Adobe Gallery Blog

Everyone is familiar with the famous Navajo men who are known as the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. It was they who came up with Navajo words to substitute for naval terms and it was their ingenious use of their Navajo language that confounded the Japanese who were never able to break the code.

Elizabeth Manygoats made a set of four pottery tiles in 2005 illustrating four Navajo words and the naval words for which they substituted. The Navajo word for whale was used for a ship, the word for shark was used for submarine, the word for turtle was used for tank, and the word for bird was used for airplane.

According to Chuck and Jan Rosenak in their book Navajo Folk Art: The People Speak, Betty Manygoats has 10 children-nine daughters and a son-many of whom are making pottery in a style similar to hers. The Rosenaks said that Manygoats was not prolific at the time of their book (1994).
The pottery tiles are mounted on fabric and framed together in a wood frame.

Condition: original condition
Provenance: from the collection of Chuck and Jan Rosenak, renowned collectors and authors of Navajo folk art.
Recommended Reading: Navajo Folk Art: The People Speak by Chuck and Jan Rosenak.

Title: Diné (Navajo) Set of Four Code Talker Pottery Tiles
Potter: Elizabeth Manygoats
Category: Contemporary
Origin: Diné - Navajo Nation
Medium: clay, paint
Size: 4-1/2" x 3-1/2" each tile; 8" x 18-1/2" frame
Item # 25606