Nampeyo

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Nampeyo, ceramic artist at Hopi, with her work, ca. 1900, photograph by Henry Peabody

polychrome ceramic jar, by Nampeyo, ca. 1880

Iris Nampeyo (ca. 1860–1942) was a Hopi - Tewa potter who lived on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona.^[1]^[2] She received the English name Iris as an infant, but was better known by her Tewa name, Num-pa-yu, meaning "snake that does not bite".

Background

She was born at Hano Pueblo, which is primarily made up of descendants of the Tewa tribe who fled west to Hopi lands after the Pueblo Rebellion of 1680. Her mother, Ootca-ka-o was Tewa; her father Qots-vema, from nearby Walpi Pueblo, was Hopi.

Artwork

Hopi people make ceramics painted with beautiful designs, and Nampeyo was eventually considered one of the finest Hopi potters. Nampeyo learned pottery making through the efforts of her paternal grandmother. In the 1870s, she made a steady income by selling her work at a local trading post operated by Thomas Keam.^[3] She became increasingly interested in ancient pottery form and design, recognizing them as superior to Hopi pottery produced at the time. Her second husband, Lesou (or Lesso) was employed by the archaeologist J. Walter Fewkes at the excavation of the prehistoric ruin of Sikyátki in the 1890s. Lesou helped Nampeyo find potsherds showing the old forms and Fewkes produced detailed illustrations of reconstructed pots.

Nampeyo developed her own style based on the traditional designs. Her work was purchased for the Smithsonian Institution and by collectors worldwide. In 1904 and 1907, she produced and sold pottery at the Grand Canyon lodge owned by the Fred Harvey Company. She and her husband traveled to Chicago in 1898 and 1910 to display her work.

Nampeyo began to lose her sight in 1925, but continued to form and shape pots by touch. These later pots were painted by members of her family, including her four daughters, who also became well-known potters. She worked with clay until her death in 1942.

Nampeyo's photograph was often used as a symbol of the Hopi people and, by the end of her life, she was drawing huge numbers of tourists to her workshop. Her influence led to a renewal of the pottery-making tradition among the Hopi and to the elevation of traditional pottery forms and decoration to an art form.

Notes

↑ Dillingham 14-15
↑ Various sources give either 1859 or 1860 as Nampeyo's birthdate.
↑ Wade Edwin L., Lea S. McChesney and Thomas Keam. "Historic Hopi Ceramics: The Thomas V. Keam Collection of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology".

References

Dillingham, Rick. Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1994. ISBN 0-8263-1499-6.
Graves, Laura. Thomas Varker Keam, Indian Trader. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1998. ISBN 0-8061-3013-X.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nampeyo.

A Nampeyo Timeline, from the Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona
A Nampeyo Showcase, a display of some of Nampeyo's work
Photographic Resources Guide to the North American Collection, Thomas Keam's Southwest Expedition
Nampeyo - Hopi master potter

Arizona Women's Hall of Fame

1980–1989

1981	Colton, Mary-Russell FerrellMary-Russell Ferrell Colton Crawford, Cordelia AdamsCordelia Adams Crawford Hall, SharlotSharlot Hall King, Isabella GreenwayIsabella Greenway King Lockwood, LornaLorna Lockwood Shaw, Anna MooreAnna Moore Shaw

1982	Bush, Nellie T.Nellie T. Bush Elias, EulaliaEulalia Elias Frohmiller, AnaAna Frohmiller Heard, Maie BartlettMaie Bartlett Heard Munds, Frances Lillian WillardFrances Lillian Willard Munds Smith, Placida GarciaPlacida Garcia Smith

1983	Aguirre, Mary BernardMary Bernard Aguirre Hammer, Angela HutchinsonAngela Hutchinson Hammer Herron, Laura E.Laura E. Herron Kitt, Edith StrattonEdith Stratton Kitt Neal, Ann CornwallAnn Cornwall Neal Rider, Jane H.Jane H. Rider

