Paul Sewemaenewa
Hornet / Wasp
11" total
height
"The striped form of
the Hornet or Wasp Kachina may be a recent borrowing from the
Zuni. There are two distinct types of Tatangaya, and this
one seems to be the most recent.
"He comes in groups or
singly during the Pamuya or the Mixed Kachina Dances. There are
many examples of this kachina in older collections of dolls and
they are bright and colorful."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist Documentary (86)
The obviously unique features
of this piece are the detailed aspects of the base. Paul always
does a fascinating job with his larger, detailed bases. Here
you can see a cluster of pueblo buildings in a plaza, along with
a kiva ladder emerging from the sacred underground chamber.
Paul hails from Third Mesa
- the village of Hotevilla. He is a young carver at only 34 years
old, but has been carving since he was only 7 years old. Born
in Ganado, Arizona - he is of the Roadrunner and Greasewood clans
of Hopi.
He credits his uncles with
teaching him the kachina carving art. His favorite designs include
animals, morning kachinas, and maiden kachinas.
"This is a talent that
I have been fortunate to be taught by my uncles when I was very
young. Doll carving was a way to support myself with things that
I wanted when I was a child all the way to my adult life. This
has always been a means of supporting my family and myself.
"I enjoy carving because
every piece I create has a little piece of myself in it. Each
piece of cottonwood has a specific art form in it. When I start
carving the kachina, working within the wood, it will come right
out and show itself, but if I try to go against what is within
the wood, it takes longer and things don't usually work out the
way you want.
"I enjoy teaching my
carving talent to people who are serious about learning and who
are willing to make something out of being able to learn. My
carvings mean a lot to me. I don't make them just to make them.
I always think about how my carvings are and where they live
and how they are being taken care of.
"I am very grateful to
my uncles Bill & Willard Sewemaenewa for always pushing and
encouraging me to learn this art."
- taken from Paul's own autobiographical
statement
