Page 10 - aruba-today-20210202

Tuesday 2 February 2021 locAl
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Material earth, native clay Episode XC - 90

ORANJESTAD — Imagine tracing cultural and social
transformation through works of clay. Connecting us with
our origins through its main element, the earth, who has
the millennial age of the planet and gives it its name.

Working with clay is a passion and profession taught from
generation to generation that releases a feeling through
which cultures and artisans expressed themselves. If we al-
low children to interact with the clay, we promote their cre-
ativity and development, since when modeling creations
with their own hands, they develop sensory perception.
The act of shaping the mixture is almost instinctive and
comes naturally. It is an impulse that helps develop fine mo-
tor skills and leads us to discover how a little flexible material
can take the shape that our ingenuity dictates. That natural-

ness of molding dates back forever be- in to ceramic.
cause the clay bowl is like the brother of Clay works reflect our energy. Every shape
the stone ax, both being the first utensils and detail printed on what we create
that humanity introduced to its daily life says something about who we are. Work-
during the Neolithic period. ing with clay is a work of self-knowledge
There is a great legacy of ancient cities, where creativity arises through emotion
monuments, ceremonial, musical, funer- and fluency. Etnia Nativa treats raw clay
ary and home-use objects made in clay, in the native traditional way. We identify
which protected a great part of the cus- the best material by hunting for raw clay.
toms and worldview of our ancestors. For this we distinguish high quality clay
There is a current trend in which many from the rest of the earth. Then adding
people are now reconnecting with an- water we purify the material thus contrib-
cestral trades such as pottery, weaving, uting to the cleaning process. During this
cooking, etc. because through them they stage the clay is purified and detoxified,
achieve a relaxing moment. The dedi- dehydrating and thus we begin to mold
cation and concentration that manual our forms.
work requires helps organize ideas and Having on hand tools necessary for work-
even clarify thoughts and feelings. In the ing with clay such as wooden sticks,
case of working with clay, it is valuable to cutters, brushes are useful to achieve
discover creativity, decide what to do as attractive results, without forgetting the
well as use the clay to mold emotions of ceramic lathe.q
fear or anger.
Human beings are molded and written
on like clay tablets looking all the same To get to know a little more regard-
however none are equal to each other. ing Aruba’s and its cultural origins we
Manual work (weaving, wood carving, highly recommend you to book your
embroidery, pottery) gives us the oppor- participation in our cultural encoun-
tunity to spend time intensely concentrat- ter session.
ing on what we forge with our hands. At
Etnia Nativa. we think that trades should A mind opening revelation and en-
be considered active meditations par tertaining island experience.
excellence. Working with clay we inter-
act with four elements: earth, wind, fire Mail us at etnianativa03@gmail.com,
and water. The earth gives us its matter our facilities and activities take place
that the water molds and the air purifies close to high rise hotels.
it to deliver it to the fire that crystallizes it