The potteries of Sagada, Mountain Province, are being sold through a Manila online shop to help their artisans cope with the economic slowdown brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
The works of the well-preserved tradition of pottery in the Luzon province of the Philippines are usually exhibited at the Sagada Pottery Center. However, the lockdown stopped visitors from visiting the pottery center whose income depends mainly on tourism.
Fortunately, the Sagada pottery has found a way to reach buyers, thanks to Mansy Abesamis, a well-known crafter from Manila who believes in the power of clay and earth to save the world.
Abesamis is the owner of an online shop called Hey Kessy Pottery where she puts the intricately molded Sagada wares on sale to help the potters gain income while still under community quarantine.
“They were so generous of their time, knowledge, and skills. We were invited into their homes, gathered wild mushrooms together, and shared stories over delicious meals. As they had given us so much, we wish to return the favor by supporting their means of livelihood,” said Abesamis.
Hey Kessy Pottery is offering 67 varieties of Sagada wares priced from Php1,250 up. Each precious pottery bears a brief description with the name of the artisan who made it.
The potter friends of Abesamis are using readily available materials from the surrounding nature and fire the pieces using gas-powered kilns.
Each piece produced is carefully crafted and takes months before it can be formed into a mug or a bowl.
The products will be available for pick up via Lalamove or Grab once transportation from Sagada to Manila has resumed.
Orders can be made through the Hey Kessy Pottery website here.
There are more stories of businesses with very inspiring missions to help other people cope with the pandemic.
The Gising Gising store matches every purchased box of farm-fresh vegetables with another box donated to poor families.
The Dine To Unite online platform helps Filipino restaurants fight the COVID 19 pandemic’s impact on business.
Filipino social enterprise Rags2Riches keeps artisans employed while providing PPEs and meals for COVID 19 frontliners.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to the artisans of Sagada Pottery and Hey Kessy Pottery that is making the traditional potteries available online.
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