Ibro Šabanović interview with handwheel in workshop, Liješevo: describing wooden tools used in pottery making. Making bardak (small jug)

Ibro Šabanović interview with handwheel in workshop, Liješevo: making bardak (water-pourer). He starts by saying [0:10 mins.]that the bardak form used to be the most popular and commonly made in his youth (he was born in 1960) as they were still used, especially in the bathroom and kitchen, at a time when people didn't have piped water in their homes. Now he says he makes mostly smaller versions as 'souvenirs'. When asked about 'ibrik' (a form of vessel like bardak, but with a pedestal) he said these were of copper (although these are included in the inventory Popovic published in 1957). In past days they made 'bardak of c. 3 litres and another sort, 'krbulja' of 10 litres [2:00 mins.]. He doubts the interviewer (RC) had ever seen this form, which didn't have a 'nos' (nozzle) but only a small spout like a jug. When asked if this is like vrč (jug) he said that this was for different things, like jam and sour cream, etc. (does he mean ćup?). He continues to make the bardak: affter making the basic form he adds a handle then,opposite it, makes a hole for the nozzle though which he inserts the blunt end of a short stick which he uses to support the inside of the handle while securing it from the outside. He emphasises that this tool "helps" with the process [3:00 mins.]. He then applies a stamp of the name of a commercial customer (a restaurant) to the side of the vessel - this is something new that customers seek nowadays. When asked if he will immediately paint the pot he says that this one will not be decorated but left 'natural'; but if he had wanted to decorate then it would be done immediately after forming. He then shows the red oxide ("boja") used for painting [4:00 mins.], which he says is now in the form of dust which needs mixing with water to make it useable. He also shows the feather which which he 'draws' the paint onto the pot. He makes the nozzle ("nos") for the bardak by shaping a clay ball around a tapering stick then finessing the wide end by pinching [from 3:54 - 6.00 mins.] while I ask about Adem Pušcul whom RC visited in 1990. He says that there were about the same number of potters in the village then, about 10, never 100, as always. He explains that in earlier times, a family might have 10 members of which one would make pottery, another 'dug' (?perhaps he means clay or agricultural work), another 'looked after' others, etc., etc. Not all of them made pots. There was always division of labour. In the meantime he attaches the nozzle [from 6:00 - 7:00 mins.], smoothing it onto the body over the large hole made in order to secure the handle, then soothing the upper, narrow pouring end. When asked, Ibro says that he has never seen a woman potter in the village, but they help with all other aspects of the process, drying etc. He thinks that digging and preparing clay would be difficult for women, but forming is not physically too hard. When he worked with his father they used two wheels in the same workshop space. Now, his son Ibrahim uses Ibro's wheel when Ibro is not working on it. He doesn't currently see the need for them to have two wheels [8:10 mins.]. He looks outside [8:40 mins.] with concern at the rain, which may affect the firing he is currently carrying out. He moves the end of the newly-attached nozzle of the bardak down a little to give it a curved appearance, then pulls the narrower upper part (throat and rim) of the vessel towards him, away from the nozzle, explaining that this compensates for when the vessel dries and that upper part of the vessel tends to shrink closer to the nozzle. RC asks about 'šeha' form (like bardak but with a domed cap over the rim) which he says wasused by the old people (i.e. in former times). Now he takes the pot off the wheel [9:42 mins.] and places it on a shelf to dry, then leaves the workshop to tend the kiln [10:07 mins.].