Special Note:
For fans of Nuvadi's highly
acclaimed Warrior Mouse, you will appreciate this most
subtle accent: this is the first to feature an open mouth - and
as Nuvadi's wife Marvene puts it - it's "just cute!"
As the story goes, the village
was being threatened by a nasty old hawk - he was eating all
the village chickens. The old men knew he must be killed, the
boys knew he must be killed, and all the women and children knew
he must be killed - but no one knew how, and all their plans
had failed.
The Village Chief and Town
Crier were very worried and had met in private to smoke and ponder
upon the subject. Even they did not know how to rid themselves
of the marauding hawk.
Then late one night, a little
mouse sat smoking in his little kiva - and he felt bad for the
people and decided that he would kill the hawk. So that night
he went to the home of the Village Chief.
Upon being invited in, he
ate and smoked, and the chief smoked, and the mouse told him
why he had come. He was going to kill the hawk. At first the
chief was amused, and then he was concerned, but he accepted
the offer anyway.
When the Town Crier and the
rest of the village heard about the plans of the mouse, they
shook their head and questioned the village leader. But some
thought maybe the mouse had special power. So they prepared anyway.
A date was set, and preparations
took place. People came from all the other villages to see their
friends and relatives, to talk and joke, and of course to eat.
They came to see the mouse who was to kill the hawk.
The mouse had also prepared.
He had sharpened the end of a greasewood stick and dug a long
tunnel from his kiva into the plaza. There he dug another hole
reaching to the surface. He smoked all night before the day of
the warrior's dance. He dressed himself in warpaint and feathers
and took his club and bow.
He set the warriors standard
on the ladder of his kiva, and when it was time he emerged dancing
and singing his little warrior song - The hawk kills chickens,
and the hawk kills rabbits, but the hawk will not kill the warrior
mouse! (cont. below)
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
"I began carving Hopi
Kachina dolls in the beginning of 1995. My sons, Dion and Austin,
are the inspiration for my artistic expression.
"My kachinas are made
from cottonwood roots that I hand carve with a variety of knives.
First, the wood is sanded smoothly and textured with a woodburner.
Next, the unpainted piece is then sprayed with polyurethane to
seal the grains. After this, it is painted and shaded with acrylic
paints.
"Although some of my
work is traditional, I have cultivated my own style of carving.
I am well known for my Butterfly Maiden, Warrior Mouse, Red-tail
Hawk, and Kokopelli Couple.
"I am delighted to share
my kachina carvings with all who respect and appreciate my artistry
and cultural heritage."
- Nuvadi Dawahoya
Nuvadi is the son of Beauford
& Dinah Dawahoya. His name means "Snow," in the
Hopi language. As a young artist, he has quickly captured the
attention of collectors and gallery owners around the country.
He has won ribbons at nearly
every major show - including many first place prizes and best
of show and best of class awards. Some of these competitions
include the Heard Museum Indian Market, Santa Fe Indian Market,
Tucson market, and the Southwestern Museum Invitational in California.
His work is unlike anything
we've seen before. He consistently amazes the judges and sets
the standard for new and innovative styles in kachina carving.
His work has a sense of proportion and realism that is unmatched
in the realm of kachina carving.
A close look at Nuvadi's carvings
reveals a meticulous but subtle attention to detail. Each figure
is postured and posed to give a sense of life-like action. Every
inch gone over and textured very carefully. His background as
a two-
dimensional artist assists him in his ability to accurately provide
shading and other details. His work is all one-piece.
