Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2009 School for Advanced Research.
Manta | Shawl | Eha ba'inne
Date: 1890s
Artist or Maker: Unknown
Dimensions:
118.1 x 104.1 cm (46 1/2 x 41 in.)
Medium: wool | dyes
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Cyrus McCormick, 1938.
Place Made:
Zuni Pueblo, McKinley County, New Mexico, Southwest, United States, North America
Object Number: SAR.1999-9-79
Not on view
Tribal Collection Review RemarksJim Enote and Octavius Seowtewa during collection review visits on June 10 and 11, 2009 and on February 16 and 17, 2011(Events Records “Collection Reviews: Zuni Tribe, Reviews 2 and 6”): This is a ceremonial textile that was used as a shawl or a blanket. It is a type of textile used in many pueblos, not just Zuni. This type of textile could also have been used as a dress by stitching the vertical edges together. When made into a dress, the Zuni word for it is yadonanne. When used as a shawl or blanket, it would be called ba’inne. The word Zuni word eha means black in English. So, in the case of this piece, it would be called eha ba’inne, because it is a black shawl/blanket. This piece is the right size for a young woman or a small woman. Instead of blue embroidery at the bottom and top edges, as with several other examples of eha ba’inne in IARC’s collection, this piece has dark blue borders woven in a diamond twill pattern. At Zuni, this pattern is called a diamond “eye” pattern (see detail photo). The Zuni word for eyes is dunawe. Zuni is the only pueblo where this pattern is woven. A textile such as this would be a prized possession for elders at Zuni because of the very fine, thin weave. The textile was inspected with a black light. There were many pieces of a purple-fluorescing lint and a few fibers fluoresced a bright red. All of these fibers appeared black when observed in normal lighting. In order to dye it a stable black, it would have first been dyed red, using dye made from the berries of a holly-like bush. It would then have been dyed using a dye made from the outer skins of wild black walnuts (found near Springerville, AZ). If it were just dyed with the black walnut skin dye, and not with the red dye first, it would have faded to gray when washed.
In the past, this type of textile was worn as a shawl at specific times of the year. It could also be worn as a dress for everyday wear and also during ceremonies. In the contemporary context, this type of textile is no longer worn as everyday clothing and it is mostly used at ceremonial events. It is also worn during social events such as parades, Zuni dances at school, and at inaugurations.
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.