Derrick Hayah is from First
Mesa, the village of Walpi, and is of the Rabbit and Tobacco
clans. He has been carving for nearly 16 years and learned from
his uncles, including Gary Hayah. He is also the older brother
of Godfrey Hayah.
His work is some of the fastest
selling artwork we feature. They are great figures with real
value at very reasonable prices. Be sure to take a look at the
rest of Derrick's work in the gallery area.
Derrick has done a nice, clean
job with this figure, as he does with all of his increasingly
popular work.
These are the carvers we're
focused on most - the ones which help bring the figure to life
- almost as if the onlooker is their in the plaza with them.
Derrick is truly one of these.
As one of the younger generation of carvers, he has quickly and
skillfully responded to the demand that more and more serious
collectors are placing upon the art.
His work has strong visual
appeal, as he is not afraid to use bold, bright colors, and his
bases always have something extra.
The Corn Boy comes during
the summer dances in the plaza. Little is known about this specific
character, although it is believed that he is a "bringer
of bountiful harvests." Some consider him to be a holy person
as well.
What is known is that he is
related to the Ka'e, or "Corn Dancer," of which there
are many. They are the most popular of all the kachinas, and
according to Barton Wright, because of their popularity, they
appear in the Kiva Dances, Plaza Dances, and Mixed Dances.
Whenever Ka'e or another of
the Corn Dancers appears, he represents a prayer for fruition
and growth of corn.
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary (197)
