Adobe Gallery Blog

David Tsikewa brought a previously unseen delicacy to the art of fetish carving. His pieces have a sweet, gentle quality that distinguishes them from the works of his contemporaries. Born in 1915, David passed away from a heart attack in 1970. Tsikewa learned silversmithing from the renowned Horace Iule in about 1937 and by the mid-1940s was carving small fetishes for necklaces at the request of Ruth Kirk of the well-known Gallup, NM trading family. Although he continued silversmithing, he began focusing on carving fetishes by the mid-1950s. 

According to fourth-generation Indian trader Joe Tanner of Gallup, Tsikewa and Leekya Deyuse were the top of the heap of fetish carvers in the last half of the 20th century. Tanner and Santa Fe dealer Marti Struever both independently identified this necklace as that of David Tsikewa. In 1966, Tsikewa's fetishes were prominent at the Heard Museum's Zuni Show.

The delicate fetishes in this necklace, which number 33 per strand for three strands, were carved from a variety of stones and shell and the brown hieshe was handmade from shell. There are birds and animals of a variety of styles. The three strands are secured at the ends with silver cones and a handmade silver clasp. Tsikewa's fetishes, once $1 each, now command as much as $100 each.

Condition: original condition
Provenance: from the personal collection of Margaret Gutierrez of Santa Clara Pueblo

Subject: Zuni Three-strand David Tsikewa Fetish Necklace
Artist: David Tsikewa (1915-1971)
Category: Necklaces
Origin: Zuni Pueblo
Medium: stone, shell, silver
Size: 28" end-to-end
Item # C3371A