I am back in sunny Los Angeles, happy to be home after these enriching months in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
I revel in the memories of this trip and smile in gratitude for all the learning I gained from honoring the purpose of my journey, the passionate curiosity, and the sense of adventure that accompanied me throughout.
I was working with a special clay, a luminous dress that covers the skin of our mother earth in New Mexico, the micaceous clay. I also delved into the millennial traditions of the ancient Pueblo, the Anasazi, and the making of utilitarian cooking vessels that prefer this clay for its thermal resistance and slow cooking.
It is an interesting metaphor to point out that I traveled to nourish my mind with the knowledge of this traditional pottery and my spirit by connecting with another indigenous culture. Still, I never expected that my body would be nourished as well. My ancestors directed me to learn about utilitarian objects in the traditional kitchen. I find it magical that they planned such an integral and holistic apprenticeship.
On the road trip back to Los Angeles, I stopped in the Arizona desert in the middle of nowhere—it reminded me of my travels around Kiskeya—to join a gathering of ancient ceramic potters. There I burned a corrugated Anasazi-style bean pot, which does not allow the overflow of the cooking water. This ancient technique and aesthetic style can be found here in the southwest of the United States, in the Amazon, the Andes, and the Antilles, along with its cultural variations. We are so connected!
I used the bark of the Ponderosa that I had collected in Santa Fe to impregnate the fire clouds, creating an aesthetic style for the exterior of the ceramics.
In this pot, I will cook some delicious beans in the Afro-Taino-Dominican style, and I can't wait to try them with the sweetness the micaceous clay injects into the food. I will share this experience with you, my beloved community, in the following story!
Please enjoy these pictures depicting the traditional Pueblo firing method process and my happy face with my fired bean pot.
Thanks for listening to my story!
Many blessings,
Akutu Irka
Photo credit: Maria Bernardez
