Recognition of the research action area

The community of San Felipe Cuapexco, belongs to the Cohuecan municipality which is located in the west central part of the state of Puebla, its geographical coordinates are 18° 41' 4’' and 18° 50' 48' north latitude and meridians 98° 39' 42’’ and 98° 44' 8’' west longitude. The community is located four kilometers from the county seat. Bordered on the east by the municipality of Acteopan, Puebla; while to the west, south, north and west borders the state of Morelos (^{INAFED, 2013}) (Figure 1).

Figure 1 Location of the community of San Felipe Cuapexco. 

The community has a total population of 629 persons, of which 298 are men and 331 are women; the total population is distributed in 155 houses and has a high level of marginalization and low levels of formal education (^{CONAPO, 2010}).The main productive activities include primary production sector such as corn, beans, peanuts, sorghum and amaranth; beside the backyard is used to establish ornamental plants, vegetables, herbs and seasonings. In livestock predominates the use of fowls, pigs, sheep, goats and working animals (horses) which are raised in the backyard under a “rustic” or traditional system with a low number of animals per species. An activity of great importance is clay pottery for manufacturing griddles (comales), pots and jars, which is developed by more than 80% of the families in the community.

Methodological procedure established

As mentioned above, the present research lies in the scope of participatory processes so it takes elements of the proposed participatory action research developed by ^{Yopo (1981)}, in combination with elements of quantitative research such as census, survey, semi-structured and in-depth interview.

The general process of this research was conducted in seven iterative phases grouped in two steps described below:

Comales production in San Felipe Cuapexco

The pottery has been practiced in the community for 200 years, which has generated a vast experience in the production of griddles (comales). In relation with the local people experience in this activity, the census found that 5% of the potters have more than 61 years, 33% have about 30 years, 40% between 16 and 29 years and 22% have less than 15 years in this activity. In many household pottery is practice in function of their agricultural work, this coincides with the statements made by ^{Morales (2011)}, ^{Moctezuma (2010)} and ^{Turok (2006)}. In the community of Cuapexco during sowing season of the main extensive crops, griddles making stops. However, 34% of the potters does not interrupt the pottery activity because it is their core business and do it all year round. During the dry season, the female potters spend 4 to 8 hours per day making comales without neglecting housework.

It is noteworthy that 79% of the potters is dedicated exclusively to make comales, 8% makes pots, 9%, produces both products (griddles and pots), and 2% makes comales and clay figures. Specializing in making comales have been given because it allows time available for performing other activities (agriculture, backyard and other works) beside because this activity can be interrupted; contrary to the manufacture of jars which production involved several hours of continuous labor and should not be interrupted because the necessity to assembly several parts. Besides the jars are deprecated in the region and therefore its processing and marketing has declined.

Rating pottery production in the lifestyle. For 51% of FPU (familiar production units) practicing pottery consider this activity as important as agriculture, because it is an activity that adds significant economic resources to the household economy and according to their own opinions of female potters and male pottery "with a single productive activity they could not survive "; while for 34% of potters is more important agriculture; against 12% of them consider most important pottery because it generates more income and 3% consider most important other kind of work in relation with the pottery.

For women, the work invested in the manufacture of comales has allowed them to attend their children even when they are single or widowed mothers, and for those living with their husbands, selling comales adds economic resources to their families. As themselves indicate "to make comales always lets you eat, otherwise, you not eat".

Comales production process. As described by ^{Morales (2011)}, ^{Mendez (2008)}, ^{Osorno and Nayra (2008)}, the comales production process are divided into the following three phases:

a) Obtaining and preparing the clay. It is get for free from the "mine clay" located in the site called Tlaxtlala in the oaks hill that is less than a kilometer from the community. Usually the family head (husband) is the person in charge of removing the mud with picks and shovels and haul it home. The clay obtained is dried on a canvas or on the pavement of the street, at the same time large clods are fractionated hitting them with a stick or leave the cars and people tread down it, the stones are also removed in order to grind the clay with a hammer mill. During grinding two types of clay are combined in order to obtain a clay mass more pliable. Another available resource and that is required to make comales is sand, which is obtained from the river that runs through the community. Inputs such as firewood and paint come from other regions and are purchased by potters because there are people who take them to the community.

