Story behind your Clay Vessel

Longpi is famous for age old pottery making locally called Longpi Ham. It is believed that Longpi ham used to be the main cooking utensil among the Tangkhuls before the advent of aluminum pots. Longpi ham as of today has attained national and international popularity. Longpi pottery is one unique art where the potters do not use the potter's wheel.

Longpi Pottery

Longpi ham is made from a mixed paste of ground black serpentinite stone and a special brown clay. As claimed by the locals, the clay is native to only Longpi village. After the pots are shaped, polished and sun dried they are heated in a bonfire and thereafter polished with a special tree leaf locally called Chiron ni. The black color of Longpi ham is a result of polishing the heated earthen pots with the tree leaf. Pottery is the secondary occupation of the populace and is the main source of income for the artisans.