Paul Sewemaenewa
White Bear
16 1/2"
total height
The White Bear depicted here
is a Hon Kachin, but is more properly described as Köcha
Honau.
"The Bear Kachina is
of such great strength that it is felt he can cure the sick.
He appears in the kachina return or Soyal of First Mesa as the
watchman or side dancer for the Chakwaina.
He may come singly or in a
group during the Palölökong Dance, and may appear in
a number of colors such as Sakwa Honau (Blue Bear) or as illustrated
- Köcha Honau (White Bear). Probably he is most familiar
in the Mixed Kachina Dance, dancing outside the lines.
His most distinctive feature
is the presence of a bear footprint on either cheek."
-Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary (114)
The obviously unique features
of this piece are the detailed aspects of the base. Paul always
does a fascinating job with his larger, detailed bases. Here
you can see twin black bears emerging from their den cave, while
an eagle sculpture emerges along side.
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
