Mold Me, Shape Me, Burn Me, Use Me

Banyumulek, August 14th 2010

Shaping a sea turtle.

Banyumulek village is a major centre for the production of the distinctive pottery that Lombok is famous for. The first place our driver brought us to was a workshop and store selling earthenware. Here tourists can try to make their own pottery.

As I was more interested in taking pictures of potter work than doing the work itself, I asked our driver whether was another place where I could see big pottery work.

He brought us to a place which looked like just a neighborhood of potters. I asked a woman who was doing the work whether I could photograph her. "No!" she answered harshly.

Later on our driver told us that the old generation still believe that when your picture is taken, part of your life is taken. Meaning: you can get sick or die.

I explained to our driver that my purpose is to take pictures. If I can't take pictures, then there's no point.

The third pottery workshop. Huge.

Our driver understood and brought us to this place. It wasn't just a neighborhood. It was like a pottery factory under open air. I was very pleased. At last, I could see in real life, for the first time, how a potter shapes his work into art, just like written in the Bible. So is it how GOD shapes my life into something useful.

Part of the process of terracotta pottery.

When the potter is done with shaping her work, she buries it inside a stack of hay and then burn it using coconut shells.

The stack of hay behind there is where the work is buried to be burned. They use coconut shells (scattered in front of the photographer) to light the fire.