Haudenosaunee pottery workshop

Discover traditional craftsmanship and create your own pot

Enjoy an introduction to Haudenosaunee pottery in the company of Natasha Smoke Santiago. Discover traditional craftsmanship, see archeological reproductions and shape your own little pot.

The pots left behind will be finished by Natasha Smoke Santiago and then presented as a work at the Biennale d’art contemporain autochtone being held at the Indigenous Peoples Garden.

The workshop is offered in English

Limited spots, no reservation

Duration: 3 hours

Learn more about Natasha Smoke Santiago

Natasha Smoke Santiago is a Turtle Clan woman belonging to the Haudenosaunee, or “People of the Longhouse,” also known by the name Iroquois Confederation. A resident of Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, Natasha has been an artist all her life. She works with various media, including acrylic paints, clay and a broad range of other materials. In the arts, Natasha has primarily devoted herself to clay, creating traditional Mohawk pottery as well as pipes and sculptures. Her work is heavily influenced by her Haudenosaunee heritage; she often incorporates the history, culture and teachings of the Haudenosaunee in her creations.

Natasha will touch on historical aspects, including the structure of a pot, a demonstration of pottery making techniques, pottery’s utilitarian function, and the interpretation of motifs. Various historical and modern tools will also be available. Reproductions and fragments of original archeological pottery will be on display as a means of visual reference. Every participant will make and decorate his or her own small pot.

This workshop is part of the Biennale d’art contemporain autochtone, which is designed to showcase both contemporary Indigenous art and knowledge gained from lived experience.

The project is made possible thanks to the financial support of the Gouvernement du Québec and Ville de Montréal in the framework of the Montréal Cultural Development Agreement.