Maidens

Zuni carver, Narren Bowannie, intricately carved this corn maiden from antler.  She has a carved feather on the top of her head and in front near the bottom, with traditional patterns on her shawl.  There are inlaid turquoise, shell, and coral in the corn kernels, as well as on each of the four leaves around the bottom.  She is standing amidst crushed turquoise, representing water. 

Size: 2.5" H x 1" L x .75" W

Corn maidens represent everything good about being a woman: strong, kind, compassionate, nurturing and powerful.  There are many Indigenous stories about how corn was brought to the people at a time when there was hunger, and how a sacred, sometimes other worldly, female being brought them corn.

Traditionally, Zuni carvings are symbolically fed cornmeal.   Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.

Zuni carver, Josh Qualo, carved this graceful corn maiden from deer antler.  She has inlaid turquoise eyes, mouth, and her tablita (head piece), as well as red coral and near where her ears would be.  Her body is well carved corn with leaves wrapped around as her clothing.  The carved corn kernels in the front extends into the back where there are also carved leaves.

Size: 4" H x .75" L x 1" W

Corn maidens represent everything good about being a woman: strong, kind, compassionate, nurturing and powerful.  There are many Indigenous stories about how corn was brought to the people at a time when there was hunger, and how a sacred, sometimes other worldly, female being brought them corn.

Traditionally, Zuni carvings are symbolically fed cornmeal.   Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.

She is other worldly!  This alabaster corn maiden by Jon Quam has a beautiful tablita head piece and is hold a bowl of turquoise chips representing blue corn.  The tablita is carved from pink mussel shell and has turquoise attached to the carved parts of the front, and back.  There are also feathers and an arrowhead attached to the front and back on the bottom.  The alabaster is carved with designs from the top to the bottom, and her carved long hair has a pink mussel shell feather attached near the top.  She is standing on a base of what looks like Mexican onyx.

Size: 5.9375" H x 2.125" L x 1.5" W

Corn maidens represent everything good about being a woman: strong, kind, compassionate, nurturing and powerful.  There are many Indigenous stories about how corn was brought to the people at a time when there was hunger, and how a sacred, sometimes other worldly, female being brought them corn.

Traditionally, Zuni carvings are symbolically fed cornmeal.   Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.

She is tall, stately and carved from cedar by Carl Etsate with inlaid turquoise eyes.  She is wearing a turquoise necklace, her body has carvings of corn kernals and other designs, as well as inlaid jet dots.  Her long hair goes all the way down her back.  And, she still has a bit of the cedar aroma.

Size: 5.6875" H x .75" L x .5" W

Corn maidens represent everything good about being a woman: strong, kind, compassionate, nurturing and powerful.  There are many Indigenous stories about how corn was brought to the people at a time when there was hunger, and how a sacred, sometimes other worldly, female being brought them corn.

We like to give corn maiden sisters to the sisters in our families and the sisters we create as move through life to show them that we "have their backs" as our relationship continues to weave together.

Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.

Valerie Comosona carved this graceful butterfly maiden of turquoise with sterling silver antenna.  She is standing on a piece of Mexican onyx with turquoise chips around her feet.  Her wings have four inlaid red coral dots on each wing.  There is a dragonfly on each side, and one side also has two stars.  She also has an opal dot on the front. 

Size: 2.75" H x 1.25" L x 1" W

The butterfly maiden is associated with young women in spring time.  In some traditions the butterfly is associated with transformation, the process of becoming, and beauty.

Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.

She is delicately carved by Danette Laate of shiny white mother of pearl.  She has jet dots inlaid around the edges of her wings and inlaid jet eyes.

Size: 1.25" H x 1.25" L x .25" W

Every spring in Zuni Pueblo, the Butterfly Maidens dance around the time that the flowers bloom. 

Traditionally, Zuni carvings are symbolically fed cornmeal.   Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.