THE AMATEUR WORD NERD QUIZ: Time to throw a raku party

By Barbara McAllister

If you’re invited to a raku party expect to:
a) Make pottery
b) Learn self defense
C) Eat Japanese food

The correct answer is A.

“Raku” is a Japanese word that means pleasure, happiness or comfort, and is the name of a type of pottery developed in 16th century Japan. The pottery is a special type often used in tea ceremonies.
Zen Buddhist masters embrace raku for its simple naturalness. The pieces are traditionally handmade rather than thrown, and the special firing method of removing the piece from the kiln while glowing hot produces a unique multi-colored glaze. The Western version of raku uses a slightly different approach after the piece is removed from the kiln but the results in either method produce a one-of-a kind finish.
Japanese culture appreciate character in what others might deem imperfections. Kintsugi, literally “golden repair,” is a Japanese art devoted to repairing broken pottery using a gold or platinum mix. This method highlights the flaws rather than hides them and the gold seams become part of the object’s history. It’s a wonderful philosophy that embraces the notion that imperfections provide character.