Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2014 School for Advanced Research.
Shulawitsi Kohana kokko we'ha | White Fire Keeper kokko figure
Date: before 1974
Artist or Maker: Unknown
Dimensions:
Overall: 22.2 cm (8 3/4 in.)
Medium: wood | paints | wool | cotton | feathers | turquoise | metal, iron
Credit Line: Gift of the Estate of Amelia Elizabeth White, 1978.
Place Made:
Zuni Pueblo, McKinley County, New Mexico, Southwest, United States, North America
Object Number: SAR.1978-1-117
Not on view
Tribal Collection Review RemarksJim Enote and Octavius Seowtewa during collection review visit April 6 and 7, 2009 (Events Record “Collection Review: Zuni Tribe, Review 1”): "Kohana" means "white" in the Zuni language. This figure is similar to IAF.C91, Shulawitsi Kwina, who is also said to be a Fire Keeper. Shulawitsi Kohana dancers participate only in a night dance, and not during Shalako.
Shulawitsi Kohana dancers are painted with multi-colored "polka dots" over various body paint colors (but never black). The main body color may be a variety of colors such as blue, white, pink, or yellow. The dot colors are as follows: yellow represents north, blue is west, red is south, and white is east. Black represents below or bottom, while above or top is represented by multi colors. Whatever the main body color is, the dancer will not have dots of that color. For example, if the body paint is blue, there will be no blue dots.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Jim Enote and Octavius Seowtewa during collection review visit April 10 and 11, 2014 (Events Record “Collection Review: Zuni Tribe, Review 13”): This kokko is carved from wood, possibly pine. Its whole body is painted white, with multi-colored dots painted over the whole surface. The colors used for the dots are black, red, yellow, light blue, dark blue, orange, and green. It’s unusual that orange and green are used because they aren’t among the six directional colors and they aren’t used on the dancers. The figure’s eyes and mouth are drilled and painted black. The white rope affixed to its head is made of wool yarn, though dancer would wear one made of cotton. (The yarn was draped over the back of the head, but it should be draped over the face. IARC staff moved the rope to drape it over the face. It was later re-photographed to show how it should appear.)
The figure wears a necklace of four roughly cut chunks of turquoise strung on a white cotton string. (The actual dancer wears a turquoise double collar like that worn by the Shulawitsi Kwina.)
The arms are articulated at the shoulders and attached to the body with a nail through each shoulder. Hanging by a white cotton string from the right forearm is a short willow stick (would be aspen for a real dancer) with two white turkey down feathers tied to it with white cotton string. This stick with feathers represents the fire-starting wood bundle with prayer sticks that the dancer would carry. The turkey feathers used here represent a variety of feathers that would be used on the prayer sticks. (The Shulawitsi Kohana dancer would not actually carry the fire-starting kit, which is carried by Shulawitsi Kwina during Shalako (see IAF.C91). It would instead carry yucca and deer scapulae.)
There is an off-white cotton strip wrapped around the figure’s waist, which would have been used to hang it on a wall. It wears a navy blue breechcloth made of a twill-woven wool fabric. It is stitched onto the figure with a white thread. There is a white strip of linen wrapped around the figure’s waist, just below the off-white one and above the breechcloth that is meant to represent the belt that would hold the breechcloth up on the dancer (though it doesn’t actually serve that purpose on this figure).
There are several pieces missing or are different from the kokko’s outfit as compared to what the dancer would wear. It is missing a feather bundle on the top of its head that would contain eleven feathers. This same feather bundle is also worn by Shulawitsi Kwina, Sayadasha, and Hututu. It’s wearing a normal turquoise necklace in front, but it should wear the turquoise double collar that is worn both in front and back. It should be wearing a dear fawn pouch over its right shoulder. It should carry yucca in its right hand and deer scapulae and a piece of yucca in its left hand.
In Collection(s)
The Indian Arts Research Center, in collaboration with Native American community scholars, strives to present accurate collections records. Records may be updated as new information becomes available and is reviewed with the Native American community having cultural affinity to particular items. Please write to iarc@sarsf.org if you have questions or concerns related to the documentation.