Traditional black pottery of Manipur saved by Nungbi Khullen How?

Manipur: In Ukhrul district of Manipur, black pottery and Nungbi Khullen have always been synonymous with each other. Located along the National Highway (NH 202) that runs between Nagaland and Manipur, the old village of about 350 households, 38 km from Ukhrul district headquarters, is the largest black pottery in the state. Is the producer.
The vessels, made using a special mixture of clay and powdered serpentinite rock, are coveted possessions in many households due to their functionality and simple design.
Today, village black pottery crafts are available all over India and potters are racing against time to deliver bulk orders from metropolitan cities.
However, seven years ago, the unique black pottery of Nungbi Khullen village faced a different challenge. A legacy of unique craftsmanship hung in the balance as demand waned and pottery was on the brink of extinction.
The spanner is in the works
“Black pottery has always been a part of our lives,” said Worshang Awungshi, a 34-year-old craftsman who is among the younger generation of potters in Nungbi Khullen.
In olden times, unique pots – perfect for slow cooking over fire – were bought from neighboring villages for essential items such as salt, king chillies, rice, meat and other commodities.
Although the arrival of stainless steel and aluminum vessels and utensils posed a challenge to black pottery, there was still a steady domestic demand for these vessels.
However, by the late 2010s, the demands of the local population had met and the old potters were convinced of how to market their pottery outside the district. As of late 2014, there were only five potters in the village where artisans once flourished.

Awungshi remembers the sorry state of potters and the bleak future of black pottery when he returned home in 2014 after graduating from Shillong.
Having learned the art of pottery at an early age, he usually spent his holidays making and selling pottery at home to earn ticket fare and pocket money. He also observed interest in black pottery at the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Expo in Imphal in 2011. Thus, knowing the great potential of black pottery, he was surprised to find that there were only a few. Potters left for handicrafts in the village.
“From my understanding, the younger generation wasn’t interested because they didn’t want to get their hands dirty for something they didn’t care about,”
Awungshi said of why young people in his community are taking up the craft. Hesitating.
For Awungshi , it was important to preserve the craft that has always been part of his community. He also understood how much people respected and appreciated the artisans of black pottery and the prices of their handicrafts in the markets.
With no time to lose, he rolled up his sleeves and got his hands dirty, becoming a full-time potter in 2014.
“The two young potters and I wanted to prove to the youth that conserving and promoting black pottery can be a financially viable profession,”
Awungshi explained emotionally as he spoke at the Village Square. shared with which inspired him to become a potter.
The wheels of fortune
With better transportation and access to social media at our fingertips, the money renaissance that began in 2014 has now gathered pace.
Today, the village has more than 30 active pottery artisans – mostly young potters aged 18-35. Many of them are educated youth who have returned to adopt the unique skills of their community while some of them have turned daily laborers into potters.

On an average, each artisan earns around Rs 30,000 per month, with sales increasing during festivals and trade fairs. These youths have become the financial heads of their respective families, helping to reduce the financial burden of their parents and increase the economy and welfare of the village.
“We have had a steady increase in the number of young people taking up the craft every year which is a huge positive for the whole community,”
Awungshi expressed optimism.
Even the village black pots are no longer limited to cooking pots. Young people make many eco-friendly earthenware such as pressure cookers, bowls, cups, plates and kettles, making the products more attractive to metropolitan consumers.
“Most of the orders come from Imphal in bulk through brokers. From there the products are sent to metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai. All this bodes well for the future of black pottery as well as our village economy. It does,”
Awungshi added.
This story first appeared on Village Square and is part of a series highlighting heartwarming stories from Northeast India.