Tradición en el saber alfarero. Caso de Monte Alegre, Municipio de Mochitlán

Abstract

Pottery is one of the oldest and most widespread
trades in Mexico and the world, in the case of the
town of Monte Alegre in the state of Guerrero there
is no information about the time that women are
dedicating to this activity. Therefore the present
research is oriented in analyzing how the traditional
knowledge in the pottery women influences to
maintain the production of pottery in the locality.
For generations the pottery knowledge has been
transmitted informally among the women of Monte
Alegre, passing from mothers to daughters or from
mothers-in-law
to daughters-in-law. The
information that has been obtained so far has been
through techniques with a qualitative approach.
The pottery in Monte Alegre is utilitarian and of
domestic use, in addition it is considered like an
economic activity of complementarity to the
agriculture of self consumption. The women potters
are in charge of the extraction of the mud, manual
elaboration and commercialization of the pieces
during the town festival. Combining their activities
of mothers, wives and potters within the house and
the locality. While the men migrate for seasons to
Los Cabos in search of jobs, making pottery a
culturally feminine activity.