African Pottery Forming and Firing

This video demonstrates the five major techniques used by potters in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria. The techniques include concave mold, convex mold, coiling, direct pull, and hammer and anvil. You can see Bwa, Jelly, and Mossi potters in Burkina Faso, the Ashanti potters in Kumasi Ghana, and Igbo and Yoruba potters in Nigeria. In addition there are two detailed videos of pottery firing.

[@MacushiKarate]

My maternal grandmother was a traditional potter - never had the opportunity to see her working - but due to traditional belief I understood she worked alone. Looking at this wonderful grandmother I keep imagining my late grandmother working in her little hut -

[@gingercake0907]

Africans are the only people who have a word for art. I loved this video and the narration of the videographer. Anything you make you ought to be able to use it. Alrighty now.

[@samlucas9233]

I'm pretty sure we have a word for art.... its art.....

[@thombaz]

@@samlucas9233 I am pretty sure 99% of languages have a word for it.

[@scorbunny2072]

this reminds me of some of the process my gran used to do back in Southern Africa. She was born in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and was a potter for her entire life, even after she moved to Durban in 1967. She still does pottery at age 76 and enjoys doing it. Right now she is in lockdown due to contracting covid-19, but she is making pots and bowls with a smile on her face, and I enjoy hearing her singing as she works. She is doing well and is recovering fast. Blessings to each and every one of you from a South African Brit. I may visit West Africa some day and learn about the culture of a different part of the continent on which I was born.

[@elephanthappiness4502]

Wishing your gran makes a full recovery

[@beneiseoleinmheart5614]

Hope your gran is recovered and doing well. You are so blessed to have her. God Bless

[@shaimarashid]

May she recovers quickly

[@mikorey2917]

The stories she can tell us and the lessons she can teach us must be extraordinary, if you have any, write them down and cherish that strong lady, your grandmother 🥰🥰🥰

[@aswee01]

thank you for such a respectful approach and documentary to the skill of a people often misrepresented, thank you for sharing the skills of my people

[@pelicanman96]

Yes, it definitely doesn't take away from their culture or who they are as people. It's just How's Its Made but in a different country :)

[@judyvalencia3257]

You should be so proud! I know I would be so proud to have anyone of those pots being used in my house.

[@bashkillszombies]

Do you think Europeans reached the space age because people were respectful of them living in squalor? Or do you think pressure to be better aided in that? I mean Europeans abolished slavery before any other peoples, centuries before. In (north) Africa slavery is still ongoing as it always has in places like Tunisia and Libya. My peoples caught up to the Europeans because we were ashamed that we were so primitive compared to them. Shame is an important emotion and has a very important societal function.

[@dancingnature]

This is nothing to be ashamed of. My parents and grandparents were taught to be ashamed of their African ancestry. They wanted to pass that shame on to me . Thank you James Brown for Say it Loud , I’m Back and I’m Proud. The Japanese revere their folk artists . We should too. I wish I could make pots like this.

[@dancingnature]

Black ! blasted autocorrect !

[@icicicles]

Your descriptions were short and to the point. The rest of the time not only did I enjoy watching the many techniques but I really loved listening to the background sounds, children, birds, chickens, goats, insects, etc. Thank you immensely for sharing.

[@hunisvagyok]

:) me to..it was like music ..

[@barbarabradburywilcox1724]

Thankyou for a learned, traditional, historucal,archeological based record.

[@vinm300]

Many thanks.....very educational and entertaining.

[@cushionofair]

Nice cover photo !

[@indriadrayton1132]

The little kids practicing in the background.....

[@nullobject5943]

I feel privileged to have access to videos like this, truly amazing

[@sustentabilidadeparaavidat7495]

Null object

[@anybenfotiamine1728]

True. How wonderful.

[@aviswebster2932]

Absolutely

[@irenedavo3768]

null object please Subscribe to Jim Nduruchi

[@flamethrower6925]

privileged of jealousy, just could not say its truly amazing to see how these people master the art, they free you are not that the difference, they could say the same i am privileged to be free without jealousy.

[@saugod]

Chris eyes got watery while watching this documentary. I cannot explain why but this documentary inspired me. These artists, potters or ceramicist, all of the above, are working with such simple materials, yet they are creating such amazing pieces of functional art. Thank you for this amazing documentary, not everyday I get to watch such an amazing documentary.

