Clay, Land, Family, and Labor
An ancient tradition comes to life in a small, mountainous corner of Boyacá, Colombia. These clay pots are not just art; they are the living memory of a tradition on the verge of disappearing.
Ancestral Echoes: Clay and Indigenous Heritage
Originally from the rural heart of Tuate Bajo, between the municipalities of Belén and Tutazá, these extraordinary clay pieces are a tangible echo of the region's deep Indigenous roots. This powerful artisanal legacy has, for centuries, been a shared cultural identity throughout the area.
These pieces are essential tools for life, not mere ornaments. They were traditionally used to roast grains, prepare food, and ferment beverages. Each pot, jar, or comal serves a specific vital function: a window into the ancient worldview and daily needs of Andean communities.
The Guardian: Hands That Remember
The soul of this endangered art resides in the hands of María Isabel García Ayala, a master potter whose journey began at the age of seven. Today, at 69, María Isabel embodies 62 uninterrupted years of this ancestral knowledge, passed down directly from her ancestors. She is a living monument to tradition.
María Isabel is one of the last three potters fighting to keep the fire burning. Centuries of wisdom are at risk of being extinguished with her generation.
The Sacred Ritual: A Dialogue with the Earth
The creation of this pottery is a sacred and arduous ritual: a profound dialogue between the artisan and the land of Boyacá.
Extraction and Purification: The process requires long walks to obtain the specific clay, which is then purified using ancestral techniques passed down exclusively among the women of the lineage.
Shaping: Using the "buruco," or block of clay as a base, master hands precisely shape each piece. After drying, the pot is coated with "colorado," a reddish earth. The distinctive shine of the pottery comes not from a glaze, but from meticulous polishing with a fine and smooth stone.
The Test of Fire: After days of careful drying, the pieces face their final test in an open-air firing. Hours of slow, supervised firing culminate in pieces steeped in history, love, and the cultural tradition of Tuate Bajo.
A Legacy at Risk: Preserving the Flame
Supporting the pottery of Tuate Bajo is much more than acquiring a work of art. It is helping to safeguard a language of the land, ensuring that the last breath of this Indigenous heritage is not extinguished.
Protecting these hands is preserving the fire of Boyacá's soul.
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