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Course: Art of the Americas to World War I > Unit 5
Lesson 4: Southwest- Pueblo architecture and its relationship to place
- Pottery and tourism: Pueblo culture and the lure of the Southwest
- Puebloan: Maria Martinez, Black-on-black ceramic vessel
- Julian Martinez, Buffalo Dancers
- Acoma polychrome water jar
- Nampeyo, Polacca polychrome water jar
- White Ogre Tihu (Katsina Figure)
- Navajo Belt
- Awa Tsireh’s Pottery Makers
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Acoma polychrome water jar
Acoma polychrome water jar, c. 1890, from Acoma, clay and pigment, 25.1 x 29.8 cm (The Metropolitan Museum of Art); speaker: Brian Vallo, Director, Indian Arts Research Center School for Advanced Research, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Created by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Video transcript
VALLO: When I first learned about the Diker Collection I was always intrigued by the pumpkin pot from Acoma. This is a water jar. It is very unique because of the design. While the form and the design on the neck
are representative of a typical Acoma pot, the pumpkin design it's just so unique. And there is a pigment that fired to a green
finish, which is not a traditional color used at Acoma. After speaking with cultural leaders and other
potters from Acoma about this particular pot, it was clear that this pot is a tribute to
the Pumpkin Clan of Acoma. According to our emergence stories, at the
time of emergence there were a certain number of clans that were born onto this world. I’m Sun Clan, and on this pot, we have the
sun symbol on the neck there. The sun is surrounded by clouds and rain symbols,
and then the larger body of the pot would represent a field or the land, what we would
call stádyou or shtída'paima. And here’s this pumpkin, and beside the
pumpkin, the corn. Corn is so significant to any indigenous culture,
and so this is an incredible representation of what Acoma people today and what our ancestors
believe is the life way. It’s a symbol, part of a larger story of
our cultures and our continued existence on this earth. I am very pleased to see that items from my community are being included in this important exhibition. These pieces will share their energy, the
blessings that they contain, with everyone who sees them.