Fannie Nampeyo
Migration
Jar
(1975)
5" H
x 5 1/4" D
The daughter of the original
Nampeyo, Fannie was a very prolific potter almost to her
death. She began making pottery when she was in her early 20s
and teamed with her mother. She was also the matriarch of the
Corn Clan, a time-consuming ceremonial position among her people
and developed a tamale business in Keams Canyon that was very
successful. She raised seven children, became a devout Mormon,
and was also noted for her quilting.
To pottery enthusiasts, the
name Nampeyo is as well known as the name of Maria of San Ildefonso.
Both were individuals credited with innovative pottery that sparked
a revived interest in the craft and gave inspiration to generations
of potters. But her story must be pieced together from events
that happened around her rather than from her personal history,
that of a humble woman living in a remote corner of northeastern
Arizona on the Hopi Reservation.
It is known that her mother
was a Tewa woman named White Corn from the village of Hano, on
the northeastern end of First Mesa. Her father was from Walpi,
the Hopi town on the opposite end of the mesa. Although Nampeyo
was born into the Corn Clan of her mother, her father was from
the Snake Clan and it was from that clan that Nampeyo received
her name, "Snake-that-does-not-bite."
The legacy Nampeyo left behind
was two-fold. Not only did she leave scores of artistically decorated
and beautifully formed pieces of pottery for the appreciation
of today's collectors, she also left a family who, through the
generations, has kept alive and even extended the tradition of
fine pottery and the innovations she introduced so long before.
NOTE:
This historic work of art
by Fannie Nampeyo is a classic in every way. Over time, it has
experienced some minor wear (see photo to the left), and it has
been priced accordingly.
