Painting of “Thunder Bird & the Rainbow Man” by Kai-Sa [R]

Percy Sandy, or Kai-Sa, as he often signed his work, was born at Zuni Pueblo in 1918. Having attended elementary and secondary schools in Zuni, Sandy later left for Santa Fe to do postgraduate work at the Santa Fe Indian School. He later moved from Zuni to Taos, due to internal conflicts connected to his depiction of sensitive religious subjects. He died in Taos in 1974.

Zuni elders frowned upon artists depicting ceremonial objects or functions in paintings, however, the Zuni Knifewing figure and the Zuni Rainbow Man have been depicted in jewelry for decades so this painting, pairing the two, would not be considered taboo by the Zuni elders.

The Zuni Knifewing God is a sky being with a human-bird form. He wears a terraced cap which represents his dwelling place among the clouds. He has feathered wings and tail. The mythic being of birdlike form of a rainbow, known as a Rainbow Man, embodies spirits of rain, thunder and lightning and was depicted on a Zuni war shield. It is rare to see the two mythic creatures combined into one image. I have never seen this before.

The painting appears to be in original excellent condition. Written in pencil on verso is the following: “Thunder Bird & the Rainbow Man” by Percy Sandy Taos, New Mexico Tribe – Zuni Indian Name Kai-Sa (Red Moon). Note: Sandy called the Knifewing figure a Thunder Bird, but it is generally called a Knifewing.