Collector Buzz

Native American potters follow a rich tradition of hand-coiled, hand-fired bowls and vases. A lesser known tradition is that of the pottery storyteller.

Pioneered by Cochiti Pueblo treasure Helen Hardin, storyteller pottery typically includes an adult male or female sitting with children on the storyteller’s lap. The figure telling the story sits with mouth open as if in song.

The children are rapt, and often hold children’s playthings in their childish laps.

Today’s most honored Cochiti stoyteller potters are Vangie Suina and Dena Suina. Their works, in many different formats, command high prices.

Lower in price, but no less interesting, are storytellers created by Jemez Pueblo artists from the Fragua and Toya families. Another Jemez pottery artist with a distinctive style of blue, grey and white slip over rust clay is Mary Small. She also creates attractive storytellers. Further to the south, the Isleta Pueblo is home to Stella Teller and family. Stella, Mona and Chris Teller each have their own styles and colors in their storyteller creations.

According to Susanne Waites, owner of Native-PotteryLink.com, “Native American Pueblo pottery storyteller production has increased dramatically since the days of Helen Hardin. But collectors of this genre are enthusiastic and acquisitive. So the pottery holds its value in a growing market.”

As collectors discover and acquire these objects of pottery art, the future for Native American pottery artists is bright.

In a recent meeting with Zuni fetish carver Lena Boone, she discussed her distinguished family background. She is the daughter of Edna Leki (d) who in turn was the daughter of Teddy Weahkie (d).

Teddy Weahkie was one of the original fetish carvers, a status he shared with Leekya Deyuse. Whereas Teddy tended to carve in antler, Edna chose to carve stone materials, and frequently created fetish bowls.

These are hand-built bowls with four to six fetish carvings attached to the exterior of the bowl. Inside the bowl there is another fetish carving, nestled in ground corn meal and turquoise, intended to sustain the fetishes. A hole in the bowl allows the owner to administer new “food” to the internal fetish.

Lena learned to carve under the tutelage of her mother, but also of her grandfather, Teddy, since her father passed away when Lena was four. She says she often thinks of Teddy as her father.

Lena also creates Zuni fetish bowls, often coated with crushed turquoise, and occasionally with a simple black slip..

Today, Lena, one of the most prodigious fetish carvers working on the Zuni Pueblo, receives assistance from her daughter, Evalena. Lena selects the material and carves the basic animal. Evalena has the responsibility to polish the carvings, although Evalena also carves her own pieces.

Other members of the lineage include Leland Boone, Lena’s adopted son, who works with his partner, Daphne Gasper. Robert Michael Weahkie is Lena’s nephew, son of her brother, Anderson (d). Robert Michael has returned to the use of antler for fetishes and altar figures. He also creates fetish bowls.

Another branch of the Weahkie family goes by the surname Gasper. Edna’s daughter, Dinah, married Pete Gasper (d). They also were very productive carvers, usually working as a team. Their daughter, Debra, is well known for necklaces, featuring miniature creatures carved from shell.

Collectors can find fetish carvings by the Weahkie/Boone/Gasper family in Native American art galleries and online in the offerings of dealers in Native American Zuni fetishes.