Uku Workshop with Dorothy Waetford
Dorothy Waetford is a Māori clay artist based in Matapōuri, Whangārei, with over 25 years' experience in contemporary Māori visual arts, teaching and community advocacy. Her practice is rooted in kaupapa Māori and te reo Māori, with uku (clay) as a medium connecting whakapapa, taiao and contemporary Māori artistic identity. As a facilitator, Dorothy brings this same grounding to her workshops — sharing traditional hand-building techniques while creating space for participants to connect with clay, culture and each other.
This is a hands-on workshop exploring hand-building functional clay cookware. Participants will learn traditional hand-building techniques — including slabbing, coiling and pinching — to shape a clay cooking pot from raw uku (clay), suitable for use over an open fire.