Feature: FINEST POTTERY IN CAGAYAN VALLEY

The unique indigenous pottery traditions of the Madweng in an Ibanag community in Santa, Maria,
Isabela, located in the interior northwestern part of the province of Isabela, Philippines which boasts its
huge non -metallic deposit of clay. In Sta. Maria, Isabela, pot products are called dweng, an Ibanag term
derived from Madweng, referring to an Ibanag potter who makes and sells pottery products made from
clay and other indigenous materials.

Ibanag pottery tradition was introduced by the Kalingas, kept and used as a significant part of an Ibanag
heritage from their ancestors. Manu-mano or hand modelling, maffulang or painting, magabba or firing,
were some parts of indigenizing methods by the Madweng. Since 1954, no major changes in the method
of manufacture from the teachings of the Kalingas except for a minimal technological advancement in
manufacturing pots using the hurmaan, or molder.

Introducing

Jayson Atal is 50 years old, born on May 27, 1969 and a native of Brgy. Poblacion 3, Santa Maria, Isabela.
It was his mother’s influence who is also a pottery maker that inspired him to join the camaraderie of
pottery makers. Later he joined the business of pottery at the early age of 15. We grew up with this kind
of work, we inherit it from our parents. Since we did not finish schooling, we live this way forever a
madweng. Since then he is doing pottery for 35 years now; a job borne out of passion.

A glimpse of Jayson’s Pottery Procedure

First, prepare the davvun or clay comes from tana or a hilly place. Then the clay is pounded manually or
grinded, it is being placed at the manual potter’s wheel, using the thumb, Jayson will make a hole as the
foundation of the pot Malattukang is an Ibanag term literally means to make a hole.
 From there, using the wet cloth, He will form a pot while he’s rotating the manual potter’s wheel. This is
done systematically and carefully with the aid of a wet soft cloth called “lupedas or gami”a soft rug
which is used to trim the edges of the rim of the pot. For the last stage, the formed clay will be placed at
the blocks of wood and carabao/cow manure and potter’s wheel and burn until it becomes reddish. The
magabba is an Ibanag term which means to cook or firing/ baking stage.

Despite the modernization, he still lives in a traditional way of pottery. There are so many things that
we need to discover, not just infrastructure or traditions, but the people behind our majestic culture.

With these developments, it is expected that, finally, Cagayan Valley can likewise emerge as another
pottery center in the country. Pottery-making can be mellow or action-packed, a filthy and mud-
spattered but it’s always epic.