As you unravel the threads of Cherokee history, you’re inevitably drawn to the expressive world they’ve left embedded in clay. Cherokee pottery, a diverse, vibrant, and resilient branch of indigenous craft, is a testament to the richness of Cherokee culture. This handmade craft has survived for thousands of years – semaphores of a civilization that continues to thrive and morph.
A Tapestry of Time
Creating pottery is an ancient practice among the Cherokee. The tradition dates back to roughly 2,500 BC, during the Woodland period. The pieces from this era mainly included plain, utilitarian vessels, often tempered with ground shells or crushed pottery shards for added strength.
Thousands of years later, during the Mississippian period (c.900 AD– 1,600 AD), Cherokee pottery took a turn toward the ornamental. The techniques improved, the motifs more intricate, and the scope more ambitious. They began creating more sophisticated figures, complete with elaborate designs and iconography.
Post-contact, the Cherokee continued this pottery tradition even as they faced the acute disruptions, including the forcible removal to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. Strikingly, while many traditions waned under the relentless weight of colonialism, pottery endured and adapted, transforming into a testament of their perseverance.
Today, the revitalization of traditional pottery techniques by dedicated Cherokee potters helps to keep this legacy alive. The craft has found a balance between tradition and innovation, a bridge between past and future.
A Symphony of Shape and Pattern
Cherokee pottery is a symphony of shape, design, and iconography. Traditional Cherokee pottery was created using the coil method, a technique where clay is rolled into long snakes and coiled into pottery shapes.
The earlier utilitarian pots were mainly adorned with simple punctate designs or vertical incisions called ‘fabric impressions’. However, as time progressed, so did the repertoire of patterns and the ornamentation techniques. During the Mississippian period, they introduced the shell-tempered pottery, which had more intricate designs, often in the form of human figures, animals, and ornamental swirls, engraved with a scallop shell.
Today, some Cherokee potters continue to stick to the traditional designs, while others experiment, incorporating contemporary influences into their work. This fusion creates an exciting dynamic, bringing the traditional craft face-to-face with modernity.
Cultural Significance: More than just Clay
Cherokee pottery is more than an aesthetic. It’s living history. Every pot, every piece ever crafted, narrates a story. They reveal how the people lived, what they believed, what they valued.
Pottery vessels held more than just food and water. They held beliefs, rituals, and culture. Some pots were sacred and used for ceremonies. They contained life-giving sustenance and were considered semi-divine for their role in the life-cycle. Every urn, effigy, and painted pot was a testament to their belief system, each detail loaded with cosmological significance.
Moreover, pottery lends insight into the social lives of Cherokee people. Pottery was primarily a woman’s craft. The potter was often a matriarch, passing down the techniques and designs to her daughters and granddaughters. This matrilineal tradition underscored women’s central role in Cherokee society, identifying them as the carriers of culture.
Keeping the Tradition Alive
Today, there’s a passionate group of Cherokee potters working to keep the tradition alive. This renaissance has been driven by a deeper cultural resurgence, moving away from westernized aesthetics to a more fundamental Cherokee identity.
You have artists like Cherokee National Treasure Anna Mitchell, who devoted her life to preserving and revitalizing the traditional art form, and Crystal Hanna, who weaves a modern take on Cherokee pottery. While these potters are innovating, they are also grounding their work in the wisdom of their ancestors.
On the other hand, institutes like the Cherokee Nation’s Cherokee Arts Center is providing a gateway for artisans to learn and hone the craft. They provide workshops for fledgling potters to learn the traditional methods and designs.
A Living History
Amidst an ever-changing society, Cherokee pottery is like an anchor, grounding the people to their roots. It’s a resilient tradition that has continued to adapt and evolve despite the challenges and disruptions it has faced. This clay craft beautifully upholds the legacy of the Cherokee people.
Cherokee pottery is more than a craft. It’s a living history, an enduring symbol of the tribe’s resilience. Every pot is a testament to the Cherokee spirit, surviving through massive societal upheavals and telling the world their extraordinary story.
Sources:
- Riggs, Brett. Cherokee Pottery: From the Hands of our Elders., History Press, 2011.
- Duncan, Barbara. Living Stories of the Cherokee., University of North Carolina Press, 1998.