Nampeyo of Hano and Annie Healing, Hopi Pueblo Potters

Hopi Pueblo artist Nampeyo of Hano was the first pueblo woman to gain recognition for her pottery. She lived and worked at a time when putting one's name on the vessel was not done, so little, if any, of her pottery is signed. She spent a large part of her productive life supplying pottery to the Fred Harvey Company for re-sale, so documentation of her work is well established. 

Annie Healing was Nampeyo's first child. She was born in 1884 and was named Quinchawa. During this time Hopi trader Thomas Keam encouraged the Hopis to send their children to school. As Quinchawa came of school age before the day school at Polacca opened, she was sent to the boarding school in Keam's Canyon. Little Quinchawa returned after her first year at boarding school with a new name: Annie. Annie didn't let her school experience change her belief in the traditional Hopi way. She continued to help her mother with pottery making during school breaks and when she finished her schooling returned to Hopi and worked with her mother full-time making pottery.

Annie was married around the age of 16 to Willie Healing. His Hopi name was Ipwantiwa, but his name was changed at school to Willie. His last name was the English corruption of his mother's name Heli. 

Annie potted with Nampeyo of Hano for many years and much of her work is indistinguishable from her mother's. According to Nampeyo biographer Barbara Kramer, Annie was Nampeyo's silent but visible partner in pottery making. However careful study has been able to differentiate several design styles between Annie and her mother. She preferred to paint black-and-white on red. Also her work was more delicate than her mother's. The first piece directly attributed to Annie was in 1912 by artist and anthropologist William Leigh. Annie continued to make pottery until the 1930s when arthritis forced her to quit.

Annie had six children, Rachel, Daisy, Dewey, Fletcher, Beatrice and Lucy. Rachel and Daisy both went on to become accomplished potters.

Note: Nampeyo's birth date has been stated to be either 1857 or 1858 by noted photographer W. H. Jackson who photographed her in 1875 at the time he said she was 17 or 18 years of age. (Plateau, A Quarterly. October 1951, Volume 24, Number 2, page 92).

Relative Links: Pueblo Pottery, Annie Healing, Hopi Pueblo, Rachel, Daisy

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