[@arjantjeee]

I'm amazed by the clean and symmetrical round shape they create. I started ceramics and it's so hard to get things clean symmetric if you handbuild them. They make it look so easy

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

I am glad you liked it. I have been working on this for well over 40 years, and I enjoy sharing it with others. you might enjoy going to Africa sometime and visiting with African potters.

[@irenedavo3768]

Christopher Roy hello

[@gusstiffpottery]

You were on my thesis committee at Iowa. I think of you often and what you taught me. Thanks so much for this. I am a professor in WA and will be showing this to my students. Thanks it is GREAT! Chuck lives out here too...

[@show_me_your_kitties]

I absolutely love this video. I've watched it 6 times and I fall asleep to it every night. I'm a beginner in earthen ware pottery and I love taking this in as I fall asleep. Ive learned and applied so much of this to my pots. Its just such a beautiful process, I'm in love.

[@SaelaWoodsii]

Oh my - this was SUCH a pleasure to watch. The way they form the pots, with such fluidity and ease, gorgeous. I loved watching the whole process from the digging of the clay to the firing of the pots. There is nothing more beautiful than the earthy simplicity of an expertly crafted vessel. I'm enchanted!

[@mariesheairs3680]

Thank you so much for this wonderful video. I'm a Potter living in New-Jersey, and I really needed to see these beautiful inspirational and innovative Artist Potters. I'm always one of the only women of color in class and it really is fantastic to see other black women potters. Now I don't feel bad when I break sacred pottery "rules". A Testament to doing your own thing and making it your own. I would love to see these women in person. You were blessed!

[@irenedavo3768]

Marie Sheairs please Subscribe to my Channel

[@dineshdinesh5650]

Hi i am indian potter

[@rmelcornelious8847]

I was always very interested and inspired to learn pottery. Especially the African and South Carolina techniques. I especially want to make the sacred face jugs. I've been learning about David Drake and the Africans of the slave ship "Wanderer".

[@matthewbrooker]

Want to start something with no money and limited resources, just creativity and determination. Ask an African!

[@kf8113]

this sounds pretty ominous lol

[@reagannn6211]

i followed a trail of videos to get here and i don’t regret watching the whole thing

[@freshimpactco.8698]

What a spectacular video, the women featured in this video are with no exaggeration, absolutely amazing. It is a shame to those who buy the pots from these women, and sell them for such incredibly marked up prices. The prices paid for these pots should be fair and reasonable and reflect the amount of effort required by the families and individuals who collect the clay and work so hard to create such marvellous pieces of work

[@irenedavo3768]

Fresh Impact Co. Please Subscribe to my Channel

[@melbournebarrett8604]

Our things are priceless .

[@ferengiprofiteer6908]

You statement doesn't reflect any reality. They set the price they'll accept, unless they are forced labor against their will.

[@hierkommtvitor]

Christopher, thank you so much. your point of view is illuminating. there are many south American native potter skills that are never recognised and brought to light... only the most curious and restless people go after those people and their magnificent art and culture. i felt like you are one of these people and this video gave me so much inspiration and hope. thank you and thanks and blessings to the african artists.

[@obedtetteh1387]

Well done Christopher Roy.The world is round. As a Ghanaian citizen,it has taken me many decades to see how these pots are made on youtube. My curiosity over many years has been satisfied. Bravo!

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

I am very happy to share with you. It's amazing isn't it how simple the technique seems, and yet how much skill it really takes. These are very creative people, and it is wonderful that they are very hospitable as well. I have enjoyed pottery making In Africa for many years, and feel very lucky that I've been able to see so many African potters at work.

[@irenedavo3768]

obed tetteh hello

[@StevelaFrench]

Incredible. This teaches us that the finest "art" in the world is made by simple, yet vastly advanced people out of neccesity. My hat is off to these women!

[@aculasabacca]

Yes they are vastly advanced. Maybe in another 10,000 years the will invent the table. Excellent work.

[@childrenareinnocent2317]

@@aculasabacca stfu

[@aculasabacca]

@@childrenareinnocent2317 LMAO

[@tmaclee2737]

@@aculasabacca including you.

[@aculasabacca]

@@tmaclee2737 LMFAO

[@critterkeeper6446]

It took me 2 days to make a bowl in poetry class and I didn’t have children or grandchildren to take care of.😔 They are amazing and hard working people!

