Cordero Mother Turtle with 6 kids [SOLD]

According to Helen Cordero, a Cochiti legend states that in time of turmoil or trouble, Mother Turtle will come to the pueblo and rescue the children. She demonstrated this in her turtle figurines with children on their backs. As far as I know, she was the first potter to transform this legend into visible art. I recall buying turtle figurines from Helen in the early 1980s, but I don’t know the date that she made the first one.

In this figurine, Mother Turtle has a textile spread over her shell. Five children ride her back, and one barely hangs on to the turtle’s neck. The turtle has its head turned almost completely to the back ostensibly looking to see if the children are still there. 

Condition: very good condition