Friday, April 18, 2008

Hopi & Arts

The Hopi tribe lives in the middle of the Navajo reservation in arid, dry Arizona. They sit on three mesas where each mesa is known for their particular arts and crafts. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the first and second mesa where they are astute at silversmithing and doll making.

The Hopi Kachina dolls are made out of the cottonwood tree which is light, sturdy and easy to carve. They are not playthings, but rather they represent religious spirits who carry messages to the tribe, especially the children. The artistic detail in which they work is fantastic, the patience and time, the vibrant colors and the story each doll represents is unique, powerful and enticing.

My favorite doll was the Corn Maiden whose colors, art work and carving told a story about a young adolescent girl, before marriage (maiden) who wears her hair in big piles on the side of her head. She is innocent, wide-eyed, religious and attuned to the needs of the tribe and the land around her. When she marries, at about age 14, her husband will move to her family mesa/village as they do in a matriarchal society. They call her the "corn maiden" as corn is the main source of food on this mesa, and is an important staple to this tribe.

The poverty, challenging climate, lack of resources and isolation that the Hopi Indian's struggle with today are striking and yet, their spiritual nature, storytelling, talent in the arts and their sense of community I imagine is what makes this group of people so interesting to the rest of the world.