By Bassey Asuquo
Throughout the history of mankind, culture has been the fulcrum upon which society rests. It provides and takes various forms including traditional festivals, the social, religious,
intellectual and artistic manifestations that characterize a society.
Traditional Pottery making was, and is one of the forms that culture takes to characterize the Nigerian society.
The practice of pottery in Nigeria is commonly found among the women folk. The business of trading with products of pottery is also formulated by the women despite the burden of carrying the fragile wares from one market to another after production.
It is in the light of women involvement in pottery business that Ladi Kwali was discovered by the English Potter Michael Cardew when he came to Nigeria in.
It has been observed that traditional pottery practice in Nigeria is almost dominated by the women and most of the pottery products are domestic wares which are mostly used by the women.
In the early days, and present dispensation, Akwa Ibom women involved seriously in traditional pottery making, and are still involving.
Some of the communities that engage in pottery making are Ikot Ebom Itam in Itu Local Government Area, Ikot Ebidang in Onna Local Government Area, Mbiafun in Ini, Edem Ekpat in Etinan Local Government Area, Mbon Ebre in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Ikot Abasi No. 1 in Etinan Local Government Area, Edebom in Uruan Local Government Area, Ukpom in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Ikot Ebekpo in Eket Local Government Area and Ikot Ekwere Itam in Itu Local Government Area.
A University don and an expert in fine arts and sculpturing, and an indigene of Ukpom, Oruk Anam, Dr. Etini Ukpong, has this to say, ”Women involvement in traditional pottery practice, particularly in Akwa Ibom State is traced to the early men and women, our ancestors who had practiced this skill and handed down to other generations.
These practices are found in such communities as Ikot Ebom Itam in Itu Local Government Area, Ikot Ebidang in Onna Local Government Area, Mbiafun in Ini, Edem Ekpat in Etinan Local Government Area, Mbon Ebre in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Ikot Abasi No. 1 in Etinan Local Government Area, Edebom in Uruan Local Government Area, Ukpom in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Ikot Ebekpo in Eket Local Government Area and Ikot Ekwere Itam, in Itu Local Government Area.
The common shapes of oval and round features are identified among the products of traditional pottery easily produced by the women potters. Shapes of the products have any leasing or influence from the round features found on ideal, African women.
Ideally, an African woman has the characteristics of round face, round chins, round buttocks, round breasts and round tummy during fattening or pregnancy. These characteristics accorded to a beautiful African maiden who undergoes fattening or customary after-child-birth care are celebrated and applauded especially by the Ibibio.
The influence of roundness for beauty affects the shape of pottery products of women who are the custodians of myth and techniques of traditional pottery practice.
No doubt, the Ibibio pots found at Jos Museum and other places are noted as probably the most spherical pots globally.
There are many implications in the practice of traditional pottery by the women folk in Akwa Ibom State.”
According to research, Pottery skill in the past was considered as important and relevant to the Akwa Ibom society. While the men folk were engaged in house constructions, tapping of palm wine, harvesting of palm fruits and clearing of bushes for farming among many other things, the women majorly practice pottery, weaving, body decoration (Okukin), cooking, farming and others.
Indigenous pottery making in the state is seen as a special area for the women, and it requires high level of devotion to acquire the local but technical and sophisticated skills for a successful practice.
Women who are known for their dexterity and patience have advantage in pottery skill acquisition. The necessary knowledge of identifying and selecting good quality pottery wares especially the domestic wares are done by the women. They produce indigenous pottery wares and also trade on them despite the fragility and cumbersome transportation of such wares.
Ibibio pottery tradition from inception considers women as the forbearers and custodians of the unique tradition of pottery before the advent of modern pottery.
The products and practice of traditional pottery in Ibibio land are adjudged as feminine. The water pot for fetching water from the stream is hard and usually carried on the heads by men to fetch water or carries about by men in anyway. It is the women who carry them about to fetch water, even as children carry small pots made for children.
The beauty of women carrying the round pots on their heads from the stream especially the pregnant ones makes the pots create sense of feminity. The corresponding wares from the round or oval pots on the head with the curve of the round tummy of the pregnant women and other curves from the features of the women for repetition, create a unique balance.
