Tenzin Dakpa (བསྟན་འཛིན་གྲགས་པ།), a pottery master from the Nayo family, and Tsering Tso (ཚེ་རིང་མཚོ), a silversmith and goldsmith as well as business manager, are the couple behind the Nayo Oldhouse Pottery Center.
The name “Oldhouse” comes from the exact location of the center: it is an authentic old Tibetan house, one of the very few still existing and inhabited in the area. Belonging to the Nayo family, the house carries nearly three centuries of history and represents a precious piece of local material culture. The couple inherited it and made the conscious decision to continue living there, combining their home with their workshop.
Tenzin Dakpa began his journey in pottery at the age of thirteen. Willing to learn the craft, his father, the same visionary father of Tashi Choetso (Nayo Weaving Center), sent him to pottery classes. Since 2001, first training at the well-known Dzaken Tsang Pottery Center and later, in 2019, opening his own workshop, he has continuously cultivated his mastery of clay.
The artifacts are made from locally sourced clay, collected through the traditional process: a hole must be dug at least 5 meters deep, wide enough for two people to enter. One person digs while the other holds a lamp and, after a while, the roles are changes. In older time light was given by yak butter lamps, now we use battery torches. When he first began, he was too young and small to dig and descend into the hole, so he used to accompany and observe the older artisans, but soon he started searching for the clay independently. At the beginning he was afraid, but over time he learned, gaining confidence and eventually becoming an expert in the materials-collection and in the craft.
The pottery center itself was established in 2019, and its birth was made possible thanks to Tsering Tso. Observing her husband’s growing skill and dedication, she envisioned a way to combine their abilities and build something together. She speaks Chinese, which allowed the business to open to a wider range of customers, and she took responsibility for marketing and communication. At the same time, she decided to learn silver and goldsmithing. At 25 years old, sensing future possibilities and redirecting her career path, she began studying at the Gold and Smith Filigree Studio in Menshod. During the training, she created her first piece: a ponggyen (སྤང་རྒྱན), a traditional Tibetan jewel, on the creation of which she spent two months. From there, her expertise steadily grew and is now visible in the pieces she creates in collaboration with her husband.
Innovation is one of the defining traits of their center. Before starting their business, production focused mainly on traditional designs. However, new customers brought new expectations, and they chose to respond to market demand without abandoning their roots. One of their most innovative product lines is jewelry that clearly blends tradition and modernity. Turquoise (གཡུ), dzi (གཟི), and other traditional stones are incorporated into clay and silver bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and even trengwa (ཕྲེང་བ), the Tibetan prayer bead. Clay jewelry is especially renowned for its ability to absorb fragrances; it is said that if sprayed with perfume, the fragrance can last for one or two months.
Their success in making these products reflects the strength of their partnership. As said, without her, he would not be able to run the center. Their collaboration can be compared to the traditional Tibetan milk container, wozam (འོ་ཟམ), made from two types of wood: juniper and alpine pine. In Tibetan culture, juniper represents the male element and alpine pine the female. Only when combined do they create a perfectly sealed container. In the same way, the pottery center functions through the union of Tsering Tso and Tenzin Dakpa. The key, according to them, is mutual understanding, mutual support, and the nurturing of ideas from both sides. As Tsering Tso explains, “it is not necessary that she always likes his work, or vice versa, what matters is supporting each other”.
This unity is further enriched by the Oldhouse itself. Why start the business in the Oldhouse instead of building a new workshop? Because both their art and their identity are deeply connected to traditional culture. Living and working in the Oldhouse, a living museum, is both a privilege and a responsibility. The house holds immeasurable value and stands as one of the very few remaining examples of ancient architectural history in Menshod. Indeed, its importance is widely recognized, and many local people visit to learn about it, especially monks from the Dzongsar Institute, who, during holidays often come to the Oldhouse to study and observe its structure. Looking ahead, the Oldhouse is set to become an official museum: the registration process is already underway, with the documentation submitted to the government.
Thinking about the future, they are committed to continuing traditional art within a traditional space, enriched by innovative elements. They aim to expand their market while maintaining deep respect toward Tibetan culture, ensuring that it remains alive, honored, and evolving.
