Pottery is one of the oldest forms of traditional art and crafts practiced in Rwanda. Clay products have been used for different purposes (water and local banana wine container, sorghum container, milk and honey keeper, cooking pots, etc). For the “Historically Marginalized People” pottery was one of the few possibilities to make a living. Since almost everybody was in need of clay products (cooking food, seeking water, preparing beer and wine…), even though marginalized, the potters‘ products were seen as useful.
The workshop was at home and the customers used to bring food products to gain pots in exchange.
With industrialization mass products became the prime competitor of the traditional pottery, which is why this pottery became considered as old fashioned and too heavy. Not capable to sell their hands‘ product, the potters started suffering from chronic poverty and hunger. They became the poorest among the poor; landless and jobless, surviving by begging or working for their neighbours to get food. The price for a traditional pot fell too low. While digging the clay, taking the clay from the valley to the workshop on their head, molding the clay, making pots, firing and taking the pots to the market is arduous work, the potters‘ income didn’t suffice for a dignified life.
The Best Potters Rwanda decided to make steps out of poverty by …
To be continued …