The craft of the Chorotega pottery makers support their entire village
and
all family members learn the craft.
Collecting the sand for the clays to make the pottery requires a
rigorous journey by bus and foot to three different mountains, the
finest sand being found at the opening of the iguana nests there.
Three different colors of sand are used for the clays - tan, red ochre,
and black. Black sand is the most difficult to obtain, so it is not
always available.
The sand is then mixed in large
mortars with pestles to turn it into clay.
All of the pots are thrown
completely by hand - no foot pedal or electricity used, only the skill
of the potter's hands. Once the pot is formed, contrasting clays
of either ochre or black are used to wash the outside of the unfired
pots. Then intricate designs, said to have been power and
fertility symbols of the Chorotega Indians, are carved into the surface
of each piece. The pots are then fired in a wood burning, igloo-shaped,
earthen kiln that can be seen in each artisan's yard.