[@SarahHarperScott]

Thank you for this window into African pottery. Using a short description then allowing the viewer to see, hear and fully experience the making of clay is fantastic. This video is easily broken into segments which helps when attempting to emulate the technique. I homeschool my daughter; we will be using this in several subjects. It is also such a great way to show the role of children in the family and community. This video is such a wonderful teaching aid; we will be sharing a link to this video to other Homeschooling families.

[@martabuenomancano5304]

Artesa em geral artesanato em geral artesanato em geral artesanatos artesanato em pvc artesanartesanatoato pvc

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

I sincerely hope that you will use some of my other videos about Africa to homeschool your children. They may become fascinated by Africa and someday plan to travel there.

[@Jane-st3ed]

A wonderful documentary that I watched from beginning to end. I sculpted in clay for many years but told myself that I could not make pots because I did not have a wheel!!!! Sure is humbling to see the marvelously creative works these women make. Thanks so much for this.

[@morganolfursson2560]

I bought a few pots last time i was in Africa with my family and they are some of my most treasured pieces. The lady wouldn't accept the money i offered to pay for the pots, apparently this was too much for it, which i found incredibly righteous given the fact that she definitely seemed to have use for some cash and it was not at all an extravagant sum of money i was offering. But my kids didn't agree with the price we paid for the pots and so we bought some cakes from a vendor in the city along with some house appliances and other goods and brought them to the lady and her kids. I believe that exchange is better than money and those pots were worth far more than a few coins, given the amount of work they require. We have visited the lady 3 times ever since, and her business is going steady and our kids are good friends now. The mother and father have started sending the kids to school, which made me very happy and i hope that when they are of age, i can help the kids apply to some school here in Switzerland and later on support their parents who have been sweating blood to provide for them. This is a magnificent documentary. Africa is a magnificent continent, and China is now ruining whatever is left of it. As of hundreds of years of colonialism wasn't enough.

[@ManScoutsofAmerica]

Salm1848 it’s a common attitude with rich white people.

[@ManScoutsofAmerica]

Max Designs most socialist leaders are rich white people...

[@fatimanaqvi2976]

every individual piece is made with hard work and is an individual potter's creative expression...

[@irenedavo3768]

Fatima Naqvi hello

[@Glenda156]

When I started watching this documentary I thought, I'll watch a bit. One hour later... One hour was not enough.

[@cypressz]

This is the single most fascinating thing I've ever watched. Thank you for sharing it.

[@potterzebra]

Many, many thanks for presenting a fascinating variety of traditional potters and hand-building techniques. It is not hard to imagine this level of sophistication extending thousands of years into the past.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

My pleasure. I enjoy sharing what I learn with you.

[@siggyuke]

one of the best things on KZbin. amazing skills, creating beautiful and useful objects.

[@AD-wm5ju]

“African potters understand as fully as western potters do…” What a fn amazing revelation, Christopher!

[@itzakpoelzig330]

Yeah, that made me laugh! Does Chris have any idea how long they've been making pottery in Africa?

[@anastasiakrasilnikova4928]

Thank you Christopher for your research and sharing this film! These African craftsmen are real masters and pots shown in the movie are true pieces of art! I very much enjoyed watching. Cheers!

[@ninajones3456]

Thank you so much Christopher for sharing your experiences. As an African American potter (way too dependent on fancy tools, gadgets and machinery), it is good -- and humbling -- to see these very basic, rural pottery traditions. Makes me shut the whining when I don't feel like wedging or get frustrated at the imperfect function of my foot pedal!!

[@mariaelviadiazrincon8772]

Soy de Mexico y si quiere uno comprar si se las envian

[@mariaelviadiazrincon8772]

Muchas gracias saludos hermoso trabajo en barro

[@deaconblue9038]

As a potter of the modern age. I am so impressed with the beauty and form created using such simple measures. Measures that could only be the work of art that these are by the hands of skilled artists.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

I am very happy you like it. I try hard to communicate my love of art and how it is made to others like you. My current undergraduate class on African art has 240 students.

[@jrg1709]

African woman is not afraid of work, beautiful people.

[@gordonbricker1670]

What about men? (Gordon's wife)

[@reasonableargument645]

Unlike their lazy men.

