National Native News Special Features

Today's feature on National Native news an examination of the changing role of native art among the indigenous people of the southwest. I'm Diane Hamilton. For some Native Americans the creation of art is something sacred and special not easily separated from religion and ritual. But for most other Americans are to something decorative created to adorn and beautiful. From our archives a report from Richard Mahler who examined some of these differences and changes under way. San Juan Pablo lies along the banks of the Rio Grande surrounded by the high mountains of northern New Mexico. It was here four centuries ago that Europeans first settled the southwest and it was then that Herman a guy whose ancestors sold brilliantly painted clay pots to these outsiders thereby creating what has become one of the region's most important industries. A lot of people. Depend on the sales of the arts and crafts

to either make a living full time or supplement their income. Exactly how significant the Native American art business has become is anybody's guess but it certainly represents hundreds of millions of dollars a year in retail sales in New Mexico alone an estimated 8 percent of the state's 2.4 billion dollar annual tourist income is derived from so-called Indian culture. That's almost two hundred million dollars. As executive director of the eight northern pueblos Council Herman a go yo has seen interest in native art reach an all time high recently within the last maybe five years this big had at one point it was. Being saturated and I think we've reached a plateau. But again I think it goes with the general state of the economy in the United States. Native American art especially jewelry has become fashionable. Silver Navajo Concho belts for example are now selling for as much as $40000

each throughout the U.S. hundreds of stores are devoted exclusively to the sale of such items thereby supporting thousands of artists at some point. As many as 90 percent of adults are said to be involved in producing arts and crafts. Peter Reichstadt is a spokesman for the Southwest Association of Indian Arts or swan. There's a significant number of artists who do have what I would call regular jobs during the year and they do this or work more as a hobby. But then there's also a large number who have made a serious you know career commitment to art as well. It's something they want to do and they make a living. I Stead's organization helped revive dwindling outside interest in traditional native arts and crafts during the 1920s by sponsoring trade fairs that brought hundreds of artists and buyers together. The nonprofit group now helps artists develop sales and marketing skills through training seminars as well as its annual

Indian market which attracts over 75000 visitors to Santa Fe every August. I stat points out that the vast majority of native art is still sold through non-native wholesalers and merchants which means less than 50 percent of retail sales winds up in the hands of artists. It's a situation that is changing however Native Americans are becoming very quickly becoming much more sophisticated about themselves as businessmen and they are seeing more and more that there's there's money to be made on the business side of art as well as on the creative side of art. Tribal Elder Herman to go you know welcomes this development but cautions against mass production and over commercialization the creation of native art he insists is and must remain a fundamentally religious tradition. You know there's some feeling that that. Value is being lost in amongst. Some individuals

some point in time we you know we just have to regroup and remind our people of that that there's still this need and there's just you know this value to keep things sacred. A balance of the sacred and secular in native art concludes can provide economic prosperity while preserving tradition for National Native news. I'm Richard Mahler in San Juan Pablo de Mexico National Native news features are made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts. International. Today's feature on National Native news Southwest's native artists efforts to gain more control over their art market. I'm Diane Hamilton Santa Fe is generally considered the center of Native American arts in the southwest. But despite

enormous financial success and popularity only a tiny percentage of Santa Fe galleries are actually operated by the people who create that art. From our archives a report by producer Richard Mahler on some of those attempting to gain more control. He built 23 New Mexico's capital has a long respected tradition as a major art center. Native American artists have been selling their wares under the porch of the palace of the governor's every day since the 17th century. Each person. They do have a need to display that which states that demonstrate that the work that they have on them by a person house more than that of Earth. Yet only three of the more than 150 Santa Fe galleries are owned by Native Americans. The newest of these is gentle spirit operated by Haim a sculptor Estella Rado and her sister Glenda.

For me. Wonderful because you know us Native American people we can. Market it presented in the way we really want to do it. The writer displays her work in an old adobe building that she has decorated like a typical Pueblo home whereto feels it is vitally important for her visitors to have at least some direct contact with bonafide Native American artists. I think we really need to be concerned about it because this is our home. You know we are the native people here people and there are so many people coming here who want to move in. And so many of the artists who come in from all over and they want to do. And you know. They're not like you still are Rado denim ING has cut out the middleman by opening his own gallery called name on the downtown space shows only in the main has work contemporary painting and sculpture based on traditional images and

themes. The table hope he likes having complete control over the sale display and marketing of his work. Actually I recommend it. You know. I just at least give it a try. I think the truth traditionally I think that's that's actually how it used to work. It's where the artists that are produced became the business man as well. And then later. You know in the middle maintain while welcoming the seemingly unstoppable rise in the popularity of native art naming who worries about a concurrent decrease in overall quality. Of course unemployment is very high among Native Americans. And for that reason. Sometimes certain works are mass produced. But I see that not only with our own people my people but I see it with other cultures

