Lombok Pottery from Indonesia

On the island of Lombok in Indonesia, women have been making pottery for more than 500 years. Learned from their mothers and taught to their daughters, it is a tradition they call “turun temurun.” Working in their homes, they handform each piece using clay that is dug nearby.They bring their pieces to a communal area for firing in a pit covered with coconut husks. Only women are permitted membership in Lombok Pottery Center cooperative. When a member retires, she can pass her membership to a daughter who is over the age of 17. This opportunity to earn money has helped them send their children to high school and college and it has given them a place in their community they would not otherwise have. Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade pioneer, partners with Lombok Pottery Center to sell their unique handmade pottery in the U.S. http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/indonesia/lombok