Figure, carved wood, with traces of red ochre paint; prominent long, narrow carved nose; central hole in front of torso for umbilical projection (missing); pair of serrated segments at sides near base are hands; split down middle, base somewhat wormed and rotted; modern black metal base. Made of cottonwood (Populus fremontii). Carved with metal tools, hole for central projection bored with a brace and bit.
Donor:
George Lois and Mrs. George Lois
Collection place:
New Mexico
Verbatim coll. place:
New Mexico
Culture or time period:
Zuni
Collector:
unknown
Collection date:
unknown
Taxon:
Populus fremontii
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Anthropomorphic and Carvings (visual works)
Production date:
ca. 1930
Accession date:
March 31, 1970
Context of use:
Elder brother (Úyuyewi) of the 2 war gods. In peaceful context they are both called Áhayuta; in association with war, they are referred to individually as Úyuyewi and Matsáilema. The carved representations are distinguished only by the projections on top of the head: Úyuyewi's is tapering or straight, Matsáilema's is crooked lightning. The pair of serrated segments at the base of the figure are his hands. The umbilical projection (missing on this example) symbolized clouds and lightning. The images are carved for use in the Winter Solstice ceremony and the scalp ceremony, and are made from cottonwood or lightning struck yellow pine respectively for the two rituals. The cult of the Áhayuta was carried on by the Bow Priests: those of the Deer clan prepared the Úyuyewi figures, Bear clan members made images of Matsáilema. They are carried in procession from the clansmen''s houses to the kiva where they are installed in an altar together with much paraphernalia; then afterwards they are taken to the shrines on mountain tops around Zuni where they replace the older ones set up on previous occasions. Obsolete figures are laid in an orderly stack behind the new images and left to slowly weather away. This example is stylistically datable to a period certainly after 1913, probably around 1930. According the the origin myths of the gods the war gods are twin children born of the union of the sun with a mountain cascade. They are patrons of contests of all kinds: foot races, games of chance, and war.
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
height 75.5 centimeters
Comment:
RETURNED TO ZUNI NATION JUNE 4, 1990. References: AR-BAE v. 23, detailed article with several useful illustrations by Matilda Stevenson.