Largest clay pot (baked)

The largest clay pot (baked) is 3.531 m (11 ft 58 in) X 7.503 m (24 ft 61 in), and was achieved by Mmala Oefile and The Big Pot Africa (both Botswana) in Molepolole, Gaborone, Botswana, on 12 December 2020.

As an art teacher and a practicing artist, Mmala wanted to challenge themself internationally by attempting this record. The clay pot is of significance as it's important to preserve their culture with the use of African primitive technology and by permanently embedding setswana/sekwana pottery patterns (lekgapo) into the design.

Planning of the large clay pot started in 2018 and took an entire year. The project then commenced in 2019 and then took 2 years to be completed which is a year and a half longer than their initial planned time frame.

The clay pot was created using a combination of two types of clays sourced from their local area - a brown, coarse clay which has strengthening properties and reduces shrinkage, and a red clay which is more pliable. In addition, they added 'lentswana' (grog) which is a raw material used for ceramics to create their final clay mixture. The pot was then baked with dried cow dung as it absorbs heat slowly and cools slowly which is important to help prevent cracks.

The team overcame many unexpected challenges along the way including Covid-19 lockdowns, issues with the clay such as shrinkage, uncontrollable cracks as well as the changing seasons which triggered different behaviors from their clay. The final product is different to what they had originally imagined as they had to alter the initial shape and size due to prevailing challenges.

The team received monetary support and voluntary services such as videography and photography, surveyors and witnesses to help them achieve the record.

When asked what being a Guinness World Records title holder means to Mmala, they express the following: "It would mean the world to me. The legacy I have dreamt of."