[@wanzueni]

life is tough for women in Africa and west Africa is tough and cruel for children

[@ousmanjatta6263]

How long a go when your people change to a point you make yourself a judge of others people culture maybe you to go and learn real history how the West explore from the African people for so many years and still going on till this day so I suggest to you go and educate yourself in everywhere you go there's good and bad

[@tosinojo7310]

@@reasonableargument645 our men are very hard working

[@andreschiriff4354]

This is a beautiful documentary. It was so wonderful that that African lady was willing to live her country and travel around the world and show her craft and secrets

[@PaintByMonster]

This is such a great video. thank you for posting it to KZbin. Great to see there are over a million people who are interested in this. It gives me hope.

[@m.jewell9107]

Thank you for this informative video, very humbling for me,a ceramist, to see how much and yet how little has changed in hand-formed ceramics. That they can do so much with so little is very inspiring..

[@godschildyes]

WOW! So beautiful! 😮 I love how organic their processes are! That's why their pottery is so off the charts Amazing! 😮💞

[@sherylthewhitecrow2431]

These women are real artists and their pots are truly art. Every one of them is unique and precious.

[@hinatariq9275]

Thanks for this beautiful documentary. After seeing this, I had tears in my eyes, thinking at the blessed lives we have and still taking them for granted. Talent does not need the walls of modernism around it. Every piece these ladies made was with pure conviction and the results were amazing. I'm about to start my pottery journey soon and this was the exact needed inspiration. Thank you.

[@deidramcintyre]

I first watched this video in 2016 and most recently again this morning. It is important to note every tool they use exists as a Kemetic (Ancient Egypt) artifact ... the adze, the mortar and pestle, the grinding board, even the hand-held shaping hammer. Also the ability to produce dark/black pottery at will and red elements by changing the heat. Finally the use of the pottery for storing wine and beer for storage and cooking are all the same. So, in terms African history this is not new. It is a living example of exactly what would be seen in predynastic through dynastic Kemet (Ancient Egypt). Now, a part II should be a focus on how Africans use clay for the construction of houses which too is a link to the classic past.

[@u7617]

Please, some of these people predate Egypt. Egypt is not the be all and end all of Africa. There are many other types of people in Africa other than Egyptians. The Nok people of Nigeria are the oldest living group of people in the world along with the San people of southern Africa both of whose art was not shown in this video. The Nok people are the kings and queens of terracotta world over and invented it the notion of pottery.. before any concept of Egypt. It would have been nice of him to show Nok clay pots also.

[@deidramcintyre]

Considering the "Egyptians" were Greek, they did proceed the Ptolemy Era. However, Kemet is about 4,000 years older, at minimum, than the start of the Ptolemy Era. The oldest of the pottery is found in Nubia/Upper Egypt and what is MOST probably is migrations from the Nile Valley to other parts of Africa. So, Nok and the Remetch would have the same ancestry. Because Africans moved around the continent carrying their practices with them. It wouldn't be restricted to Nok and most likey 6,000 years ago from our time the Nok weren't Nok yet. Indigenous Southern Africans, including San ethnic groups, were making milk-based paint some 49,000 years before present as per the Villa et. al. 2015 study. That same paint would be used by Remetch some 40,000 years later because Africans moved around the continent. The Remetch were as African as Nok and San if not inclusive of the same and many more African ethnic groups of today. So when Africans today exhibit tools, pottery, linguistic, cultural, genetic, etc. similarities to Kemet today it is because Africans from Kemet dispersed into the rest of Africa with the arrival of foreign conquests.

[@wewenang5167]

you know who created these nonsense Kemet ideology and theory? IT WAS WHITE PEOPLE, LITERALLY A WHITE PSEUDO PROFESSOR. Why should black people believe all these nonsense...instead you should ask the real people that live over there in Africa and Egypt, non some random white American dude!

[@wewenang5167]

@@deidramcintyre Egyptian are greek? Nonsense there were no Greek dynasty before the time of Alexander the great and the people that live in egypt at that time look the same as the coptic people that exist in egypt right now. Just go to egypt and look at their tombs paintings! Look at the mummy of king tut and ramses ii....they don't look sub saharan african at all. You can literally test the DNA of acinet egyptian today because there are so many mummies

[@deidramcintyre]

@@wewenang5167 Typo on my part. I will fix it. I meant "weren't" not "were."

