His Story in Pottery

When we arrived in Vigan, we immediately thought about Calle Crisologo. Let’s face it; this street is like the trademark of Vigan city—cobblestones, restaurants and romantic lights. Who would have thought that a place called Pagburnayan Pottery House, where traditionally-made jars are created, exists? Upon arrival, we were in awe of how they were able to preserve such a practice. It clearly shows how they value history and tradition, something that is quite lacking in today’s youth.

Mang Cristacio, a family man with two kids, keeps the rich tradition of Vigan alive by making jars or tapayan. He has mastered the art and complexity of the tapayan since he has been making these jars for over 31 years now. Mang Cristacio starts the day early and has to be at the Pagburnayan Pottery House by 8 o’clock in the morning. He knows that each day would be a busy one—tourists bustling in and him making jars to be sold. Different sizes of jars are being made in the pottery house every day and Mang Cristacio will make whatever it is that will be assigned to him. He starts by making the clay for the jars, mixing soil and water until it reaches a certain consistency. He then puts the right amount of clay into the potter’s wheel, spins it, and precisely molds the clay into perfection. When tourists arrive, Mang Cristacio also demonstrates and assists tourists on jar-making so that they can have the full Vigan experience. For Mang Cristacio, he is thankful that he was born in Vigan City because he can make traditional jars, which he considers as a form of showcasing talent and self-expression.

We found Rizal in Mang Cristacio because he believed that the youth is the hope of the nation, that the youth should be raised right since we are the ones that will be leading this country to a better future. However, he cannot really tell if the Filipino youth of today is in the right direction since he does not really know them. Like Rizal, he knows how important it is to express one’s self and to value freedom. According to Mang Cristacio, we would not have been free if Rizal, a bayani, did not write Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Because of these writings, our country was able to fight for freedom; “Dahil sa mga nagawa niya po, nakaya nating maipaglaban ang ating kalayaan.” Mang Cristacio admires Rizal, saying that there are a lot of qualities in the hero that he likes. For Mang Cristacio, Rizal fought for the rights of the Filipinos, including him, so the hero is someone that he looks up to.

Mang Cristacio gave importance to what Rizal had done for the country. He considered himself blessed because he was able to take part in the freedom that resulted from Rizal’s works and effort. This trip to Pagburnayan Pottery house and the little chitchat with Mang Cristacio made us realize one important thing: it is possible to remember history and never forget.

#hero