The potters of Abugon, Sibonga, Cebu

Manang luvisminda kneading the clay from Tuyom, Carcar

Potters wheel made of improvised truck wheel

building the pot

growing before our eyes

its now taking shape

another potter

open firing using biomass/ agricultural waste

almost ready

manang luvisminda proudly showed us the process of abugon pottery

ready to be sold

Right by the boundary of Sibonga,

is an area called Abugon,

in Cebuano, it means dusty 

or to drive away.

It is synonymous to local pottery,

that is said to have been largely influenced by Chinese pottery,

brought into the area hundreds of years ago,

from the trading between the locals and Chinese merchants.

Now, there are only a few potters who still know the trade.

Why, because people now prefer to buy plastic made pots,

probably also made in China,

so I suppose clay pottery is also a vanishing trade in China.

So, next time you are asked,
what would you prefer?
clay or plastic...
choose clay...
you are supporting a community.

The Abugon potters are very open in sharing what they know,

so, if any of you desire to learn a vanishing trade,

come to Abugon,

get dusty and dirty...

drive away with a new skill...

revive a trade.