as well I mean depicting Indian images in it and actually having no understanding of the culture in that part of the culture. And again strictly for commercial purposes strictly to make a buck. In recent years the Native American art market has been flooded with cheap knockoff jewelry from Asia produced literally on overseas assembly lines. State and Federal laws protect consumers and artists to some extent. Reaches Peckover says a coach who oversees enforcement as head of New Mexico's office of Indian Affairs were marketing quality products at least. Maintaining that level of tender hopefully can deter the flux of the kind of artificial products that are coming in from a true international market Beko says the Southwest traditional arts and crafts have become a primary drawing card for

visitors from throughout the U.S. and many other countries as well. A recent survey by the New Mexico Department of Tourism found that more than 80 percent of respondents said they visited the state with a desire to experience native culture close up. It's a meaningful and a significant end for National Native news. I'm Richard Mahler in Santa Fe National Native news features are made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts. Public. Radio. International. Today's feature on National Native news. The legacy of Pueblo Potter Maria Martinez. I now lean more the Potters of New Mexico sandalled Alfonso Pablo represent one of the most extraordinary success stories in Native American art. The finely crafted work of these artists is highly valued and its sale to tourists has formed the backbone of the reservation's economy for more than half a

century. From our archives we have this Richard Mahler report. Mario Martinez was a living legend when she died in 1980 at the age of 94. Her legacy survives in the tiny village where she first became famous in the 1920s for her distinctive black on black pottery now displayed in museums throughout the world. She revived an ancient artistic style that had virtually died out among the pueblo people. So until DiFonzo pottery still emulate the muddy tradition as it is known sewing bowls plates and utensils from studios in their homes. Lifelong Pueblo RESIDENT 1 to 4 yo is a member of this new generation. When I was single mostly is both traditional and contemporary. You know ice down allies in a lot of pottery need to go in. To pottery. Paul Gonzales is the grandson of Rosa Gonzales a potter and neighbor of Madea's who became almost as well-known. Paul is

director of the Museum of Contemporary Indian Arts located just a few steps from where he once helped his grandmother sell pots on the Santa Fe Plaza. He disputes the notion that money has corrupted the pottery making tradition at San Ildefonso. My people seem to very easily separate So a piece of pottery to the general community and making a ceremonial bowl for a specific activity within our cube. And I don't think that there's any doubt in their mind what one is for and what the other is for and I don't think we've lost any of that. The making of pottery and other artwork has helped son Ildefonso natives find employment at The Villages full time population has grown to about 400 people from a low of only 80 residents. Earlier this century the arts provide an opportunity for Indian communities to stay. With your traditions because you're not being pulled away from your community to go out and work in the contemporary world when it comes to the art world you work out of your home you work out of your studio.

You work through a gallery but you're there in the community and I believe that that has been a valuable asset to the pueblo community at least Paul's cousin John Gonzales returned to San Ildefonso a few years ago after earning college degrees from Stanford and MIT. He traded a successful career as a big city bureaucrat for a new life as a potter and bead worker. I moved back here from Washington D.C. I was living out there with my oldest son. You know this is home here it's only fossil and I make pottery for a living and I'm very very satisfied with it. Like John can solace in the growing number of other artistes. Doris say pay Pena deviates from the money in Martina's style in her own award winning pottery. A member of the Zia Pueblo who married into San Ildefonso 34 years ago Pena combined some of her own family traditions with those of her adopted home. She concedes that competitive feelings sometimes arise among San Ildefonso Potters and the fame of Madian Latinos and her husband who still dominates. But

Pena points out that money has notoriety has helped all of them prosper and to keep an important part of Pueblo culture alive. Certainly I feel that Maria. Had a lot to do with bringing in pottery making back traditional old town. So no the fossil pots are. Our war Polychrome and Maria and I believe innovated the black firing for which I'm grateful. I always feel that I owe her thanks for for doing that for us. Pena says the biggest threat to send Ildefonso is an ancient art forms. Are there cars video games and other modern distractions that many Pueblo young people find more attractive than molding pots. I hope that our children learn from their mothers grandmothers fathers whoever they are and learn our keep the pottery making going.

I think it's really important because we still do use our pottery for for our ceremonials d'Orsay Pei Pena carries on the sand old Afonso tradition of donating handmade bowls to the pueblo for special ceremonies and of setting aside others for everyday household use for National Native news. I'm Richard Mahler at San Ildefonso New Mexico National Native news features are made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts. International. Today's feature on National Native news art of the Zuni. I'm Nelly Moore. No one knows exactly why but for the last several years the man has grown very rapidly for art objects made by the Zuni people skilled artisans who live along the Arizona New Mexico border. The tribe is taking full advantage of this trend by using modern marketing to sell handmade art objects that incorporate traditional themes from our archives. This 1993 report from Richard Mahler.

