaymo's daughter Tshewang Choden, 57, are the two active practitioners of this art in Gangzur. Zangmo and Tshewang Choden are the third generation of potters in their families. Data collected by: Mr. Dr. Yonten Dargye, Mr. Kunzang Dorji, Ms. Lotoey Pem, Ms. Ngawang Choden, and Ms. Sonam Yangden.
Keyword
Information source
National Library and Archives of Bhutan
https://www.library.gov.bt/archive/
List

Materials related to

Photos