The preparation of the mass of clay is a work done mainly by women. They prepare certain amount of mud: combine water and clay on top of a plastic or on a wheelbarrow and with his hands they made the mix. Once the mix of clay is ready, it is placed in the forms of balls or sticks into plastic bags in order to ferment overnight and without lose its original moisture content.

b) Molding. The next day, after done housework, women potters start working with the clay: in a table of stone or wood, spread fine sand that serves as nonstick, place the ball of clay and with the help of a special stone (sprinkling of dry clay powder) they extend and flatten the mass of clay. When the piece has a thickness of one centimeter and diameter according to the size indicated to be obtained, it is moved to the mold in order to sanding it with a wet stone turning it until a concave shape printing the figure of a cock. Finally with a thread, the edge protruding mold is cut and polished with a wet rag. After molding the griddle, it is carried to a shaded place (sometimes under a tree) in order to reduce its moisture content and after some minutes move to sunny place to accelerate the drying time is reduced. When the griddle is already aired, it is painted with a red color made with red clay.

c) Baking product. The baking is done during the evenings and takes about 2 or 3 hours. Ovens are made with adobe brick or block and are built by the potters themselves and their capacities vary depending on how many comales want to burn: 70, 100 or 200 griddles.

Rustic comales marketing. The rustic comales produced in Cuapexco have the characteristic of being resistant to fire and have a shelf life of up to one year. Most potters sell their product to intermediaries from other communities and regions or even from the same community, this agrees with ^{Fernandez (2003)}, which mentions that the main form of marketing earthenware is through intermediaries. Only a few people from other communities or regions (Hueyapan, Zacualpa and Cuautla, Morelos state, and San Juan Amecac, Cohuecan and Atlixco, Puebla State) offer their products directly to the consumers door to door, getting until 35 pesos for large comal.

Production costs. The majority of potters unknown both costs and quantities of items used in comales production, for that reason it was estimated the cost of production referred to 150 comales in the FPU of Don Ildefonso, based on the production of large comal. This could be a first approximation of raw materials quantities are involved and have a reference for the analysis of production costs to other potters. For determining it, the price of clay, water, wood, sand and labor (Table 1) was added. Artisans generally only consider the costs involved in the purchase of inputs such as wood, paint, water, and ground transfer clay and do not take into account their investment work, neither the price of clay and sand, in the case that these materials must be buy. From an analysis of 30 FPU producers of comales, and with reference to the production of 100 griddles, it was determined that the average cost is $1 171.14 at a unit cost of $11.7.

The family production units (FPU) with more productive assets (mill, oven and wheel) have a higher production capacity. Those with the highest assets (10 to 14.6) produce an average of 2 350 comales per year, while those with a lower rate of assets (0 to 3.8) produce an average of 1 572 comales per year. It also noted that production costs are lower for FPU that occur throughout the year, with the highest average assets and greater capacity for baking parts (Table 2); while for those who produce few months have the highest cost of production.

Determining the action line

To determine the action line, it were conducted three participatory workshops where artisans problems faced, highlighting in order of importance: the low price of their products; the absence of an exclusive workshop for activity; kneading the mud as it is a task that requires a lot of physical effort and finally the lack of firewood as an available resource in the community.

The FODA analysis indicated that the main weaknesses of the production and constrain it are those related with the drying process, the lack of regulation of the temperature in the ovens, lost by broken during baking griddles, lack of support that can get the potters and uncontrolled extraction of the raw materials. Furthermore, within the threats that stand in the production of comales are some neighboring communities that have usurped the image of the cock, distinctive Cuapexco potters and the presence of intermediaries who buy the production driving prices to their own convenience.

