Zuni Olla Maidens...A Real Balancing Act!

Zuni Olla Maidens strut their stuff at Gallup Ceremonial....so glad we had "front row seats".....

I absolutely treasure this Zuni beaded Olla Maiden with actual pottery olla on head by Zuni artist Doreen Nashboo....(this one I had to keep for myself!).....

I really can't even imagine balancing this on my head.....~LOL~

Olla Maidens are a favorite subject for Zuni carver Delbert Cachini....

"Zuni Girls at the River" is a late 1800's photo from the Edward S. Curtis collection, titled "Portraits from North American Indian Life"....I would imagine these ollas are very heavy filled with water from the river....

The "Zuni Olla Maidens" at one of their many performances across the country promote knowledge about the Zuni culture, as well as provide fascinating entertainment....

As I was dusting some of my pueblo pottery today, I had this image in my head of the Zuni Olla Maidens skillfully balancing the large "ollas" on their heads....not just the olla, but traditionally, the olla filled with water from the spring or stream, or food that had been gathered. I have always heard that ever since pottery has been made, that someone, somewhere has balanced it on their head....but it is the Zuni women that are best known for this unusual and talented trait! I remember marveling at the Zuni Olla Maidens when I was a little girl attending Gallup Ceremonial....here were these women walking blocks in the parade balancing huge ollas on their heads! I could not manage that standing still, let alone walking in procession along a parade route in front of 1000's of spectators! I still am in awe of the whole thing each time we see the Olla Maidens....it is so impressive! A group of women from Zuni, headed by Cornelia Bowannie have formed a dance group called the "Zuni Olla Maidens" that travel the country performing at important events. The Zuni Olla Maidens are known for the Pottery dance. Dancing to the beat of the drum, they move in choreographed steps with delicate pottery jars balanced on their heads. They also sing songs adapted from the men of the Zuni tribe while accompanying themselves with a drum, a woman’s rattle and a notched wooden instrument called a “frog box”. So, when I finished dusting the pottery, I toyed with the idea of trying to balance one of our ollas on my head...even glanced up at some of our rattles hanging from the beams, and tried to imagine placing the olla on my head and shaking a rattle and dancing(!) at the same time...Well, since I am the person who can't chew gum and walk at the same time....these thoughts quickly vanished...but they did give me an even greater appreciation and respect for these wonderful women from Zuni....past and present...who are known as "Zuni Olla Maidens".

New Posting and Mother's Day Sale at Indian Summer Native American Art

Just a sampling of new carvings at Indian Summer!


Emery Eriacho's colorful Turquoise Bear.....

Brummett Eppaloose's fabulous Picture Stone Jasper Horned Toad.....

Hayes Leekya's Tijillite healing Horse....

Justin Red Elk's dainty Turquoise Hummer......

Frank Eustace's brilliant orange Sponge Apple Coral Bat!

Suzette Lementino's Pipestone and Turquoise "Rocky Raccoon".....

Ron Lunasee's beautiful and streamlined Sodalite Eagle.....

Christine Banteah's elegant White Marble Snowy Owl......

Happy Mother's Day! We are celebrating that special holiday with a Mother's Day Sale at Indian Summer! We have over 100 new fetishes on the site and we have also marked down a good number of fetishes that we have had on the site....this is a great opportunity to pick up a bargain! We hope you will take a peek, and we look forward to hearing from you! Happy Mother's Day!

Every Day is "Earth Day" in the Traditional Navajo Culture....

Father Sky and Mother Earth depicted in a traditional Navajo Sandpainting.....

The traditional "Navajo Way" contains no concept for religion as being a separate activity from daily life. Navajo religion has been described as "life itself, the land, and well-being." All living things... people, plants, animals, mountains, and the Earth itself, are relatives. The purpose of Navajo life is to maintain balance between the individual and the universe and to live in harmony with nature and the Creator.

"We the five-fingered beings are related to the four-legged,
the winged beings, the spiritual beings, Father Sky, Mother Earth, and nature.
We are all relatives. We cannot leave our relatives behind."
Betty Tso, Traditional Navajo

"Our way of life is our religion, and our teaching. If we are relocated by
force, we will die slowly. The people would not be in balance with Mother
Earth and Sky Father and the spiritual people. In every way, here we are
connected to the land. We belong here."
Mary T Begay, Navajo Elder

Native American wisdom is hard to beat....I have known about the "Navajo Way" for the last 35 years or more....as I sat and typed this post, I did some soul searching...it is all such a simple concept, but such a profound one as well. I am making the vow here and now to give back to Mother Earth, it is time for everyone to make this same vow to Mother Earth and to themselves.....

Long Haired Kachinas Assure Me it is Spring!

Our old plum tree in all her glory....could Spring really have arrived???? I must check with the Long Haired's to see if this is so.....

