Maidens & Standing Beings

Gabe Sice made this graceful corn maiden from antler.  She is wearing a tablita which is worn during ceremony.  She has inlaid coral on her face and neck, and jet eyes.  Her hair and corn kernels are beautiful detailed.  She has a sterling silver lop at the top of the head so she can be worn.  More about corn maidens below.

Size: 2.5" L x .5" w

Female corn beings represent all that is good about being a woman: loving, generous, nurturing, kind, strong with great compassion.  In tribes that traditionally grow corn, most of the stories are the similar.  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.  In Zuni Pueblo, there are three ages of female corn beings: the maiden who wears her hair in the traditional buns on each side, the mother who has one or more babies, and the elder grandmother who wears her shawl over her head. There are dances to honor the female corn beings in many of the Pueblos.  And in other tribes, she is held in a place of great honor.

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.

Corn Maidens represent everything good about being a woman. These Corn Maiden Sisters were carved from shimmery mother of pearl by Gloria Chattin.  Engraved on her shawl are geometric designs, dragonflies, and corn stalks. She stands on crushed turquoise which represents water and an offering and a stone base. The inlaid stones on her body are coral, turquoise, opal, apatite, and lapis. More about corn maidens below.

Size: 2.25" H 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.  Corn maidens come with a card detailing the meaning, the carver, and the material they are carved from.

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.

Corn Maidens represent everything good about being a woman. Carl Etsate carved this Corn Maiden from Mexican Onyx.  She has inlaid jet eyes, a coral mouth, and turquoise dots inlaid on her body. He carved corn kernals and geometric designs on her body. More about corn maidens below.

Size: 2.25" H x .75" in diameter

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.  Corn maidens come with a card detailing the meaning, the carver, and the material they are carved from.

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.

Seven Corn Maidens grace this rare and special necklace by Amos Pooacha, a younger man who passed away many years ago.  The maidens are carved from shimmering pink mussel shell with inlaid Sleeping Beauty turquoise eyes and dots on their bodies.  Between each Maiden are white clam shell beads, heishi, and turquoise. Above the Maidens are dark pen shell heishi beads. The beads end with a cord that is tied. The cord can be attached to a clasp if so desired, but it is comfortable the way it is. Signed AP on the back of the main Maiden. More about corn maidens below. More about Corn Maidens below.

Amos made this special necklace upon request for Gathering Tribes before he passed away. They were found in a box of beads where they slept during several moves. The owner of Gathering Tribes was and still is family to the artistic Pooacha family.

Size: 29" Long - Main Corn Maiden 2.125" H x .675" W

Female corn beings represent all that is good about being a woman: loving, generous, nurturing, kind, strong with great compassion.  In tribes that traditionally grow corn, most of the stories are the similar.  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. There are dances to honor the female corn beings in many of the Pueblos.  And in other tribes, she is held in a place of great honor.

Seven Corn Maidens grace this rare and special necklace by Amos Pooacha, a younger man who passed away many years ago.  The maidens are carved from shimmering abalone with inlaid Sleeping Beauty turquoise eyes and dots on their bodies.  Between each Maiden are white clam shell beads, heishi, and turquoise. Above the Maidens are dark pen shell heishi beads. The beads end with a cord that is tied. The cord can be attached to a clasp if so desired, but it is comfortable the way it is. Signed AP on the back of the main Maiden. More about corn maidens below. More about Corn Maidens below.

Upon request, Amos made these for Gathering Tribes before he passed away. They were found in a box of beads where they slept during several moves. The owner of Gathering Tribes was and still is family to the artistic Pooacha family.

Size: 29" Long - Main Corn Maiden 2.25" H x .5" W

Female corn beings represent all that is good about being a woman: loving, generous, nurturing, kind, strong with great compassion.  In tribes that traditionally grow corn, most of the stories are the similar.  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. There are dances to honor the female corn beings in many of the Pueblos.  And in other tribes, she is held in a place of great honor.

