The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 50 No 2 July 2011
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Education<br />
Recovering the Skills <strong>of</strong><br />
Potters in Vanuatu<br />
Alistair Whyte reports on the Vanuatu Pottery Project<br />
This project focuses on South West Say<br />
Malakula in Vanuatu, where my parents were<br />
missionaries over <strong>50</strong> years ago, and has been<br />
driven by the local desire to rediscover a skill<br />
lost in the past. <strong>The</strong> villagers want to recover<br />
the skills <strong>of</strong> the potter and esta blish a local<br />
pottery cottage industry that potentially will<br />
generate some income for the community.<br />
My involvement began last year after an<br />
invitation from Massing Venivil, a retired elder<br />
in Lolow village. I travelled there with my<br />
wife to determine if there was suitable clay<br />
to make pottery. This was quite an adventure<br />
as the local airstrip was out <strong>of</strong> action and the only way in was by boat. I had sent ahead a kick wheel in<br />
pieces (on a yacht going that way), which I assembled when we arrived.<br />
It proved to be a successful trip in many regards and I determined that the elders and leaders in<br />
the area were keen to send one villager to me for a month in Australia, so they could learn pottery<br />
techniques in my studio where I have facilities and equipment not available in Vanuatu. Our biggest<br />
barrier proved to be the funding <strong>of</strong> a ticket and ongoing costs while in Australia, and the second<br />
biggest difficulty was basic communication with a place that does not even have regular mail ( .. oh<br />
for an email link ...). A breakthrough came at Christmas when an organisation called Live & Learn<br />
Environmental Education <strong>of</strong>fered to pay for the return ticket. Soon after, I received confirmation that<br />
the Church elders and leaders had selected Ken Naki to come and stay with me. I had not met Ken<br />
until he arrived in Melbourne, so I had to trust they had made a wise decision. It took time for Ken to<br />
organise his passport and visa for Australia, waiting for a month in Port Vila with relatives. During this<br />
time the Uniting Church in Point Lonsdale raised funds to cover the costs <strong>of</strong> materials while Ken was in<br />
Victoria, while others generously donated books and materials. Special support also enabled us to build<br />
Alistair Whyte demonstrating in Vanuatu, then the locals give it a try and the young ones proudly show their pots<br />
88 THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS JULY <strong>2011</strong>
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