KOHIMA — When
everyone in his village started to quit black stone pottery-making saying there
is no profit, a 48-year-old T Tuisem from Nungpi village in Ukhrul district of
Manipur persisted and continued making pots for 32 years, meeting the
increasing demands of his works.
Tuisem has been opening his stall at the ongoing Hornbill
Festival at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, for 11 years (2014 -2024).
Speaking with Eastern Mirror, Tuisem said that he started
making pots in his late teen years after his matriculation in 1992. He did not
take any formal training but learnt through watching his forefathers.
He shared that black stone pottery has been practicing in
his village for generations, but everyone quit making them because they could
not generate revenues from it. While everyone gave way to the art, Tuisem did
not give up and approached the concerned authorities to display his items at
the Hornbill Festival in Kisama.
Explaining his 11 years experience at the Hornbill Festival,
he informed that the sale has also increased each year with steady increase in
the price. He also shared that when he first opened his stall in Kisama in
2014, there were very few people who knew about the black stone pottery and the
sale was low. But with the passage of time, people have started to know about
the art.
He explained that his pots are made of serpentinite stone
and sala clay. He would crush the serpentinite stone with hammer, explaining
that no machines are used but everything is handmade.
He also claimed that the serpentinite stone is only
available in Nungpi village and he would travel about 3 km from his place to
collect the stone. He said that he hire others to help him carry the stone.
He stated that he could make 2-3 pots a day, but the
finished products take about one week as it has to undergo various process of
curing before they are ready to be used. He could make about 150 pots annually.
With the growing increase in demand, he expressed his
inability to meet them as his age is fast catching on him. He receives orders
from Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, but he is unable to supply because the products might
get ruined if handled carelessly.
Besides, he does not want to take the risk of
supplying his products in far places.