[@walou3917]

Im not by any means an artist or pottery maker but this amazes me.

[@CyclopsToppingWolverine]

You don't have to be something to be amazed... I worded that weird because i'm lazy and don't want to change it.

[@factinfantasy]

Karmanade i think they are reffering to that fact that while this may not seem inpressive to thoose of the same craft, he/she is not and finds it quite incredible

[@karondonahue548]

This video was amazing. One simply can't watch it without having the greatest respect for these artists.

[@princealexyonwuren4028]

The western world will remain blindfolded to the high tech of African innovations by their ego-complex mind. Thanks for this good eye opening job. Stay bless man and take goodcare of yourself.

[@LUX_8]

Wow! So much beauty created from so few resources is simply amazing.

[@fancifuldevices]

This was the most hypnotic thing I've ever seen. I just want to go to Africa now and sit there with my mouth hanging open staring at these artists work. But then I'd get jealous and want to play with the clay too. And probably get so frustrated....

[@fancifuldevices]

Wait, I'd get frustrated cuz I'd suck, I mean. Not cuz of them at all. (I'd also want to play with the goats in the background.)

[@janennabuchi6667]

Hehehe

[@TheCaffeineJitterz]

This is what I need. Thank you. I remember when the History Channel played things like this. I appreciate your travel and hard work.

[@paulawilkins7142]

The skills of those women are incredible! I enjoyed the information narrated and the collection of the samples of pottery from different regions. Excellent documentary!

This is so satisfying to watch. Thank you for sharing this experience.

[@purplegemcrazyroyal5247]

Excellent video. Very informative and fascinating!

[@chibywallah]

Thank you so much for creating this documentary! Beautifully done! Beautiful people! Beautiful definition of art!

[@AC-pm1li]

Thank you Professor Roy for sharing this document of ancient techniques. That is very instructive on how beautiful creation can be made by anyone with very few energy and money.

[@sesomyort]

I especially liked the remark about low firing pots for reasons of cooking vs high firing pots which may crack under cooking... This displays the perfect understanding of their medium, clay - and how it transcends art as a spectacle to functional art.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

It also demonstrates that the guy who made and narrated the video knows what he is talking about.

[@pelicanman96]

@@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768 he definitely is very educated in pottery and was very attentive to his African mentors

[@appb5656]

I don't think am enough qualified to comment on their hard work and lifestyle.. 🙏🙏🙏

[@ChoBee333]

Thank you so much for making and sharing this amazing artwork! I wish this type of documentary is on the television instead of the superficial reality shows we have these days. Especially when people in the west are not aware of these beautiful traditions that exist in Africa.

[@EbtFamilysView]

Everytime I watched this make me miss my grandmother so much ; I thank God I had the opportunity to see her doing stuff like that she was 101 year old miss her so much Yimnere from kaya Namsiquie I can't wait to go back ... there is so much land there for me and family waiting for me I left there since I was little... with God grace I will be there one day.

[@axoagat]

great education and inspiration. excellent video. thank you!

[@bernardopatino6263]

I love this video:Art: is cultural, traditional part of human generations everywhere world.

[@JasonBroaddus]

Just goes to show you that you can make amazing pottery without fancy tools. Thanks for this video and commentary!

[@sweepea38]

I have to thank you immensely for presenting these amazing techniques from these skilled potters.

[@airkatmama4]

I wish i cud make a living playing with clay all day :) that would be truly amaizing. Thanks for shareing

[@TsetsiStoyanova]

What an amazing movie was that!

[@sana6346]

No

[@stephencarlsbad]

Until the end where he bashed Western society and propagandized 3rd world cultures as being more evolved that the West, lmfao! Postmodernism is a sickness and this guy is definitely sick!

[@malascrafts4550]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZ7cnnSNqreLn5o

[@richardportman8912]

@@stephencarlsbad what are you defending? It is not attacking western society just because we like to know how to do things. It seems that every time we turn around it is an assault on western society. What is the problem? Why do you insist on western values? They are not working.

[@quinnfischer9624]

@@stephencarlsbad yes!

[@sacha4566]

AMAZING THANK YOU! The sounds in the background... goats, children, chickens, birds, people.... wow. Beautiful

[@LucyFire7]

I see the smile on their face. It's as beautiful as the product made by them. I'm learning making pottery, and this video blew my mind. Respect the crew who making this video, and respect all artists in this video.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

I love it when people make suggestions that I have never thought of. Congratulations! Come study here at the University of Iowa.

