Foto: Gabriel Asenie para Rewilding Chile
Rewilding Chile Foundation and Pulso Austral launch publication on the origins of the pottery tradition in Chile Chico
En la instancia también se presentó una nueva colección desarrollada íntegramente por maestras artesanas y aprendices del territorio.
As a collaborative effort between Rewilding Chile, Pulso Austral, and the Patagonia Ceramists Association, the booklet “The Ceramics of Chile Chico” was launched. This 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—without records or documentation—about a generation of ceramists who were very prolific in the 1980s and later became disarticulated,” 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 women artisans who shaped this heritage.”
The booklet was presented as part of the closing milestone of the second cycle of Crafts and Nature at Patagonia National Park, a program led by Rewilding Chile and facilitated by Pulso Austral. The program has trained more than 60 women from different parts of Patagonia in techniques such as ceramics and knitting, with the goal of recovering and highlighting traditional crafts connected to the environments in which they live. In fact, one of the activities in the most recent cycle was a molding workshop based on historic designs.
“This closing milestone is a concrete example of how conservation is also built through culture, memory, and local crafts. 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 crafts. 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 that offered a direct connection to the craft and the territory’s identity. The first attendees received copies of the booklet, further expanding access to content that preserves the area’s biocultural memory.
“With this initiative, we sought to make visible and strengthen the cultural heritage of Chile Chico, reaffirming our commitment to continue promoting initiatives that advance conservation through a holistic approach—one in which people, their crafts, and the natural environment coexist and enrich one another,” added Carolina Cerda.