CROW MOTHER (ANGWUSNASOMTAKA)

John Pietewa-1995
Sun Clan
Waalpi, First Mesa

John Pietewa was a third generation traditional Hopi  kachina maker raised in Waalpi on the First Mesa of the Hopi reservation in Arizona. He died in 1995 and this kachina is believed to be his final work of art.
In Hopi mythology, Crow Mother (Angwusnasomtaka in the Hopi language) is the maternal leader of the Whipper  Kachinas. She is the Crow Bride (Angwushahai-i) on Third Mesa. On the other mesas she is simply the Crow Mother. Many Hopi people consider her to be the mother of all Kachinas. She supervises the initiation of the children into the Katsina Society and carries the yucca whips with which they are struck by the Hu Katsina. The children are then rewarded with a prayer feather and a meal before leaving the kiva. Later in the same ceremony, Crow Mother leads other kachinas into the village during the  Bean Dance (Powamuya), bearing in her arms a basket of corn kernels and bean sprouts to symbolizing the germination of seeds during winter.
The piece in our collection is an excellent classic interpretation of the Crow Mother kachina. She bears in her arms a basket of corn kernels and bean sprouts to symbolically start the new season with prosperity.  This is a highly collectible, superb carving in every respect.