Fish Pot

Red clay with glaze, 39 x 25 cm, Artist’s Collection (Photo: Edgar Kanaykõ Xakriabá)

This Fish Pot symbolizes our struggle for land, water and access to the São Francisco River, which was lost when our people, the Xakriabá, were expelled from our lands by invaders a few centuries ago. I modelled this piece using the clay-ball technique, opening it with a gourd shard. Clay coils were then added and adjustments were made with tools made from gourds. I also used the pinching technique to shape the animal.

The glaze was extracted from black rock, and white toá, a very light mineral.