1984	Berry, Rachel Emma AllenRachel Emma Allen Berry Cashman, NellieNellie Cashman Hayden, Sallie DavisSallie Davis Hayden Toles, ElsieElsie Toles Vasquez, Carmen SotoCarmen Soto Vasquez

1985	Redbird, IdaIda Redbird Sorin, Sarah HerringSarah Herring Sorin Sparkes, Grace M.Grace M. Sparkes Wetherill, Louisa WadeLouisa Wade Wetherill

1986	Colter, Mary Elizabeth JaneMary Elizabeth Jane Colter D'Autremont, Helen CongdonHelen Congdon D'Autremont Guenther, Minnie K.Minnie K. Guenther Jimulla, ViolaViola Jimulla Nampeyo Reinhold, RuthRuth Reinhold Winsor, ClarissaClarissa Winsor

1987	Bourne, Eulalia "Sister"Eulalia "Sister" Bourne Johnson, Ann-Eve MansfeldAnn-Eve Mansfeld Johnson Keith, Abbie W.Abbie W. Keith Linde, Jessie HarperJessie Harper Linde Lockett, Hattie GreeneHattie Greene Lockett Woody, Clara T.Clara T. Woody

1988	Chapella, GraceGrace Chapella Goldwater, Josephine W.Josephine W. Goldwater Hopkins, Hallie Bost Wright.Hallie Bost Wright. Hopkins Otero, Sister ClaraSister Clara Otero Richey, ThamarThamar Richey Riley, Mary V.Mary V. Riley

1989	Birchett, Guess EleanorGuess Eleanor Birchett Brown, Polly HicksPolly Hicks Brown Evans, Jessie BentonJessie Benton Evans Fly, Mary "Mollie" E.Mary "Mollie" E. Fly Oldaker, Elizabeth S.Elizabeth S. Oldaker Orme, Minna VrangMinna Vrang Orme

1990–1999

1990	Botzum, Clara OsborneClara Osborne Botzum Coleman, VernellVernell Coleman Hughes, Josephine BrawleyJosephine Brawley Hughes Shannon, ElizabethElizabeth Shannon Stevens, Minnie McFarlandMinnie McFarland Stevens Yount, Florence BrookhartFlorence Brookhart Yount

1991	Douglas, Margaret BellMargaret Bell Douglas Hance, Margaret TaylorMargaret Taylor Hance Quoyawayma (Elisabeth Q. White), PolingayshiPolingayshi Quoyawayma (Elisabeth Q. White) Slee, Margaret SangerMargaret Sanger Slee Young, OlaOla Young

1994	Urquides, MariaMaria Urquides

2000–2009

2002	Post, Mary ElizabethMary Elizabeth Post Wauneka, Annie DodgeAnnie Dodge Wauneka

2004	Johnson, VeoraVeora Johnson Kerr, Louise LincolnLouise Lincoln Kerr Montgomery, Winona E.Winona E. Montgomery Tanner, Clara LeeClara Lee Tanner

2006	Bevan, Jessie GrayJessie Gray Bevan Hamilton, Lucretia BreazealeLucretia Breazeale Hamilton Maynard, EthelEthel Maynard McGee, Patricia AnnPatricia Ann McGee Rosenbaum, PollyPolly Rosenbaum

2008	Accomazzo, BettyBetty Accomazzo Bartlett, KatharineKatharine Bartlett Boehringer, C. LouiseC. Louise Boehringer Clark, Sister KathleenSister Kathleen Clark

2010–2019

2010	Bennett, Helene ThomasHelene Thomas Bennett Birdsall, Alice M.Alice M. Birdsall Brown, Pauline BatesPauline Bates Brown Clark, Jean MaddockJean Maddock Clark Lindeman, Anne E.Anne E. Lindeman

2013	Rose E. Collom Jean Chaudhuri Helen Sekaquaptewa Jacque Yelland Steiner Dorothy Elaine Powell

Authority control	VIAF: 96620988

Persondata
Name	Nampeyo
Alternative names	Iris Nampeyo
Short description	Hopi potter
Date of birth	1859
Place of birth	Arizona
Date of death	1942
Place of death	Arizona

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