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About Wilson Tawaquaptewa
Wilson
Tawaquaptewa was born of the Bear Clan in the Hopi village of Oraibi,
Third Mesa, Arizona, in the year 1873. Oraibi was the largest and most
important Hopi village at the time of Tawaquaptewa's birth. The Bear
Clan was among the most significant clans at Hopi. In 1904, Tawaquaptewa
became the village chief or Kikmongwi, and remained in this
position despite health issues and political imprisonment (October 1906 -
Summer 1909) until his death in 1960.
After the split between
the Friendlies and the Hostiles at Oraibi in 1906,
Tawaquaptewa began to produce
Kachina figures, rattles, tabletas, dance wands, and other traditional
Hopi items.
As a chief
and religious leader he was unique in his efforts to not sell his
culture's artifacts. He invented kachinas which combined attributes from
traditional kachinas, as well as elements he created. |
