Mr. Hoang Van Man, one of the few people still practicing pottery making in Den village, Muong Chanh commune, Mai Son district, Son La province, shared that pottery making is closely linked to the history, economic life, and distinctive culture of the Thai people over many decades. Previously, the entire commune was involved in pottery making; however, over time, this craft has gradually declined, with many families ceasing production, and the scale and space for production and consumption shrinking. Currently, only three households in the commune still maintain the ancient pottery craft, concentrated in Noong Ten and Den villages.

Mr. Hoang Van Man (in the white shirt) is passing on his skills to the younger generation in the village.

According to Mr. Man, to make Muong Chanh pottery, one must select high-quality kaolin clay with many colors that are unique to Muong Chanh commune. After each rice harvest, potters have to dig about 1-1.5 meters deep in the rice field to reach the required soil. Once the soil is obtained, the craftsmen must pound it until it is very smooth and pliable, then shape it on a potter's wheel made of a round wooden block, placed upside down on a wooden pillar firmly embedded in the ground.

The soil, when taken from the fields, must be pounded until it is very fine and pliable.

Once the pottery is fully shaped, it is fired, which is the most important step determining the quality of the product. First, the kiln is heated with a low flame to dry the pottery. When the pottery turns pink, more firewood is added to ensure it is fully fired.

To color the pottery, the craftsmen put chestnut leaves into the kiln and then seal the door and chimney. During the firing process, the chestnut leaves burn, creating black smoke that stains the product and gives it the characteristic dark gray color of Muong Chanh pottery. Firing the pottery takes a day and a night, after which it is left to cool in the kiln for about a week to create durability until it cools completely before being taken out of the kiln.

Shaping on a turntable.

After a long journey in pottery making, Mr. Man has accumulated a wealth of experience, and from that, he has come to appreciate even more the hard work and the joy of producing a quality batch of pottery. Although maintaining the craft remains challenging, with production still limited and barely surviving, mainly serving the needs of the villagers, for Mr. Man and those who love traditional pottery, it is a source of joy and pride.

The entire process is done manually.

"The products we make are mainly sold to the villagers in the hamlet. They make pickled bamboo shoots, brew rice wine, and prepare ingredients for Thai cuisine. Generally, this profession doesn't bring enough economic benefits to compensate for the effort I put in, but because of my love for the craft and my skills, I've become addicted to it. I'm passionate about it, and even when I take a break, I have to go back to it," Mr. Man said.

The people of Muong Chanh have always had a love for pottery, and the persistent efforts of Mr. Hoang Van Manh, as well as the other pottery makers of Muong Chanh, will surely be a source of inspiration for the younger generation to learn from and follow, so that the Muong Chanh pottery craft can be maintained for generations to come.

Muong Chanh pottery comes in a variety of sizes and shapes, meeting the needs of most customers.

Mr. Lo Duc Tri, from Cang Muong village, said: "I am very proud to have been born and raised in a land rich in tradition like Muong Chanh commune. The traditional pottery craft village in the commune is also receiving attention from the government, and as a young person, I will continue to follow in the footsteps of my ancestors, preserving what we have and developing their traditions."

Currently, the People's Committee of Muong Chanh commune is implementing many solutions to preserve the pottery-making craft, including a pilot model of tourism that focuses on experiencing traditional pottery making in the locality. This contributes to preserving the identity and safeguarding the unique heritage of the Thai ethnic people in the area.

Source: vov4.vov.vn