Mai Xiu is polishing the figuring of an elephant (Yo, in Mnong) with a small stone. This is the first of three polishing steps, that happens right when the clay is dry enough to not stick to the stone. The action of polishing is called “ɲoh”.
Funding
Endangered Material Knowledge Programme
History
Session
Y36
Rights owner
Cécile de Francquen
Title alt
Đánh bóng tượng voi ở xã Yang Tao 2
Description alt
Mai Xiu đang mài bóng một pho tượng hình con voi (Yo, bằng tiếng Mnông) bằng một hòn sỏi nhỏ. Đây là bước đầu tiên trong ba bước đánh bóng, ngay khi đất sét đủ khô để không dính vào đá. Hành động đánh bóng được gọi là “ɲoh”.
Cultural group
Mnong Rlam
Participants
H’Huyên Bhôk (Mai Xiu)
Country
Viet Nam
Place
Yang Tao, Lắk District, Đắk Lắk province
Item/object
Elephant figurine
Techniques of production
Pottery – brunishing
Materials
Mineral-clay, Ceramic-pottery, Stone
Materials alt
Uk (Mnong for clay), Dlah (Mnong for pottery), Mau (Mnong for stone)
Cultural context/event
General production
Location
Courtyard
Temporality
The first polishing happens when the surface is dry enough to not stick to the stone. It is directly followed by the thinning of the walls, by scraping the inside.
Intent
This first polishing step aims at compacting the surface and filling the pores and smooth the irregularities of the surface. It creates a smooth but regularly striped surface.