August 17, 2008
The Pre-Hispanic world is everywhere present in Mexico – in the customs and crafts, in the food, in the ancient stone ruins, in the indigenous languages still spoken in many rural villages, and above all in the beautiful faces and forms of the people.
Today, we are traveling outside Patzcuaro, to the Purépecha village of Santa Fe de la Laguna on the far side of the large lake. The village is poor and worn, except for the stunning mosaic mural in the plaza (executed by local artisans).
But down a quiet side street (dirt lane), we find the home of a modern master of the indigenous ceramics craft – Nicholas Fabián. Nicholas and his wife, María, are leaders in the lead-free ceramics movement that is now gaining worldwide recognition. Lead-based glazes pose a serious health hazard to traditional potters and their families. Nicholas and María started using lead-free glazes after María suffered a frightening miscarriage. They made the switch with help from the non-profit organization Barro Sin Plomo (“Clay Without Lead”), which Chiripa helps to support.
A smiling Nicholas, remembering us from past visits, opens the door and ushers us into a lovely interior garden. He points with pride to his latest home improvements – including a new studio and ceramics kiln – made possible by his ceramics sales. Around the studio we see the sublime, hand-etched pots that have made Nicholas’ reputation and built a comfortable life for his family. Nicholas is building on an ancient tradition.
As we make our pottery selections, he shows us tangible evidence of that tradition: a pre-Hispanic ceramic bowl that he recently unearthed, not 2 kilometers away, while digging potter’s clay for his own use. The bowl, though worn by the centuries, is almost fully intact. It is elegantly formed, and stands sturdily on 3 legs. It is made from the same orange-brown clay that Nicholas still uses today. It is a beautiful gift from the past – formed by a kindred artistic spirit who lived in another age.
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