From earth to art: craft, clay, and cultural continuity across Ethiopia and Indigenous Manitoba

Abstract

From Earth to Art: Craft, Clay, and Cultural Continuity Across Ethiopia and Indigenous Manitoba examines how women’s craft practices with clay and grass embody memory, resilience, and cultural continuity. Through practice-based research, I worked with Winnipeg’s local clay and cattail grass alongside Ethiopian basketry and pottery traditions. My MFA exhibition included woven vessels, ceramic beads, tiles, photographs, and raw materials, creating a multisensory environment. Drawing on feminist and decolonial theory, I argue that craft is not decorative but a powerful tool of knowledge-making, cultural resistance, and storytelling that links land, body, and generational memory.