[@Matyme]

48:53 Little kid in the back had me cracking up... I can do this!! =)

[@badjujuwan]

+Matyme He was hilarious! He was like.."Step back, I've got this!"

Excellent record of brilliant artists. Thank you, and to the wonderful potters.

[@Dovid2000]

Absolutely amazing - all these techniques! Thanks for documenting these material cultural gems!

[@Set-Apart-By-Grace]

Loved this and all the sounds of life around them :)

[@pelementmaker]

this had me mesmerized, very fascinating

[@ConstantThrowing]

Ben Nyatanga Proper original human being there just being a human and doing human things! Rare that you see that in todays world.

[@jwngo1]

Thank you so much. I must have watched this and the iron smelting documentary 10 times now.

[@magdalenadeguzman566]

Thank you so much. This is the first time I have seen African pottery. It's a human treasure. I watched, Philippine, Japan, and India made pottery and it led me to your channel. What a delight! Thank you.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

My pleasure. I enjoy making these videos. HAve you looked at other videos on my channel?

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

Thank you. I am very pleased that you like it. There has been an amazing revolution in filmography in the past decade, so that amateurs/ scholars can make very good video of what is happening in Africa. Earlier we had to have a film crew costing thousands, but now we can carry a good quality camera in our pocket.

[@neotoy]

Lots of brilliant innovations. I was really impressed!

[@marisellestolz6755]

This is AMAZING, we live a luxury in tools and they use hands and stone to do the seemingly impossible...thank you so much for sharing. RESPECT to all of these unknown amazing artists!!!!❤

[@anuski8706]

What a fantastic documentary! Thank you for documenting this process so throughly! These pots are so timeless and elegant.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

+Anu ski I am very happy that you enjoyed watching it. As you can tell I enjoyed making it. I just wish I could do more for these people. Their lives are hard, and given the lack of educational opportunities and good health care, things sometimes don't work out too well.

[@zigydk]

Thank you for sharing this extra ordinary film. It has made a deep impression on me. Thank you.

[@fulani_videos7670]

+zigydk It is my great pleasure. We in Iowa believe in sharing, especially sharing knowledge.

[@sheilahdang11]

I will treasure this video with my heart, and soul. Praise Allah, and thank you for posting.

[@ushabalasubramanian4513]

Its been a true education to someone who has never known much about techniques of pottery making

[@brandythierry6881]

Thank you mr. Christopher Roy for sharing this video I really enjoyed it

[@theslipwareman]

quite extraordinary, such beautiful pottery, amazing skills and a lovely, honestly shot film, thank you

[@MichaelKline]

WIth such an intimate process, beauty is unavoidable!! But, in saying that, I'm not trying to take anything away from these potter's skills. Thanks for sharing this film, Doug!!

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

Thanks very much. As you can tell I don't like popular, contemporary, ignorant, platitudes and stereotypes of Africa.

[@potatopotatoeOG]

thanks for this

[@irenedavo3768]

Christopher Roy please Subscribe to Jim Nduruchi

[@irenedavo3768]

cinnamon sparkles please Subscribe to Jim Nduruchi

[@Belioyt]

@@irenedavo3768 who is Jim Nduruchi

[@mikhailmaimoonahoward]

I’d like to thank you for the wealth of knowledge you have provided us for many years . When I was a young girl I always wanted to travel to Africa and see it the way you did . Over the last couple of years I have been able to make my dreams a reality .Videos like yours enabled me to have a prior education I needed for each country I chose to visit so that I could become culturally immersed.As an African-American I am truly grateful that you inspired someone like me to be able to go back to my roots.

[@greencagar1355]

What a beautiful people and beautiful African potteries. And what a honest, decent man to narrate this peice of gem. He truly 'well said' in the last sentence of his film. Thank you for this film.

[@pelicanman96]

Thank you for this video! I've been trying my hand at different types of pottery and figured the best people to learn from would people doing it for thousands of years.

[@taylorgoldstein5501]

when he was like let me show you my way and they were like, we actually have a way already on purpose...

[@oliviamulgrew]

i love this video .. watching for the second time .... these pots are beautiful i am living in Bulgaria now and hope to oneday be making pots and other earthen creation :) this is so expiring .. thankyou so much for creating this video and sharing with us all .. just beautiful ...

