Work started in New Zealand early in 1972 as Harry spent
about 6 months making machinery, deliberately using only
such techniques and methods as a village in Ferw could
undertake. We shipped over a olunger, pug, parts for three
wheels, ball mills, burners, etc., and Harry left for Peru
in November 1972, Persuading the authorities to provide us
with residential visas (abasic essential) and permission

to work took 7 months of solid office-hopping, pressure and
finally string pulling. Maybe a larce enough bribe would
have speededthings up, but one needs to know the ropes, and
in any case, it is something we find ourselves conditioned
to be unable to do.

Finally, in June 1973, we set off in a V.wW. van which Harry
had fitted out as alternative camper-or-truck, to select the
right village. we had decided to use a derelict water-mill,
of which there are a great number, to demonstrate what could
be done with the water now going to waste. Mille we found,
but often over 11,000 ft. (which we find a bit too high for
us) or without water enough, or without road access; but we
Finally settled on Izcuchaca.

This is quite a small village, with mo other Europeans, in
a narrow gorge a few miles above the recent landslide area.
There is a dearth of cultivatible land and the only
industry is a gypsom quarry. The young people who need to
earn leave and go to Huancaya or Lima. We deliberately
chose a village without any potting tradition. Pottery is
made in other villages, but it is oll earthenware, mostly
with round bases for standing on earth floors or as cooking
pots; and this has its market. 1t may be doomed as standards
of living rise and a glazed ware becomes desirable, but we
do not wish to hasten its extinction or tamper with tradit-
ions producing a hybrid as is sometimes done.

In January '74 we moved into the ruin of a mill which is to
be the pottery. There is a second mill higher up, in better
condition, and this we had hoped to love in, but the owner
is 100% unco-operative and the village council, having fail-
ed to persuade the owner to sell or let it, has now set in

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