In the Awajún universe, producing pottery is the product of a dynamic relationship between knowledge, ritual, and mythical narration. The designs painted on the ceramics normally have some type of geometric pattern that reflect elements found in nature like parts of animals, plants, fish, and leaves. They are handmade from clay, natural pigments and tree resins, and are fired on an open flame. On December 14 2021, the Awajún were recognized by UNESCO who declared the values, knowledge, wisdom and practices of the Awajún people associated with ceramics as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, highlighting the value of this art that is passed down from generation to generation.
We believe in long term relationship building with individuals and their communities who have consented to sharing their knowledge with us and the public. As multi-generational migrants, locals and foreigners, we seek to nurture a mutual understanding of the realities, ancestral and present, with our Indigenous collaborators through our practice in order to create didactic audio, visual and written representations of their ancestral knowledge for the benefit of the Indigenous people. Below is an open work of this documentation.
Photography: Davis Torres / Tui Anandi / Mike van Kruchen
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