Obubajjo Bufuuka Obubaani — Emyaka 225 egy'Omulimu gw'Emikono, 80 mu Maka Gamu

Mu 1946, omusajja ayitibwa Meeran yaggulawo ekifo w'akolera ebyokuzannyisa mu Channapatna, akabuga akali mu Karnataka, mu bukiikaddyo bwa India. Oluvannyuma lw'emyaka kinaana, bazzukulu be bakyali ku mulimu gwe gumu. Ekifo ekyo kiyitibwa Meeran Art & Crafts, era bo bali mu mulembe ogwokusatu.

Omulimu gwe baasikira gusinga amaka gaabwe obukulu n'emyaka nga kikumi mu ataano. Channapatna ebadde ebajja embaawo n'egisiiga lac okumala emyaka nga 225. Ng'ab'ekifo kino bwe banyumya, byonna byatandika Tipu Sultan, omufuzi wa Mysore, bwe yaleeta abakugu b'emikono Abaperusi okuyigiriza ababazzi b'omu kitundu omulimu gw'okubajja nga basiiga lac. Amaka gano si ge gaatandika obulombolombo buno. Baabwegattako, ne balyoka babukuuma.

Turned and lacquered pieces in Channapatna, Karnataka — Meeran Art & Crafts

Embaawo eyakozesebwa ye aale mara — embaawo enjeru, mu Lulattini Wrightia tinctoria — nnango bumala okugibajjira ku lathe ekukutibwa n'omukono, ate nga nkalubo bumala okugumira omwana. Oluusi mwe muyingira n'omuti gwa sandalwood ne rosewood. Langi eva mu lac, envumbo eva mu butonde, egattibwa wamu ne langi ez'ebimera. Enkola omulimu guno gwe gwaggya erinnya kwe kubajja nga basiiga: langi bagisiiga embaawo ng'ekyeetooloola.

The colour goes on while the piece is still spinning

Ate waliwo ekintu ekitali kyangu kwerabira. Obubajjo n'obutundutundu bw'embaawo obuva ku lathe tebuyerwa ne busuulibwa mu kasasiro. Bukuŋŋaanyizibwa, ne bufuulibwa obubaani.

What comes off the lathe is collected, not swept into a bin

Ekyo si kigambo omuntu kye yeeteerawo okuteeka ku katabo k'okwelanga. Bw'atyo akabuga bwe kabadde kakolera bulijjo — nga kakola ekyo kye tuyita kati sustainability, kwe kugamba okukozesa buli kimu nga tewali kisuulibwa, nga kaakikola emyaka nga ebikumi bibiri emabega, nga tewannabaawo muntu eyali yeetaaga kigambo kya kukiyita.