Virtually, the traditional Ibibio pottery shapes are round or oval despite the usage, but the sizes and opening of the rims distinguish the wares of the various uses. Some of the products of Ibibio indigenous pottery are abang mmong (water pot), Oko Ibibio (cooking pot), Usan Ibibio (bowls), Oko ata (basin), etok oko (small cooking pot), etok abang (small water pot), oko ukot (Palm wine pot) and abang isong (big ceremonial pot for communal palm wine drinking).
Food cooked from indigenous pottery pots have good unique taste which differ from food cooked from enamel or aluminium pots. Equally, water stored in fire dried indigenous water pot refreshes the body and with a sweater taste than water from enamel or plastic pots. Women found joy in producing and utilizing the indigenous Ibibio pottery wares.
Research findings show that, in the ancient days, women potters in some communities in the state dressed half-naked while quarrying the clay from the clay site. To them, it was customary and was probably, a method to scare the men away from the quarry site or better still, an easy way to escape any unforeseen accident. Though men were not permitted to quarry clay or practice indigenous pottery, they were always called upon to rescue accident victims at the ravine clay site. They were relevant, anyway.
Mrs. Eno Edem, an indigene of Itu Local Government Area said,” Women potters in Ikot Ebom Itam and Ikot Ekwere dressed half-naked while quarrying the clay from the clay site. This was customary to the women potters and it was probably to scare the men folk away from the site or an easy way to escape any unforeseen accident. Although men were not allowed to quarry clay or practice indigenous pottery, but were always called upon to rescue accident victims at the ravine clay site”.
Findings indicate that the practice of pottery by women and the different techniques except the varying designs used by the women potters in Akwa Ibom seem to be closely related to what other African women are doing but different pottery communities in Akwa Ibom hold to some beliefs that their pottery practice is unique to them alone.
Their claim is that, the pottery skill was handed down to women by their ancestors and not the men. People from Ikot Ebom Itam are of the belief that pottery techniques were handed down to them by their great ancestors who lived since the advent of formation of the raw material clay in the area.
Madam Ikwo Okon, an indigene of Ikot Ebom Itam, in Itu Local Government Area, shares her views thus, ”Our ancestors handed the skill of pottery to the women folk and not the men. Pottery techniques were handed down to us by our great ancestors who lived since the beginning of formation of clay in the area.
My grandmother and mother were experts in the pottery craft. People made their money from pottery craft.
Since every family in those days were engaged in the pottery business, everybody was benefitting from the art either directly or indirectly. In all the traditional pottery communities in Akwa Ibom State, the skill was practiced by only women since they believed it was handed down to only the women from the ancestors”.
Aside sizes and shapes, traditional pots were usually identified by their colour. Some were grey black, brown, red or black. Clay which is the basic raw material for pottery making has many colours and usages. The various colours of clay are, white, brown, red, grey, yellow and black and this depends on the clay site.
According to research, the Ibibio water pots abang mmong is noted as one of the most spherical pots in the world. The Ibibio pots from different parts of Ibibio land are seen in most museums in the country. The Ibibios are known for high quality pot production by the women. The cultural symbol of a young girl with decorated calabash to depict an indigenous symbol from Northern Nigeria is similar to an Ibibio cultural symbol of a young girl with a decorated clay pot which is a pride to the people.
The various indigenous pots produced by the women and their designs using local motifs are testimonies to their expertise in traditional pottery practice. The most popular method was the coil method in which coils of the prepared clay were added progressively until the maker came to the required height. While still wet, the pot was decorated with designs or motifs. Pot was dear to the heart of the people in those days.
Mma Affiong Etim, an indigene of Edem Ekpat, in Etina Local Government Area, noted, “The activities of women with clay products create affinity between them, especially in the production of pottery domestic wares, usage and trading with the wares.
”The various indigenous pots produced by the women and their designs using local motifs are testimonies to their expertise in traditional pottery practice. The most popular method that was usually used was the coil method where coils of the prepared clay were added progressively until the maker came to the required height. While it is still wet, the pot was decorated with designs or motifs. But other people used maize husks to roll over the surface of the unified pot.”
”Of a truth, contents of traditional pots usually taste different from the ones in other containers. Water from the pots are cold and taste like clay (ndom). With this taste, you can drink four litres of water within two hours without knowing. I had the privilege to drink from my mother’s pot when I was a child.
”So, I am speaking authoritatively and confidently that water from Abang Mmong is Wow! Perhaps, the reason for this is the myth surrounding the production of these pots. Women sit half naked when quarrying in the clay sites. This is the myth.”
