Foto: Gabriel Asenie para Rewilding Chile
Publication on the origins of pottery making in Chile Chico launched
The booklet was presented as part of the closing milestone of the Arts and Nature cycle at Patagonia National Park, a program promoted by Rewilding Chile and facilitated by Pulso Austral that has trained more than 60 women over three periods in techniques such as ceramics.
As a collaborative effort between Rewilding Chile, Pulso Austral, and the Ceramists of Patagonia collective, the booklet “The Ceramics of Chile Chico” was launched. The publication brings together, in the voices of its protagonists, the origins of a pottery tradition whose distinctive hallmark is the martineta—a bird endemic to the area—along with other emblematic designs.
“We realized there was an untold story, with no records or documentation, about a generation of ceramists who were very prolific in the 1980s and later became fragmented,” explained Cecilia Moura, Co-Director of Pulso Austral. For her, the initiative “is an act of justice for the history of Chile Chico and for the artisans who shaped this heritage.”
The booklet was presented during the closing milestone of the second Arts and Nature cycle at Patagonia National Park, a program promoted by Rewilding Chile and facilitated by Pulso Austral that has trained more than 60 women from different parts of Patagonia in techniques such as ceramics, with the aim of recovering and highlighting trades connected to the environments where they live. In fact, one of the activities of the most recent cycle was a mold-making workshop based on historical designs.
“This closing milestone is a concrete example of how conservation is also built through culture, memory, and local trades. The craftsmanship of Chile Chico reflects a deep relationship with the territory, and recognizing that bond is essential to strengthening communities that care for and inhabit Patagonia National Park. As a foundation, we believe in processes where people, their knowledge, and nature come together and engage in respectful and collaborative dialogue,” said Carolina Cerda, Director of Community Engagement at Rewilding Chile Foundation.
“This closing milestone is a concrete example of how conservation is also built through culture, memory, and local trades. The craftsmanship of Chile Chico reflects a deep relationship with the territory, and recognizing that bond is essential to strengthening communities that care for and inhabit Patagonia National Park. As a foundation, we believe in processes where people, their knowledge, and nature come together and engage in respectful and collaborative dialogue”
During the event, attendees were able to learn about the creative process behind the pieces, engage in dialogue with the artisans, and take part in a hands-on ceramics experience, allowing them to connect directly with the craft and the identity of the territory. The first attendees received copies of the booklet, further strengthening access to content that preserves the area’s biocultural memory.
“For us, it was a very beautiful and enriching experience because we were teaching the girls who had just begun working with clay. They started from scratch, while we already knew a bit more,” said Liliana Triviño, a participant in the Arts and Nature program. For her, the publication of “The Ceramics of Chile Chico” is “a tremendous source of pride for us, because through it people will get to know the Ceramists of Patagonia even more.”
You can view the publication here (only in spanish) and if you would like to learn more about the Friends of the Parks program, follow us on Instagram @amigos_pn_patagonia.