Lean Monongye
Huhuwa / Cross
Legged
9 1/2"
H with 1" base
"Huhuwa is known as the
Cross-Legged Kachina or on First Mesa, the Snare Kachina. Folklore
has it that this kachina is the spirit of a man from Second Mesa,
probably Mishongnovi, who has some crippling disease that left
him barely able to walk. Despite this handicap he was so cheerful
and eager to help others that he still continues among the Hopi
as a kachina.
"He often appears as
a pair of kachinas hobbling about some village during a ceremony
chattering between themselves. He is probably chosen more often
as a gift-giving kachina at Powamu times than any other kachina.
"He is noted for his
remarks which are always humorous. He imitates the dialects of
the various villages and the funny things the villagers have
done. His clothes are always ragged and give the appearance of
having been rescued from the moths in some Hopi storeroom.
"Yet he is always greeted
with delight by all who see him."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary, (40)
Lean Monongye is a young carver,
probably in his early thirties, from Third Mesa. He is the younger
brother of Von Monongye, a world-class and highly celebrated
carver in years past.
His work is very distinct,
and he is well known for his smooth finish and fine detail. Generally
Lean tries to incorporate additional details into the base of
each doll. Although ocassionally he leaves them plain to bring
out the detail of the carving itself.
He is one of our personal
favorites, and I have yet to see a kachina by Lean that I wouldn't
like to have in my own collection. I feel that his work is upper-middle
tier and still represents a good value as an artist with a lot
of potential.
