Malcolm comes from a large
family of Kachina carvers which include brothers Jim, Verlan,
Henry, Nathan and Glen. He has been carving and winning awards
since he was a teenager.
His awards include a Zuni
Fire God which he entered into the 1996 Arizona State Fair. He
is married to and has 3 children with a Zuni lady. One of his
favorite kachinas is the whipper which he seems to do most frequently.
Malcolm is of the Greasewood
and Roadrunner clans, and was raised in the village of Bacavi.
He has been carving for 25 years. His motivation comes from his
religion, history, and the freedom of expressing his inner feelings.
"The fearsome Nataska
always come as a pair. They accompany the Soyoko on their collection
trip and usually stand directly behind the member of the crew
who is bargaining with the relatives of the children.
"They make horrible noises,
dragging their saws [and knives, or whatever it may be] along
the side of the house or on the ground. All the while, they keep
up a steady stamping that makes the turtle-shell rattles on their
legs sound ominously.
"They are supposed to
be able to eat a child whole; from the very earliest age, the
child has heard stories of these monsters - how they would descend
on children playing near the village and haul them away to cook
and eat. So it is no wonder that the children are petrified at
their actual appearance!
"Usually only dark colored
clothes are put on this kachina pair, who should have horns.
The feather fan is made of turkey feathers which are placed close
together to form a large mass behind the head that makes the
figures appear much taller and broader."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artists Documentary (78)
