Paul Sewemaenewa
Koyemsi Kiva
9" total
height
"Koyemsi or Mud-head
Kachinas are probably the most well known of all the Hopi kachinas.
They appear in almost every Hopi ceremony as clowns, interocutors,
announcers of dances, drummers, and many other roles.
"The nearly always accompany
other kachinas; probably the only time when they do not appear
with other personages is during the Night Dances.
"Koyemsi are usually
the ones that play games with the audiences to the accompaniment
of rollicking tunes. These games are generally guessing games,
or simple attempts to balance objects or performances of some
common act. They most closely resemble our parlor games and the
rewards are prizes of food or clothing."
- Wright, Barton. Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary (238)
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
