Cherokee potters blend tradition and innovation in Mud Daubers workshop

A new generation of Cherokee potters is building on traditional practices while developing contemporary approaches through Didanisisgi Gadagwatli, or the Mud Daubers Community Workshop, in Cherokee, North Carolina, according to The Daily Yonder. Led by renowned Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians potter Tara McCoy, the three‑month intensive workshop teaches ceramic skills such as digging and processing clay, hand‑building and firing methods.

Levi West, first place winner in traditional pottery at the 112th Cherokee Indian Fair, credits the program with igniting his passion for ceramics. “I wanted to beat her, not because I want to be better than her, but to make her proud,” West was quoted as saying. The workshop is supported by the Museum of the Cherokee People. Dakota Brown, director of education, said the program’s growth reflects a community commitment to preserving and evolving Cherokee art forms.