Shaping clay, shaping futures

AT the Rio Nuevo Great House/Village, 20 Jamaican artisans from communities along the island’s north coast are discovering new skills, confidence and possibilities through Taino-inspired pottery and craft training under the Linking Legacy and Livelihoods initiative with an aim to preserve the country’s heritage and create livelihood opportunities.

The 12-week-long project valued at just over $2-million began in August with funding from the Sandals Foundation and is being implemented by the Built Heritage Jamaica in collaboration with the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo).

Throughout the workshops, participants from across St Ann and St Mary have learnt how to bring principles of modern and traditional Taino design, including the use of Taino glyphs to create their pottery pieces.