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

It is my great pleasure. If you want to see more you should fly to West Africa. It is very easy to do and not terribly expensive, and if you make the right arrangements you can go out into rural villages and watch potters at work. These people are extremely friendly and hospitable. They are very flattered when white people shown interest in their work.

[@kennedy67951]

These Wonderful People have very good Skills Learned over a lifetime of Hands on Apprenticeship. Something not really done anymore in the USA. Very nicely produced Documentary. Thanks for the upload.

[@lukejennison9701]

Wow, this was fascinating. I followed a few links after searching on how to make my own potters wheel. After sitting and watching this film in its entirety (at 5am!) I don't think I will bother making a wheel for a while. I'd half dreamt up/remembered from primary school the coil technique, but thought it would be too laborious. Clearly I was wrong! Those women are amazingly skilled. Thank you for such an informative, well made and properly inspirational film.

[@vijay10n]

Thank you... This is such a wonderful documentary! Your appreciation for these peoples age old skills impresses me to such great extent, thanks again for that too... I am from the southern part of India (from Tamil Nadu) and do share a similar skillful ancestry, yet my people are mostly unaware of the great talents their grand-grand-grand-people had! I wish someone make a documentary like this for us too... Warm Regards, Vijay

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

***** I would love to film in Tamil Nadu. I went there two years ago with the group of twenty students, and I tried very hard to find potters to film, but the person who is leading the group was from North India and couldn't even speak Tamil. He became angry at me when I ask repeatedly to visit potter. perhaps someone else will film pottery making in Tamil Nadu.

[@dineshdinesh5650]

@@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768 I am from tamilnadu potter family Next time please visit tamil nadu i intro the Potter's family thank you

[@user-ve2tb1sd8o]

Спасибо! Очень интересно. Такое умиротворение и простота!

[@pammfh]

What a fascinating film. I'm in awe of their skill and the beauty of the pots. Thank-you so much for sharing it with us.

[@lembrim3107]

Well done! I enjoyed watching the different techniques, designs, and skills of the different tribes. Showing respect to the earth using ecofriendly techniques further demonstrates the brilliance and mastery of these women.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

I am happy you enjoyed it. Perhaps "simplicity, admiration and respect" are why I have 240 undergraduates in my Monday/Wednesday class.

[@beneiseoleinmheart5614]

The donkey 🐴 manure doesn't leave a smell in the pottery? I love how they fire with natural materials though? 💕

[@olafurssonkyllian8153]

This is so beautiful and the pottery are really charming , I do hope this art form survives the atrocious situations in most african countries today and for which we are mostly responsible in the west. , china is not helping either

[@joetke]

Awesome documentary and a tribute to African handcrafts. Thank you Sir.

[@3ROK3N]

Some of the best video I have seen on KZbin. Very well done! Thank you for making and posting.

[@JulieHiltbrunner]

I would have clay all over my clothes. This lady stays clean.

[@beneiseoleinmheart5614]

The kids have clay and dirt all over them. And play in it with no clothes. One sounds sick. These are great ppl to be taken advantage of.

[@bhaktuhlife]

It is good to have dirt all over your clothes ,I love being one with nature it's actually an hobby for me to have dirt on me .

[@bhaktuhlife]

@@beneiseoleinmheart5614 What did you say now ?

[@pabloricardodetarragon2649]

Many thanks for you beautiful video. Yes it's art, in it's very essence.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

+Pablo Ricardo de Tarragon Thank you for your kind comments.

[@ChristopherRoyJamesCook1768]

Thank you very much. I enjoy sharing. You could help me by telling everyone you know. As you can tell I enjoy doing this sort of work. My classes at the University of Iowa are enormously large. My online summer school class has 300 students enrolled. But I enjoy reaching a wider audience with these videos, and so I appreciate your comments and I appreciate any help you can give me by spreading the word.

[@HouseFairyDIY]

I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary. I learnt some skills from it that I can use in my DIY projects. I loved witnessing the ladies using their hands so much. I am also a big proponent of using your hands when making things rather than always assuming you need an expensive tool.

[@aaroncole7736]

This what you are bringing to youtube is so great sir. I really appreciate what you have done here. Thank you so much for creating this. These people are amazing and I have huge respect for this.