Ukhrul: Longpiham Artisans Demand Common Workshed

Ukhrul, May 1: Loree Kaju is renowned for its age-old black pottery making, locally known as Hamlei or Longpiham. These traditional pots were once the primary cooking utensils used by the Tangkhul community before the introduction of aluminum cookware.

Today, around 200 villagers are engaged in this craft, most of them being young people. The skill and legacy are passed down from the older to the younger generations. The village proudly boasts three National Awardees, Machihan Sasa, Yaomi Sasa, and Diamond Luiram, and one State Awardee, Chihanpam Sasa.

Speaking to this correspondent, Dearson Sasa, a Longpi pottery artisan, stated, “A common workshed is essential for the village artisans to continue their occupation and sustain their livelihood throughout the year. Without a dedicated workshed, we are forced to reduce production, especially during the rainy season. We cannot store much pottery in our homes due to limited space, which severely hampers our production and way of life. During the dry season, we can maximize output because we can keep our products in open spaces.”

“Ham-Ngalei (special brown clay) is found only in abundance at Sala, while Lishon (serpentine stone) is found in Kaphungram,” said Diamond Luiram, a National Awardee. He explained that the process of making Longpi Hampai is quite unique. In 2016, he even traveled to Tunisia for an exhibition and live demonstration of this traditional craft.

Diamond Luiram described the meticulous process: “The artisan painstakingly collects the serpentine stone and special brown clay from the forest. Both materials are ground into fine powder separately and then mixed together with water. After proper mixing, it takes about an hour or more to shape a standard hampai. The shaped clay pot is left for two days and then thoroughly polished. It is dried for another two days in the hearth or fireplace, as drying it in the sun would cause cracks. On the fifth day, the pot is fired for around 30 minutes and allowed to cool naturally on spread leaves of machithing (a locally available plant). The distinctive black color of Longpiham results from polishing the heated pots with machithing leaves, or from the reaction during the cooling process. The final product is durable and suitable for cooking.”

Also read | Longpi (Nungbi) Black Pottery – Ancient art of the Tangkhul Naga tribe

It is believed that Longpiham was the main cooking utensil among the Tangkhuls before aluminum pots were introduced. Today, it has gained both national and international recognition as a unique cultural craft of the Tangkhul community.

Pottery remains a secondary occupation for many locals but serves as the primary source of income for the artisans of Longpi. The black serpentinite stone and special brown clay essential for this craft are found only in this area.

The Longpiham artisans have also expressed their desire to showcase and sell their products at the upcoming Shirui Lily Festival 2025. They have appealed to the concerned authorities to allot stalls and provide transportation support for their products.

Loree Kaju is located about 37 kilometers north of Ukhrul Headquarters and is connected via National Highway 202 (Imphal–Kohima via Ukhrul to Jessami). It is bordered by Nungbi Khullen to the east, Lunghar to the south, Phungcham to the west, and Kalhang to the north.