June Perry on mon 13 nov 00
Randall, in New Zealand, during the 80's, the duty on importing ceramics was
steep enough to encourage buying the work of the home potters. Also, New
Zealand was/is very socialistic and when people were out of work, they had a
choice of trades to learn and pottery was one of them and they were even
supported while they were being re-trained.
We were helped by a couple when our rented car got stranded on the lower pass
and they drove us through to the west coast so we could call and arrange for
a new car, etc. Turns out the girl was American, married to a New Zealander
and she was taking pottery classes as part of the government program and her
husband was in law school.
When we got up to Nelson, the town at the top of north island that very much
resembles Santa Barbara, I was thrilled to find that at that time, the town
had 80 potters! Today there may be more or less. I know that the couple told
us that in a year or two those high duties on imports were going to be
disappearing, so I don't know how much that impacted the New Zealand pottery
community.
New Zealand is a beautiful country and so are the people. It reminded me of
how California might have been in the 50's. The people haven't yet lost their
innocence and the country runs the gamut from semi tropical beaches and
forest in the north, to glacier topped mountain tops in the south.
When we were there, the motel dropped off a small glass jar of milk for your
coffe every morning. Anyone rember when milk bottles had those paper tops?
Well, they were still using those in New Zealand when we were there.
If I were younger and could qualify for landed immigrant status, it's
probably a country that I would seriously consider for relocation but it has
strict laws for immigration and anyone over 45 need not even apply. :-(
Regards,
June
Gayle Bair on tue 14 nov 00
When I moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington I visited the
historical museum. After touring the one room building I noticed
a glaring lack of pottery. I was amazed to hear
that the Pacific Northwest native Americans did not make pottery.
I found this incredulous.....Still do!
So how did they boil water? Baskets with hot stones?
Gayle Bair- still amazed!
Snip>
They
also brought out the fact that the Maori (sp?) did not have pottery at any
point in their culture. I thought that was very odd.
Michelle Moody on tue 14 nov 00
Great story. I really want to go to NZ. The reason that the PBS special
gave was that there was a large ready amount of easily accessible clay. They
also brought out the fact that the Maori (sp?) did not have pottery at any
point in their culture. I thought that was very odd.
----- Original Message -----
From: "June Perry"
To:
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2000 5:32 PM
Subject: New Zealand and why so many potters (1 reason at least)
> Randall, in New Zealand, during the 80's, the duty on importing ceramics
was
> steep enough to encourage buying the work of the home potters. Also, New
> Zealand was/is very socialistic and when people were out of work, they had
a
> choice of trades to learn and pottery was one of them and they were even
> supported while they were being re-trained.
> We were helped by a couple when our rented car got stranded on the lower
pass
> and they drove us through to the west coast so we could call and arrange
for
> a new car, etc. Turns out the girl was American, married to a New
Zealander
> and she was taking pottery classes as part of the government program and
her
> husband was in law school.
> When we got up to Nelson, the town at the top of north island that very
much
> resembles Santa Barbara, I was thrilled to find that at that time, the
town
> had 80 potters! Today there may be more or less. I know that the couple
told
> us that in a year or two those high duties on imports were going to be
> disappearing, so I don't know how much that impacted the New Zealand
pottery
> community.
> New Zealand is a beautiful country and so are the people. It reminded me
of
> how California might have been in the 50's. The people haven't yet lost
their
> innocence and the country runs the gamut from semi tropical beaches and
> forest in the north, to glacier topped mountain tops in the south.
> When we were there, the motel dropped off a small glass jar of milk for
your
> coffe every morning. Anyone rember when milk bottles had those paper tops?
> Well, they were still using those in New Zealand when we were there.
> If I were younger and could qualify for landed immigrant status, it's
> probably a country that I would seriously consider for relocation but it
has
> strict laws for immigration and anyone over 45 need not even apply. :-(
>
> Regards,
> June
>
>
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Paul Lewing on wed 15 nov 00
Gayle Bair wrote:
I was amazed to hear
> that the Pacific Northwest native Americans did not make pottery.
> I found this incredulous.....Still do!
> So how did they boil water? Baskets with hot stones?
Yeah, with all the clay around here, you'd think they would have figured
that out. But, yes, they were able to weave watertight baskets that
they could boil water in. They also knew how to bend a cedar board
around and make a watertight box. I guess if you're that good with wood
and spruce root, who needs clay?
Paul Lewing
Cindy Strnad on thu 16 nov 00
I don't know about the PNW natives, but the Lakota (Sioux) used the cleaned
stomachs of larger animals. They hung the stomach on a tripod, filled it
with stew ingredients, and dropped hot rocks into it until it had boiled
long enough to cook the food. Boy are we spoiled.
Cindy
Gayle Bair wrote:
I was amazed to hear
> that the Pacific Northwest native Americans did not make pottery.
> I found this incredulous.....Still do!
> So how did they boil water? Baskets with hot stones?
Yeah, with all the clay around here, you'd think they would have figured
that out. But, yes, they were able to weave watertight baskets that
they could boil water in. They also knew how to bend a cedar board
around and make a watertight box. I guess if you're that good with wood
and spruce root, who needs clay?
Paul Lewing
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
earthenv@gwtc.net
http://www.earthenvesselssd.com
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