I turned to my oldest and dearest friend, the Hopi Long Haired Kachina, whom I have been caring for since the 1970's.... as close as we have become, I know I can trust him when he tells me "Yes indeed, Spring has arrived!"

Alvert Lamy's Zuni Long Haired told me that I was worrying about nothing...he was surrounded with Turquoise...the stone of "trust and beauty"....surely I should trust him to know if Spring was really here!

I really got in Sterling Francis Sr.'s Hopi Long Haired's face...and said I wanted answers....he just shook his rattle at me....but I know he is ready for Spring, as he is holding an ear of corn!

Upon being questioned by me...Vince Sanchez's Zuni Long Haired simply replied that he was already wearing his Spring "whites"...so believe it!

These two Roland Hosteen Navajo Long Haired's concur that Spring has arrived!

The blue sky and the white billowy clouds peek through the blossomed branches...It is a beautiful sight!

This Long Haired told me to enjoy the blossoms today...if there is rain or snow again this Spring, I will at least have had today to enjoy their beauty....the Kachinas are so wise!

"The dark skies on the front of me have done their job....and brought the rains that in turn have brought the flowers....My work is done." says this Long Haired Kachina....

"Yes"...said Roland Hosteen's Navajo Long Haired...."Just look at the Sun symbols on my shawl....Spring is here!"

Garrick Weeka's Zuni Long Haired is so sure that Spring has arrived, that he is even thinking beyond the blossoms, and is concerned with the sacred corn crops.....

Russell Shack's Zuni Long Haired reminded me that the dragonflies he proudly wears are a sign of good things to come....and joy...surely Spring is here, that is a good thing, and would bring much joy to me!

The mighty Sun is wise and reliable....I can count on him to be there every morning when I awake...I believe he is right....Spring is here to stay!

These beautiful blossoms only come around once a year...I am going to enjoy and appreciate them while they are here....

Lo and behold.....I looked out my back window today, and our old plum tree which had been white with snow only a day or two ago, was now covered in white again....only this time, it was beautiful white blossoms! Were my eyes playing tricks on me? When did this happen...overnight????? Could Spring have finally arrived here, one month late? I don't want to be tricked again...as I mentioned in an earlier post, the frog fetishes that were responsible for all of our rain (and snow) were keeping silent....who should I turn to this time, to be sure? The Long Haired Kachinas are known as the "bringers of gentle rains and flowers"...We've had more than our share of rains...but this is the first sign of flowers...maybe they are the experts and can tell me if Spring has finally arrived...I gathered my Long Haired's together and had a pow wow with them all, from the youngest to the oldest, and the shortest to the tallest...and they all comfirmed that Spring has arrived...Now I don't doubt the Long Haired's, but those frogs did fool me....so I hedged my bet and asked the mighty Sun if Spring was really here to stay, and he promised me that he would stick around most of the time, but that even on the darkest of days, I would always find beauty in the nature around me...He also told me that I, like so many of you...need to take time to stop and smell the blossoms, like events in our lives, they are fleeting....we need to enjoy them to the fullest while they are here! I am going to heed the Sun's advice and make sure that I take time each day to appreciate what the Long Haired's have brought us, with their gentle rains and flowers.......

New Posting (125+ Items!) and St. Patrick's Day Sale at Indian Summer Native American Art

Zuni carver Enrike Leekya's adorable Beaver Fetish is looking for a new home!

"Crow Woman" Navajo Folk Art by Ray Lansing....Five new crows have landed at Indian Summer!

Fully Beaded Horse by Zuni artist Faron Gahachu is just one of the new beadwork items posted....

Several Navajo Wedding Baskets have been added....they are getting harder and harder to come by!

Save 25% on all of our traditional handmade pottery...lots of pieces to choose from!

We've just posted over 125+ new items at Indian Summer Native American Art! Please take a peek at our website, which you can access just by clicking on the gorgeous purple fluorite Medicine Bear on our sidebar just below "My Profile". We've added Navajo Wedding Baskets, Beadwork, really fun Folk Art, and of course....plenty of new Fetish Carvings!
We are also having a St. Patrick's Day sale through March 18th....and offering all of our beautiful handmade Pottery at 25% off! We look forward to hearing from you with an order!

Journey With Us to "The Land of Enchantment"

We have left the big cities behind, and are headed up Spanish Fork Canyon....next stop will be the old mining and railroad town of Price, Utah.

The Bookcliff Mountains surround the tiny town of Green River, Utah....Green River is known far and wide for their wonderful melons they produce every summer....there is just something about the climate and the soil!

We cross the Green River headed south towards Moab...

I am amazed by the beauty near Moab every time we pass through....I don't ever want to take these red cliffs for granted.....

