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People Of The River
NativeAmericanArts.com
The quiet calm of the Catawba
River shows no signs that it knows of its own power. As it flows
through North and South Carolina, this amazing, winding river
flows over river banks that Catawba Indian Nation potters believe
are made of gold.
They call themselves yeh
is- WAH h’reh, or “People of the River.” An
appropriate moniker for these gifted people whose pottery comes
from the banks of the river itself.
Often referred to by the
potters as gold, the clay that makes the beautiful bowls, effigies,
and vessels comes from clay holes found on the river’s banks.
The location of these clay holes remains a secret to all but the
potters and their families, making the Catawba Indian pottery
not only beautiful, but also mysterious.
The potters claim that
this special location along the Catawba River holds clay unlike
that found anywhere else on its banks. The location of the clay
holes has been handed down through generations of potters. The
Catawba Indian Nation potters insist that these are the only locations
in which their gold can be found, and that no other clay on the
river’s banks will do.
Family tradition is an
essential part of making Catawba pottery. In addition to the location
of the clay pits, the skills needed to make Catawba Pottery are
handed down from generation to generation. The tools used to make
the pottery are minimal, but these too are often handed down from
family members.
For a Catawba Indian Nation
potter, traveling down the banks of the Catawba to gather clay
for a new pot must be an exciting trip. Could it be that this
clay is truly unlike clay found anywhere else on the river? Or
is it simply the knowledge that their ancestors worked the same
ground that inspires something special in the work of these potters?
Whether truth or inspiration, the Catawba potters’ gold
truly lives up to its name.
Concealed
Spline Publishing LLC
606 Williams Apt. 1122
Royal Oak Mi 48067
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