Nevertheless each problem was analyzed in depth and possible proposed solutions were identified, in this occasion we only describe the proposals made to the problem of low products prices, as this was the one that marked the group's future actions. The proposals were aimed at: 1) make other products with clay like flat figures or pots; 2) add features to rustic comal to increase their economic value; 3) obtain trademark for the cock; and 4) organize to establish direct sales channels to consumers in other towns or other municipalities.

After analyzing the information among participants (potters and researchers), it was determined that the main problem to be faced is the low economic value of their comales, defining the painting and decorating them to transform their use in decorative-craft would be an alternative to develop, as it is presented as the most viable from an economic, social and cultural vision of the potters and the working group, because it requires a low economic investment, respects the activities and times of potters and seeks to capture and rescue the culture of the community. Further it was argued that the comales that would be decorate must be of stove size, it is, three times smaller than the largest comal.

Participatory work: teaching-learning process

After identifying the line of action, this work proceeded to establish a teaching-learning process to add or change features of the rustic comales (Figure 2). The learning sessions involved a total of 35 people, 8 of which were girls, 5 boys, 17 women over 15 years and 5 men over 20 years. The presence of people was very different: 40% of participants attended constantly, including young women between 16 and 40 years, girls between 7 to 14 years, and a man of 23 years old.

Figure 2 Participatory and training workshops. 

Women and girls who attended constantly worked with group integration, collaborative sense and good communication, helping between them when there was a complication in the development of his painting. Under this form of work several female potters discovered their own skills and qualities to paint, as they are not believed capable of doing the job, in many occasions they were surprised by the work themselves did and were motivated to do their best work.

The process of teaching-learning established in this work encouraged the development of capacities, leading to the established by ^{Reason and Bradbury (2008)}, “to generate valuable knowledge to transform reality”, which is found in the following opinions of some females potters.

A benefit not covered by this participatory process, expressed by the participants was "living in a different home space cleared and removed the stress of the daily chores at home". During the learning sessions there were two people who liked the work and made 30 comales orders eachm such sale motivated to continue painting and improve their work.

Based on the characteristics of their participation, female potters can be considered as entrepreneurs, therefore, as exemplified ^{Okhomina (2010)} it is pertinent to analyze the characteristics of production context. The artisans who had a constant participation came from households with higher production capacity in pottery, both by a greater asset availability and frequency of production.

Relevant aspects involved in the decorated comales selling. As important element to identify whether it was on the right track with respect to market for new products the potters participated in various marketing events. Several members of the group attended three craft fairs on different dates, one in the town of Zacualpan of Amilpas, Morelos (23 and 24 November 2012), and two in Puebla capital on 14, 15 and 16 December 2012 and April 19-21 of 2013 (Figure 3). During the exhibition, 95% of the griddles were sold. During these events valuable consumer opinions were rescued and a study was conducted through surveys to study the perceptions of current consumers and potential consumers. It was observed that hand painted comales (acrylic technique) had more acceptance among the survey of people who like to buy crafts and about the designs were preferred those with landscape paintings of nature (22.4%), rustic landscapes (17.9%) and flowers (14.9%).

Figure 3 Handcrafts from Cuapexco stand and display of decorated comales. 

The consumer ratings expressed in money on what they can or are willing to pay for a product is certainly related to their income, what they like, with the genre belongs (Table 3), and some other features. In the analysis by occupation, it was observed that to be a housewife or have some other activity as an employee or trader does not determine a trend of things about the amount to pay for the decorated comales.

The variables that make an effect as to pay a higher price for the painted griddles are: having higher income and being female. Although the evaluation that gives the consumer about the type of hand-painted comales compared with those that have stickers, does not meet the rule of significance, it can be said that it is important the difference between what consumers can pay, as it is willing to pay an average of 70 pesos for this product. This agrees with the point made by (^{Ramos et al., 2000}; ^{Fernandez, 2003}; ^{Hernández et al., 2005}; ^{Herrera, 2007}; ^{García, 2009}) in the sense that it a good idea to improve the handcraft quality to expand its market.