Posted 12 years ago
michelleam…
(59 items)
This was given to me by the niece of an actor friend of mine who passed away. She was doing his estate. He bought many items on location. I loved it immediately and, of course accepted!! There is some damage, but not near the characters. The green areas need a little reglueing!! I am now wondering about the Huichol paintings and symbolism, especially the older paintings. I have been told these are two shamans, as Shamans always sit in chairs(?). I am so curious what the watermelon means, the devining rod, the different clouds, the spider-like drum in the center. Can anyone fill me in on this very old yarn painting and it's symbolism. Thank you for your time and attention, Michelle Amieux,
very cool michelle
I actually didn't buy this piece, but recovered it when a friend had passed away and his niece was tossing everything he had in storage. I was on vacation in Santa Fe, or I would have had a house load. My friend was an actor who got a lot of his pieces on location, though I'll never know the story of this piece, I will always be curious. Thank you for your kind words!!
thats nice have no idea how old that could be ,did you get my email thanks
hmm looks like 2 guys beating up on pikachoo to me .
HI!!
IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE A SCENE OF COOKING IS BEING DEPICTED. THE 'WATERMELON' IS ACTUALLY A LARGE TRAY HOLDING FOOD (POTATOES???), AND THE SPIDER-LOOKING THING LOOKS LIKE FIRE UNDER A POT IN WHICH MORE FOOD IS BEING COOKED. MAYBE THE FIGURE WITH HIS ARMS RAISED HOLDING WHATEVER (BIG SPOONS??) IS THANKING THE DEITIES ABOVE FOR THEIR FULL FEAST??????? I LOVE FOOD, THINKING ABOUT WHAT I'M MAKING, COOKING, EATING OUT........NOT SURPRISING THAT THIS IS WHAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD AND I AM PROBABLY WAY WAY WAY OFF...............BUT FUN TO IMAGINE THE SCENARIO!
Arllita, that is great!! I lived in New Mexico for many years, heck everywhere I ever lived, the kitchen was the center of the household and the pot of stew was the center of the kitchen!! The few clue I have are that my friend, whose wife is Huichol, said "esquite"is corn, so it says, "Esta significado la fiesta del esquite, en Huichol el nombre RasiquiRa"roughly translated, This signifies the festival of the Corn, by Huichol artist named Rasiquira. I was told that the Shamans are always sitting in the chairs, and that what looks like a Watermelon, is in fact a bowl of Corn seeds. The one shaman has what looks like a divining rod, the other two feather prayer sticks, so, I believe they are doing a ceremony to pray for ample rain for their corn crops. About ten years ago I was at the San Felipe corn dance,(few Anglos were allowed, but my Mom had started Pueblo Indian Legal Services with Lisa Chavez to stop the theft of Navajo lands for uranium development), and that ceremony was not much different, aimed at appeasing the rain Gods so the Corn crops would be hardy, and a good year would be had by all!!.
Now the spider like symbol, no idea, not a clue, the thunderclouds I get, but how about that strange triangular UFO thingie with four "feet" floating there to the right under the pink "cloud"? What is that?? With two prongs out of the top and 4 feet, triangular shape, conspiracy theorists might love this "proof" of UFO's. Yet...what the heck is it?? Maybe the spider is a black iron pot cooking three corn seeds, with a fire underneath...but then what are those round sack like things? I am baffled. Thanks for the thought!!
the "spider" is undoubtedly peyote, which along with fire, deer, corn and water are at the heart of the huichol cosmology and can be found in basically every niereka. exact interpretation for a non-huichol is often impossible. but i think that what is provided above strikes me as correct. the mara'kame (shamans) are doing a corn blessing with the peyote.
Richkahn, thank you so much, PEYOTE, now I recognize it, DOH, I mean from a book, not PERSONAL experience!! I only took it once and did have trouble keeping it down. I am so happy to have my first clues as to this pece, I adore it, yet always wonder what the forms are. Is the one shaman holing a devining rod? also, in the sky, I see the normal thunderheads, but to the right, what are the pink lip like cloud and the triangular cloud? I am sorry to be so curious and pick your brain, yet you are the first person to recognize this piece. I also have a Oazacan Jaguar ceremonial costume, with mask, on this show and tell. If you have time, could you take a look, (I only have 23 posts, and see if you know anything of the Oaxacan ceremony. Again, I know very little of the ritual, but loved the piece I have other pieces I haven't posted yet, I am learning this camera to computer tech at this lat stage in life, it takes me forever!! Also posted is an Amer. Indian pink deer painting, very simple, by J.S. Listoro, that I would love to know the tribe it is from, anyways, that's why we're here some with questions and some with answers!! Thank you so much for filling me in on this favorite piece of mine, I am very grateful, Mich
please excuse the typos, someone(me)needs some coffee!!