Pottery in Nam Phong and Ban Mor

Devon, Guen, Hunter

Pitch- Few villages in Isaan still use dthee mor techniques, a traditional pottery style passed down by women for centuries. In recent years, the potter’s wheel, almost exclusively used by men, has been widely adopted in pottery villages. Due to the efficiency of wheel production, the traditional practice of dthee mor is disappearing, decreasing women’s roles in the ancient profession. This essay examines dthee mor in two villages, Wang Tua in Nam Phong, and Ban Mor.

In a number of villages in Isaan, traditional gender roles are still present, for example, woman typically cook and clean while men are the breadwinners of the family. However, the traditional pottery techniques in these particular villages have challenged these roles by giving women an opportunity to contribute to the families’ income.

In the village of Nam Phong, dthee mor pottery factories are primarily run by women.

Dthee mor is a cherished pottery technique that has been passed down from mothers to daughters for generations, so only women know this traditional technique and thus, do most of the work.

Dthee mor pots are fashioned by beating clay between a paddle and a hindu (a mushroom shaped stone) to create the round shape. Women’s keen attention to detail and patience make them especially suited for this task.

Many women learned this process from their mother at a young age. Meh Pog has been practicing dthee mor for 48 years.

Although women do not use mechanical wheels, when practicing dthee mor technique, some women might use a manual wheel to make the process quicker. With sweat dripping down her face, this woman repeatedly spun the wheel with her knee and shaped the pot for long hours of the day, her muscles contracting with every hit.

After a pot is formed using the dthee mor technique, it is common for the women to add a pattern on the rim to increase the value.

In the village of Ban Mor, there is an abundance of clay resources in the river, which men are responsible for collecting.Traditionally, men support women with preparation tasks, such as gathering the clay. Nowadays, men have a more active role in making pots, excluding the dthee mor technique.

Because most kilns in the villages are quite large, the firing process requires mass amounts of pots to fill the space. Typically men are hired to help with this process.

Older firing techniques are used in some villages, like Ban Mor, and they are done with smaller quantities of pots. This process takes less time, but it is just as effective as using a kiln. Contrary to Nam Phong, both men and women living in Ban Mor fire their own pots.

In Nam Phong, a large kiln is essential because the wheel is becoming the main source of pottery production, making men more desirable for all pottery processes.

Many women who use dthee mor techniques are distressed because the new generation is uninterested in learning this technique, which contributes to the decline of this style and shifts gender roles because it interferes with women’s ability to make this pottery.

Since the introduction of the wheel, some villages have slowly stopped using the dthee mor practice. The wheel’s convenience and mass production capabilities makes income more consistent.

The wheel is only used by men because many women are uncomfortable with trying this pottery technique, and they do not have time to learn this new skill. Often times, families will hire a professional to use the wheel in order to increase production.

Since women do not use the wheel, their tasks in the pottery process are more assistive. Traditionally, women would make the pots and men would help in other tasks. With the wheel in place, these roles are reversed.

The pugmill is used to knead clay and many women are given this job when helping men who use the wheel.

There is still a fairly large demand for the dthee mor pots, but this traditional process is still decreasing as well as women’s central role in pottery production.