Ninh Thuan is not only famous for pristine beaches or fruitful vineyards … but also captivates many visitors who love to explore and love to learn the indigenous ethnic culture of Bau Truc Pottery Village. Because this land has many festivals. Especially New Year of the Cham people.
Not only that, Ninh Thuan also became more famous when this place still exists an oldest pottery village in Southeast Asia. That is Bau Truc pottery village – the place to keep soul spirits cultural of the Cham people.
Where is Bau Truc Pottery Village?
Bau Truc Pottery Village is one of the famous craft villages in Vietnam. It’s located along National Highway 1A in Phuoc Dan town, Ninh Phuoc district, 10km south of Phan Rang – Thap Cham city. This village can also be considered as a museum. keep the quintessence of traditional Cham pottery art.
The meaning of Bau Truc
Talking a little bit about the name Bau Truc, in Cham language means bamboo grows on the pond (from Bau is pond – lake). And the reason for such a name is based on a true story. The story say that: In the past, the village was called Paley Hamu Trok, while the Vietnamese called Ma Tró, in the reign of King Minh Mang, the village was named Vinh.
But in 1964, there was a big flood in Ninh Thuan, the people in the village had to move to higher places. They chosen place to re-establish the village was the land next to a lake with many bamboo growing. And the name Bau Truc was born from here.
How Bau Truc pottery village is unique?
Perhaps Bau Truc Pottery Village developed all things pottery also has a bit called predestined by heaven destiny arranged. Land of Bau Truc area has reserved for residents of treasure to give birth and nurture to pottery, which is a separate land and sand mine. That only alluvial of Quao river has: Smooth, and soft soil. The sand is also very fine and tiny.
According to the legend of the Cham people taught by the ancestors of Poklong Chanh to women in the village for thousands of years ago. Therefore, in Ninh Thuan, all Cham women know how to make pottery. Especially men only participate in things like daming earth, burning pottery. Especially making pottery is passed from mother to daughter only.
How they make pottery?
Coming to Bau Truc, you will admire to see the ceramic artisans. Normally, to create an object, artisans need support to the turntable. But Bau Truc pottery is more special, people do it manually from the forming step to the decoration step. Especially pattern does not need a turntable. Artisans only use feet like a “movable turntable” to make a platform instead of a turntable and at the same time brush the soil to shape the product.
Not too long, In less than 5 minutes, the artisans “transformed” into a jar or pottery formed. Not stopping at such a rough version, with a towel accompanied by a bowl of water next to and perform a few simple manipulations Cham artisans made the product become glossy and smoother.
It is worth a visit Bau Truc Pottery Village
The firing technique of Bau Truc pottery is quite special. It’s not an electric or coal kiln as usual. But directly heated with straw and open firewood around the product. Ceramics are arranged on top of a layer of dry firewood and straw on the top. So the ceramic substance also creates an unmistakable characteristic. Do not be surprised to see that the products here are not as colorful as Bat Trang ceramics. Because of the art of firing pottery.
How to make color?
Bau Truc pottery is made up of many natural colors with red, yellow, red and black colors. Such as smoky colors, then brown streaks, forming unique ceramic products. It’s typical of Cham Pa culture. What made this feature unique? That is when firing pottery Cham people have used a kind of forest roots piled on top of baked straw layer, the smoke emitted from this tree roots will make up the color patches that do not like other ceramic products in Bat Trang.
In particular, if you want to make pottery yourself. Do not hesitate to try, the artisans here always happy to guide you. They will guide from breaking the ground to make shape, decorate, to burn the product …
A trip Vietnam to Bau Truc pottery village – the sandy region in the South Central of Vietnam. It’s great for walking, exploring, observing the art of pottery making by Cham ethnic people will be a memorable tour to Ninh Thuan – Vietnam.
