A MINI-INTRODUCTION TO ZUNI FETISHES

Saying you collect fetishes might get you a raised eyebrow, and a search for fetishes on ebay doesn’t only come up with little stone animals.  But for those in the know, Zuni fetishes are addictive.  Each one is different and has a special spirit to it.  Fetish carving is an ancient Pueblo art, but since the days of C. G. Wallace (see my Guide ZUNI INLAY JEWELRY: THE OLD AND THE NEW) Zuni carvers have crafted fetishes to sell.  They are usually animals, but sometimes human forms, and carved from a variety of stones.  The styles range from just a hint of the animal to incredibly detailed miniature sculptures.  There are traditional animals like bears, badgers, and eagles or non-traditional animals like penguins, bats, and camels. Of course there is not room to list every fetish carver, either old or new, but I will list some of the significant carvers of yesteryear and just a couple of my favorite carvers of today.  Please see my book list for more detailed information on Zuni fetishes!

THE OLD

Some of the old masters have reached rock star status.  Leekya Deyuse is considered the Michelangelo of Zuni fetish carvers.  He used to carve stringing fetishes for necklaces by the bucketful and sell them for a few cents apiece.  Now a Leekya necklace will run into the many thousands of dollars.  The work of the old carvers, though not typically super detailed, is anything but crude.  They could capture the exact spirit and feel of an animal while still retaining simple forms. Since fetish carving is taught through the generations, descendants of the old masters often carve in similar styles.

Leekya Deyuse is most famous for his rotund bears but he carved many animals including wolves and birds.  Sometimes they had bundles, sometimes not.  He also carved leaves, bears, and other fetishes to be set into jewelry.


Teddy Weahkee was also a superb jewelry inlayer.  He carved all sorts of animals but also human figurals.  His bundles sometimes had feathers.  To me, his animal faces often have a rather conical look to them

Leo Poblano carved a variety of animals including birds, bears, and coyotes.  Also a masterful crafter of inlaid jewelry, he sometimes used inlay on his fetishes, though often the eyes were just drilled.  His animals always have a peacefulness about them.


Edna Leki was Teddy Weahkee’s daughter and she in turn taught her children to carve.  She was well known for her fetish bowls but also carved individual table fetishes and fetish necklaces.  She carved a lot of wolves and often used various types of serpentine.


David Tsikewa carved both table fetishes and necklaces.  His bird necklaces are superb, with flowing detailed birds, some with crests.   He also  carved quite a few types of domestic animals, like goats and sheep.

If you’d like to learn more about the older carvers, the best reference is the book Zuni Fetish Carvers The Mid-Century Masters by Kent McManis (see below).

THE CONTEMPORARY

There are so many fantastic Zuni fetish carvers now, it would be impossible to list them all.  I can’t even list all of my favorites because there are just too many. They range from the realistic to the suggestive.  They carve in traditional stones and rare stones.  There are many websites with nice fetishes and good information, and of course many Zuni fetish sellers on ebay.  I typically don’t sell Zuni fetishes, mostly because once I have one in hand I have a hard time letting it go!  But every once in awhile I sell one out of my personal collection. Some modern carvers, in no particular order, are:

Dan Quam is considered by many to be the father of realistic carvings.  His animals are carved in exquisite detail, with intricate fur and feathers.  Some of his favorite subjects are mountain lions and eagles, but he does many different animals.


Gibbs Othole doesn’t carve as often as some of the others, but was a mentor to many in his extended family, including Dee Edaakie and Jeff Tsalabutie.  His animals have an organic feel to them and his carvings are super-popular with collectors.  I heard that he was working on a custom project where he was carving almost all of the African animals. He does some of the less typical animals like bats and otters.


Dee Edaakie carves sometimes whimsical, often flowing animals.  Each one is different and usually in non-standard poses.  He sometimes puts necklaces on them, sometimes bundles, and sometimes they are naked.  I have seen many of the traditional animals from him rendered in very modern style, bears, wolves, owls, eagles, bobcats etc.


Jeff Tsalabutie always captures the essence of the animal with a modern flair.  He carves many different animals, every one unique and special.  He usually, but not always, affixes bundles.  He carves in many different stones and seems to be always coming up with something unusual.  He also has done the rare necklace.  Some of his more common animals are wolves, mountain lions, bears, and rams.


Fabian Cheama does amazing reptiles, but also other realistic animals.  I just love his rattlesnakes, they are sinuous and look ready to jump at you.  He also does mountain lions, bobcats, and bunnies, among many other animals.
 

Ricky Laahty is famous for his frogs.  They are every shape and size, often with a “secret” carved on the bottom.  He developed a technique to inlay very realistic bulbous eyes.  He carves other animals too, including birds, and is quite innovative.  

Ron Laahty, Ricky’s brother, is super popular.  He often does whimsical pieces, like a bear with a honey pot, or a bunny with a carrot.  His corn maidens are superb and he invented the stacked turtle fetish.


Travis Lasiloo is another carver that uses a realistic style.  He is probably most famous for his horses, which are usually actively running or prancing.  He also carves ravens and reptiles.


Saul Yuselew I believe is the oldest working carver at Zuni.  Although most of his animals are carved without eyes, his older pieces do have inlaid eyes.  Recently a younger member of his family has been helping him by inlaying eyes.  His animals are often just a suggestion, rather than a detailed rendering, but you can always get the feel of the animal from his work.  He does many animals but I have seen mostly bears, wolves, and horses.


There are literally hundreds of fantastic carvers that I didn’t mention, but that leaves you to explore the world of Zuni fetishes for yourself.  Here are what I consider the best reference books on fetishes.

BOOKS

Zuni fetishes and Carvings (One volume expanded edition) by Kent McManis.  This is THE book on Zuni fetishes.  Kent McManis is the world expert on Zuni fetishes and you will learn a lot from his books.  This one lists many of the carver families and their inter-relationships, discusses the significance of the animals, and talks about various materials.  If you buy no other book, buy this one.

Zuni Fetish Carvers of the 1970s by Kent and Laurie McManis.  This is a new book that talks about some of the more recent carvers with lots of great pictures.  Carvers include Leonard Halate, Alice Homer, Edna Leki, Andrew Emerson Quam, and Aaron and Thelma Sheche to name a few.

Zuni Fetish Carvers The Mid-Century Masters by Kent McManis.  This book discusses the history of 6 very important carvers, Theodore Kucate, Leekya Deyuse, Teddy Weahkee, Leo Poblano, David Tsikewa, and Morris Laahty.  It has many photos of the work of each, every one a bona fide attribution.

Zuni the Art and the People by Ed and Barbara Bell.  This is a 3 Volume set that is out of print but easy to find.  Lots of pictures of Zuni jewelry but also some fetishes from the 1970s era.

The Fetish Carvers of Zuni (revised edition) by Marian Rodee and James Ostler.  Not so many photos (there are some good ones though) but chock full of really good information on Zuni culture, fetish carving, and an in depth look at some of the carvers.

The C. G. Wallace Collection of American Indian Art published by Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc.  The auction was Nov. 14-16, 1975. This is the Wallace auction catalog.  Has a number of fetish photographs from the old masters.  Very hard to find, but worth spending the money if you can find it.