Hopi Second Mesa Basketry OLLA with Angak’china Katsina Imagery by Annabelle Nequatewa

Annabelle Nequatewa's Magnum Opus: The Grandeur of Hopi Pueblo Basketry

This massive olla-shaped basket by Hopi Pueblo weaver Annabelle Nequatewa is an incredible piece, crafted by an expert over an incredibly long period of time.  Its shape is like a pueblo pottery water jar but enlarged by a few inches.  Its rim varies a bit from a water jar’s, too, as it curves and then extends vertically for only two coils.  The basket’s shape is beautiful, and its large size really elevates its impact.

What are these baskets made of? Shown (right) is an image of materials that a coiled plaque is made from ... grasses and yucca. If you want to see how they are made, look at the video shown right below the Adobe Gallery Recommended Reading.

The four Katsina figures around the basket’s center represent Angak’china Katsina or the Long Hair Katsina, so named because of the long beard.  The Katsinam are identical and spaced out evenly around the basket.  Over their heads and below their images, the artist created rain cloud designs.  The clouds alternate in colors yellow, orange, and black, and circle the basket on both upper and lower clouds.  Imbrication accents were added over the weft weave for the eyes.   This is a truly incredible example of the art of Hopi basketry.

The Long Hair Katsina is a singer of sweet songs who brings rain and flowers. His beard and loose tassels of feathers symbolize rain and clouds. They appear as dancers in a group at Niman and at plaza dances with Manas. Their purpose is to bring rain, and it is said that they seldom dance without the appearance of a soft gentle rain.

The Long Hair is danced from the Rio Grande to the Hopi Mesas in almost the same form.  Among the Hopis there are many varieties, but the regular Angak'china is the one shown here.  They appear in a group and sing a very melodious song which may be one of the reasons that they are such favorites.

They are often used for the Niman Katsina on First Mesa (Hopi Pueblo) coming with the Köcha Mana.  In fact, they have danced in late August on First Mesa in direct contradiction to the feeling that only Masau'u can be danced out of season.  This is probably because the Hopi-Tewa populate First Mesa and have no restrictions to such appearances.

A client of the gallery called to inform us that she had purchased this basket directly from the artist Annabelle Nequatewa years ago. We are pleased to know the name of the artist and to add that information to our website. Annabelle Nequatewa was born in 1931 at the village of Shungopavi. She has been making baskets since the 1950s and has been an award winner at several venues. She is featured prominently in Helga Teiwes book "Hopi Basket Weaving—Artistry in Natural Fibers". Teiwes said "Annabelle excels in making coiled plaques and deep baskets. On another occasion I photographed her working on a large basket that, when finished, measured twenty-two inches high and twenty-three inches wide. It had four Katsina faces, with four ears of corn between them. . . . One particularly large plaque amazed me, and she said that it took her a very long time to make it." [1996:91]

Condition: original condition

Provenance: this Hopi Second Mesa Basketry OLLA with Angak'china Katsina Imagery by Annabelle Nequatewa is from the collection of a family from Boulder, Colorado

References:

- Teiwes, Helga. Hopi Basket Weaving-Artistry in Natural Fibers University of Arizona Press, Tucson 1996.

- Wright, Barton.  Kachinas: a Hopi artist’s documentary 

TAGS: Southwest Indian Basketry, Hopi Pueblo, Hopituh Shi-nu-mu, Hopi Kachina - Katsina Dolls, Annabelle Nequatewa