Assorted Pottery Figurines with Children, Karajá/Iny people, Rio Araguaia, Brazil, 1960s CE
"Ceramic art is exclusive to the women, displaying a highly diverse range of kinds and motifs, from domestic utensils such as pots and plates, to dolls with mythological, ritual, quotidian and zoomorphic themes. The ceramic dolls made by the Karajá are the focus of intense interest from tourists who visit the villages ...as a result, the dolls have become another means of subsistence for the group. Currently only the Karajá sub-group manufactures the dolls. An activity unique to women, these ceramic figures function now as in the past as children's toys: however, they also act as a device for the socialization of girls... Contact has brought about modifications to the size (becoming larger) and the materials employed, including the use of industrial paints. However, the figurative motifs and decorative patterns are retained by the younger potters, who in fact accentuate figures from myths and rituals. It is very common to find Karajá dolls in craft stores or museums in the towns." [source]
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7 - made by Shurerea, New Style] [8] [9] [10]
all from smithsonian national museum of the american indian
