MAIN CAMPUS, 26 May - The Archaeology Club has organised their second annual Tales of Pottery event which took place at Galeri Arkeologi USM. Invited to give a speech as the guest speaker for the event was Dr. Suresh Narayanen, who was a senior lecturer at USM's Centre for Global Archaeological Research. The primary goals of this event is to provide all the participants with hands-on experience in all aspects of the pottery-making tedious process and most importantly is to demonstrate traditional pottery skills to all participants. 

 

Dr Suresh Narayanen, a Senior Lecturer at the Centre For Global Archaeological Research USM briefly warned all the participants that traditional pottery making could be very tedious and stressful for some as it requires detailed work. He also claimed that in the context of Malaysia, only the Malays and the Sabahan and Sarawakian Bumiputeras are the one who are actively engage in traditional pottery-making.

 

"In Malaysia, not all races here actively partake in traditional pottery making. Only the Malays and if I'm not mistaken, the people from Sabah and Sarawak like the KadazanDusuns, create pottery using the old techniques which could be very tedious. Having said that, please take note that crafting pottery the traditional way is very stressful and tiring as it did not use any tools like modern-day pottery making uses.” he said.

 

Nur Syuhada Atiqah Mohd Rizuan, Project Director, Biological Sciences 3, expressed her hope that this program will continue in the coming years. She eagerly mentioned that for future events, she hopes to organise a study tour to Perak, where participants can meet an infamous traditional pottery maker to gain deeper knowledge into the craft.

 

"My hope for this program's future is that it will continue for many years to come. Perhaps, we could plan a study trip to Kampong Sayong, which is well-known for its traditional pottery workmanship in Kuala Kangsar, Perak. There, they would get the chance to meet with an infamous traditional potter who is very expertised in this craft.” she expressed.

 

Khairina Izzati Khairul Anwar, Humanities 3, asserted that traditional pottery making is intricate and complicated, as it involves processes that are distinct from modern-day pottery making techniques. Reflecting on her experience, she highlighted that she faced a lot of challenges of transitioning from machine-assisted pottery to manual techniques. 

 

"The process of making pottery requires a deep understanding of traditional pottery making techniques. Personally, I found it challenging to adapt because I had only ever seen pottery being made using turntable machines, where the process seemed a lot smoother. However, I've come to appreciate that crafting pottery by hand is significantly more demanding," she explained.