Red Rocks and blue skies...GORGEOUS!

The green in the hills just outside of Moab is from uranium deposits...there was a real boom in uranium in the fifties!

A quick stop in Moab....these two characters have been sitting in front of the same trading post since I was a little girl!

After leaving Moab, on our way to Monticello, we pass Wilson Arch....what a spectacular view!

The landscape between Moab and Monticello is beautiful...a mixture of red rocks and high mountains!

As we start climbing from Moab to Monticello, we realize just how much snow this part of the state of Utah has had this past winter...those are the tips of fence posts peeking out of the vast blanket of snow!

We've spent our first night on the road in Cortez, Colorado...Wes has us packed up and ready to hit the road and get to Santa Fe by afternoon....

After leaving Cortez, we head towards Durango, and pass Mesa Verde, now covered in snow! I love staying on top at Far View Lodge when the park is open!

Church near Tierra Amarilla....you can see, they have had plenty of snow!

Politics have always been big in New Mexico...my Aunt Betty, a Democrat and politician, would have gotten a kick out of these signs just outside of the tiny town of Tierra Amarilla in northern New Mexico!

We always pull over and take a break at this natural red rock Amphitheatre near Ghost Ranch....

Wes and Liz stretch their legs and enjoy the sights at the Amphitheatre....

This canyon just north of Abiquiu is breathtaking in the fall with golden cottonwood trees.....it's still pretty, even washed out from winter.

Church in Abiquiu...Georgia O'Keefe put Abiquiu on the map!

Old adobe dwelling in Abiquiu....Georgia O'Keefe certainly had plenty of scenery to inspire her....

We're getting close to Santa Fe...just north of Espanola now...and we must stop at Romero's Fruit Stand, and get some chile and corn ristras, that's a tradition!

We've arrived at our hotel in Santa Fe, where we will be staying the next few days...."The Inn of the Governors" right downtown on West Alameda Street...couldn't ask for a better location!

Balconies and luminarios give this "territorial" style hotel a great feel......

Our room is quaint and charming...definitely Santa Fe style!

The breakfast at the Inn is so yummy! Wes and Jill enjoy the green chiles!!!!! Pots of fresh green chiles to smother over your eggs, along with fresh quesadillas, and all set in the most charming room with several old fireplaces and lots of artwork.

Peggy, a traditional jeweler from Santo Domingo Pueblo sells her jewelry in the lobby of the Inn of the Governor's daily...I watch her set her jewelry out for display each morning with so much care and love....

Portrait of Peggy's aunt hangs in the Inn of the Governor's. The hotel manager Sam explained to us, that Peggy and her family go way back with the hotel, and what an honor it is to have Peggy selling her wares in their lobby.

Peggy was such a sweetheart...so softspoken...yet so many tales she shared about her late father and family, who were all artists, what a pleasure to meet her!

New Mexico's Governor Bill Richardson ordered all flags to be flown at half staff for several days in honor of my Aunt Betty Fiorina, who had served as Secretary of State of N.M. for three terms during her lifetime.

The Capital Building and Government Offices are directly across the street from our hotel...the flags are all at half staff everywhere we look....

The morning we leave Santa Fe, to head south to Albuquerque, we stop by and visit the State Printing Building, named in honor of my Aunt Betty Fiorina. Flags are at half staff across the entire state.

"Jackalope" on Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe...I have to make a quick stop, you never know what you will find there!

Even though we are short on time, and need to be in Albuquerque to spend the afternoon and evening with Wes's family....a stop in Santa Fe at "Jackalope" is a tradition!

After leaving Albuquerque, we head west past Laguna Pueblo, on our way to Gallup and Zuni....this will be a long day!

We have spent too much time buying artwork at Gallup and Zuni....The sun is setting...we arrive in Shiprock, New Mexico...the land of legend and lore on the Navajo Reservation.....we still have about 43 miles to go to Cortez, where we will spend the night.

We are back in Cortez for the evening....the remainder of the trip home will be a repeat of the trip down...we are headed next to Monticello, Utah, then Moab, Green River, Price, and finally home!

We spot a beautiful Bald Eagle perched on a power line between Cortez, Colorado and Dove Creek Colorado....a Messenger to the Divine, I found this a comforting sign considering the nature of our trip....

We just returned from Santa Fe, New Mexico, where we attended my Aunt Betty Fiorina's funeral services. We snapped some pictures along the way. We usually do not make this trip during times when there could be bad weather. However, this trip was unavoidable, and I would not have missed my last goodbyes to my favorite aunt, and one of the most amazing women I have ever known, even if there would have been ten feet of snow on the ground! Fortunately, we had beautiful blue skies the entire trip, but we could certainly see signs of a harsh winter, through all of the beauty. We hope you enjoy our photos to the "Land of Enchantment".