About the Potter and the Clay Hippo

My name is Mr. John Chierico Barimah. My wife’s name is Youripuor Barimah. She became a potter in 1998 and now supplies the local gift shop with her hand made clay hippos. She is every excited that some of her hippos have gone to Canada to the Calgary Zoo gift shop. They are unique souvenirs that I think will make many people happy.

My father’s name is Barimah Chierico. My children are Dabuo Barimah, N-nabaali Barimah, Youriwine Barimah and Jerry Barimah.

The soil at the Hippo Sanctuary is ideal for pottery and construction. People use it to build their houses - even the roof. The clay can be shaped into other things too … like hippos! Using an old flip-flop, the hippo is smoothed and shaped. After drying in the sun for several days, the hippos are fired in an open pit. This is the reason that the firing is not equal across the entire figurine.