This special Hopi Corn Maiden pendant was made in the traditional overly style (More about Corn Maidens below).  We love her traditional Hopi buns and the beautiful corn kernals. She comes with an 18" sterling silver chain. A Hopi hallmark is on the back.

Overlay jewelry is made by sawing out two sheets of metal the same, in this case sterling silver. Hopi jewelers texture the bottom sheet with hatch marks.  The bottom sheet is then oxidized to turn it black. The design on the top sheet is carefully sawed out with a fine jeweler's saw and the edges are filed smooth. The top is then soldered onto the bottom piece. It is then polished to a high sheen. 

Size: 2.25" H x .875" W

Female corn beings represent all that is good about being a woman: loving, generous, nurturing, kind, strong with great compassion.  In tribes that traditionally grow corn, most of the stories are the similar.  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. There are dances to honor the female corn beings in many of the Pueblos.  And in other tribes, she is held in a place of great honor.

Gabe Sice made this graceful corn maiden from antler.  She has the two traditional buns on each side of her head.  There is inlaid turquoise and coral on her face and neck.  One maiden has all red coral inlaid on her face and neck.  Her hair and corn kernels are beautiful detailed.  She has a sterling silver lop at the top of the head so she can be worn.  More about corn maidens below.

Size: 2.5" L x .5" w

Female corn beings represent all that is good about being a woman: loving, generous, nurturing, kind, strong with great compassion.  In tribes that traditionally grow corn, most of the stories are the similar.  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.  In Zuni Pueblo, there are three ages of female corn beings: the maiden who wears her hair in the traditional buns on each side, the mother who has one or more babies, and the elder grandmother who wears her shawl over her head. There are dances to honor the female corn beings in many of the Pueblos.  And in other tribes, she is held in a place of great honor.

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.

This Keeper of the Corn was carved by Elton Kaamasee from antler.  He stands with feathers on top of his long hair and wears a shawl wrapped around himself.  One hand peeks out of the shawl holding an ear of corn with inlaid turquoise kernels.  He stand on a base carved with corn inlaid with turquoise and long corn leaves.

Size: 4.75" H x 1.5" L x .75" W

Corn is indigenous to the Americas and has been a staple of Indigenous people for thousands of years.  There are over 2,000 varieties of corn in the Americas, and many ceremonies involving corn.  Zuni Pueblo is also noted for the beautiful corn maidens carved there.

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.

This sterling silver overlay Butterfly Maiden was made by Hopi jeweler, Frank Lahaleon.  She is so beautiful!  She has a feather tied into her hair, face paint, and is holding a bow with two ears of corn.  Her dress has traditional designs and she is wearing mocassins with leg wraps.  Her butterfly wings have traditional designs which include water, lightening, mountains, snow, and whirlwinds.  It has a 1.25" pin on the back, as well as a loop for a chain.  More about the overlay technique below.

Size: 3" H x 1.5" W

Hopi Overlay  Overlay jewelry is made by sawing out two sheets of sterling silver or gold the same size.  Hopi jewelers texture the bottom sheet with hatch marks.  It is then oxidized to turn it black.  The design is drawn on to the top sheet of silver which is then carefully sawed out with a fine jeweler's saw. The edges are filed smooth.  The top piece is soldered on to the bottom piece.  Sometimes, there are many small pieces that are also soldered on to the bottom sheet of silver.  It is then polished to a high sheen.  Overlay is very labor intensive!

This tall and elegant antler Corn Maiden was carved many years ago by Claudia Peina.  She is wearing a tablita with inlaid jet and turquoise on each side.  The face has inlaid turquoise eyes with a natural red coral mouth.  It has a total of twenty-seven natural red coral inlaid dots, a total of eighty-six turquoise dots, and thirty-four inlaid jet dots (if our count was correct and we counted twice).  She was well loved for many years in the personal collection of the owner of Gathering Tribes.  More about Corn Maidens below.

Size: 8.25" H x 4.5" W due to the curve.

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.  Corn maidens come with a card detailing the meaning, the carver, and the material they are carved from.

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.