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Early Morning Singer Kachina is also called the Silent Kachina, although it sings. It comes in pairs during the Bean Dance and stands to one side of the procession holding its small spruce tree and silver bell. It wears the red and white maiden's robe which is a characteristic garb for many kachinas that appear in the early morning. The awards are hand carved by Native Americans from the root of the cottonwood tree. The Championship Kachina was done by artist Elmer Adams. It comes directly from the Hopi Reservation in Northern Arizona and is special ordered through Lewis Traders of Holbrook, AZ.
The smaller kachinas were carved by Tyrone Duwyenie, the artist from The Arizona Republic.
Tyrone Duwyenie has been carving for the past 15 years. His father Winston taught him how to make his first Kachina when he was 12 years old, but he did not use his talent until a decade later.
Tyrone has resided in Scottsdale and the Phoenix area for the majority of his life; although as a youth he stayed with his grandparents during the summer months on the Third Mesa (Hotevilla).
His carvings have been shown at the Heard Museum, the Festival of the Arts in Tempe, Pueble Grande in Phoenix, Silverland and Turquoise Lady in Scottsdale, the Colorado Indian Market in Denver and the prestigious Indian Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
He enjoys making Kachinas, for this is his way of showing how proud he is to be a Native American. |
