MÉRIDA.- The pottery in Ticul It is a craft that has been passed down from generation to generation. However, those who dedicate themselves to it today regret that they are fewer every day: “It would be sad if the profession disappeared,” says one of them. “We are in danger of extinction,” agrees another.
And the rudeness and lengthy processes involved have made the new generations prefer shoemaking or other activities. Also the lack of support. These are the testimonies.
“In the past there were about 100 stores. As time went by, about 15 years ago, the pottery it went down a lot. Many potters became bricklayers or motorcycle taxi drivers; They left a job for another more profitable one. Today the pottery workforce almost no longer exists. “We will be like the dinosaurs: we are in danger of extinction,” he says. Luis Miguel Segura Esquivelwith 17 years dedicated to the trade he learned from his father.
“Before, of 100 young people, 75 went to shoes and 25 to clay. Today 90 go to shoes, five to clay and another five to something different. But of those five, since pottery leaves little and is rather a support, in the end one or two remain, exaggeratedly. There are no longer new groups of young people who want to come to this,” adds the also graduate in Tourism.
Pottery in Ticul, hard work
Lucely Martín Tzacum agrees with him. “Pottery is hard and very slow work; in addition, the profits are low. That is why many look for lighter and better paid jobs. What is left now is more tradition and taste for the job more than anything else.”
“And just like me, almost all the remaining families function the same: we are the last, the last generations. In my case, I am the only one who continues, and those who come behind no longer continue,” adds the woman, whose grandparents started the trade in the family.
And now we try to teach it to our children, but there is almost no interest. It’s a tough job. Our hands are always worn out, our nails are short, our clothes are stained… It’s part of the job… I feel that one day pottery is going to disappear. Unfortunately that’s how it looks,” laments the woman, who is part of Martin Potterya signature that belongs to his family.
And the mud is very complicated, he says. “The material requires a lot of effort. We have to sun it, dry it, prepare the mixture… Then comes the manufacturing of the pieces, and sometimes they crack or get lost, and we have to start over…”, he explains.
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How long does it take to make pottery pieces?
The artisan adds that, from the raw material to a finished piece, she takes 8 to 10 days. In the case of large pieces, the time increases: they can be 15 dayseven up to one mybecause drying is slower.
Additionally, each piece goes through five or six pairs of brothers: who makes it, who prepares the material, who checks the daily drying, who bakes and unloads, who paints, and finally who sells, details Luis Miguel Segura.
Adding to the complications is that the supplier who supplies mud to all of Ticul “has the pleasure of saying: ‘I’ll deliver whenever I want’. And if you want me to supply you, he asks for a certain minimum quantity,” explains Segura Esquivel, who also worked in the hotel industry.
Given the situation, artisans have resorted to innovating and specializing in certain markets. “We try every day to be at the forefront with models and designs, looking for new clients, because we have a payroll to pay. We have 17 boys working; There are 17 families,” explains Segura Esquivel.
Pottery pieces in Mérida
“Our largest market is Merida. “We work with well-positioned decoration stores and with some architects and designers,” adds the owner of the Luis Miguel Artisan Gallery. The man stands out among his innovations, the pieces made with refractory clay for food use: enameled dishes that you can now put in the dishwasher.
For her part, Lucely adds that in December they enter a good season “because we get births, animals, figurines for the mangerSanta Claus, shepherds… We started preparing all of that in October and November to have it ready.”
“In addition to births, we do souvenirs for events…During the year it is what we sell the most. We have fixed markets that buy this type of work from us,” adds the potter.
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How to support Yucatan artisans?
To close, the artisans make the following requests.
“I would like us to will support more. We potter artisans are hardly taken into account and receive very little support, even though our profits are low and the work is hard. It would be good if there was more support for us,” says Lucely.
“When you see a craft, remember that Being an artisan does not mean that the work is worth less. Sometimes customers come in and ask, “How much does it cost?” and when I tell them, for example, 200 pesos, they respond: “Oh, but it’s not Walmart.” And yes, it is indeed not Walmart. In a department store, no one asks for a discount; you pay what it costs. Why with us?” declares Luis Miguel.