The trendy main street shopping district that runs through the Los Angeles suburbs of Santa Monica and Venice is a stark contrast to the empty high desert landscape of New Mexico's remote Zuni Pueblo. But it is here tucked between a sportswear shop and a New Age bookstore that Sunni artists use their own gallery to sell jewelry pottery paintings and fetishes mostly to affluent non-native buyers. Manager Brad Allen says Gallery customers are often delighted to learn that the money they spend directly supports Pueblo artists and tribal development projects. People have a good feeling more than I guess more than anything else about the fact the profits go back to the tribe. And that that it's going to benefit and help sustain the arts and create new arts in addition to the Southern California story. Allen manages a Sunni owned gallery in San Francisco. The tribe has a third

outlet at the Pueblo itself which competes against several non native owned stores. In any zoo any artist is welcome to bring their goods into the enterprise and they're chosen on their quality. And if a fair asking price is being offered by the artist who's produced it in a fair price is paid for the goods and they're not undercut during the slow months like often happens on on a lot of reservations where you know things are bought 10 cents on a dollar a fair price is paid year round and that's one of the major benefits to the tribal enterprise. It's three stories have made Sunni a highly successful art retailer paying its artist top dollar and plowing thousands more into cultural exhibits and demonstrations as a result such ancient art forms as fetish carving have been resurrected. Even the number of carvers is switched in the past. Well I'd say five years from maybe 30 active carvers to probably over 150 active carvers fetishes or small stones carved into the shape of special animals such as Bears and

Ravens. These sacred objects are said to embody a creature's power which can be passed on to whomever holds them. They have become so popular that members of other Southwest tribes also have revived fetish carving in their communities. Salvador Romero is of coach of the NZ a heritage. He began carving fetishes a few years ago and now sells as many as 40 a week. Romero says he never expected to make a full time living as an artist. I'm very surprised. We started out doing one or two pieces. Which were usually either in all pieces or so. Everyone I meet but see Yvonne is a sales clerk at Santa Fe gallery that sells from arrows to fetishize and those of many Sunni and Navajo covers as well. I think there are a lot more popular I think you know society right now is crazy in general and I think. People are really looking for something that. Can you know they can focus on just you know just stop and take a moment to think about things.

Back in suburban Los Angeles Suni gallery manager Brett Allen agrees that the spiritual and earthly dimensions of native art have indeed boosted the popularity of fetishes and similar objects. A more mundane factor is price. Such small items are affordable even in a recessionary economy. Here you have one hundred sixty or one hundred seventy different individual artists not not factory made. These things are made at someone's home in their living room on the kitchen table in a trailer back behind the house and they all have that sort of personality that each individual artist puts into it. But the majority of the pieces that are produced are very reasonable. So here's a very reasonable handmade piece of artwork that is accessible virtually to everybody. A fetish is started three dollars in addition to fetishize the tribe own gallery sells pots jewelry paintings drums and other items made by Pueblo artists many available nowhere else. The only success story has not gone unnoticed by other Southwest tribes. Several of which have opened galleries and gift shops of their own.

The Sunni's meanwhile are considering expanding to new stories in Atlanta New York and even Paris France for National Native news. I'm Richard Mahler in Los Angeles. National Native news features are made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts. Today's feature on National Native news. The future of Southwest native art. I'm Diane Hamilton. The enormous popularity of indigenous American Art has allowed thousands of natives to earn all or part of their living through creative activity. But the future of this trend is uncertain. And some artists worry about the over dependence on outside income and fetish designs. From our archives Richard Mahler's report from Santa Fe New Mexico.

Still with us. He's with a colleague of mine Salvador Romero is making fetishes at the display counter of K. she one of many Santa Fe galleries that specialize in Indigenous art following the tradition of his coach Eddie and ancestors. Romero collection then carves each stone in the shape of a wild animal. Finally he ties an arrowhead feather and beads to the creature's back. Native American hunters still carry sacred fetishes when they search for elk and deer in nearby mountains. Some are used in Pueblo ceremonies but virtually all of these fetishes will be sold to tourists the lifeblood of Santa face economy. Salvador Romero estimates about half of his coaching neighbors are now also selling art to non-native visitors most people have little signs outside the yard you know and that's you going up and down the street and you see a sign says pottery or drums and if

you can find these places because there is no club or if or. Please do so. Creating art specifically for tourists is nothing new in native communities Navajo blankets for example became valuable collector's items more than a century ago when trainloads of Eastern visitors first came to the southwest. What makes the Native American art business different these days is the incorporation of mass marketing techniques and the borrowing of ancient designs. The stick figure of Kokopelli For instance now adorns everything from T-shirts to ashtrays Hopi to Painter Dan says this humpback flute player is an important figure in Hopi religion whose image has been thoroughly trivialized. When you leave an example of society that that's going to happen. What other cultures believe is sacred to them. Sometimes some of the girls who will use it for commercial purposes.

The man has no quarrel with those who wish to borrow traditional native images. His objection is to degradation of that imagery by natives and non-natives alike. Herman I go yo executive director of the eight northern pueblos Council agrees that this sort of borrowing must take place in a respectful context. It's a very sensitive issue to talk about but I think what's happened and you say that because we as in in people are not very explicit about what we should allow or disallow. And that gives the impression that. The non-Indian or the Indian artists themselves can do certain things that that might be found offensive that could be offensive or is offensive. Okoya believes each tribe needs to address these questions on its own setting whatever limits are deemed appropriate. Among native artists themselves there's a feeling that

those who are creating products simply for the money will drop out on their own. Famous sculptor as Stella Loreto says those who are serious about their work will persevere. So this is the difference between a true artist and someone who's just created to make a sound to pay and we all have to pay the bill. But I also think that that too Art has to come from deep within. But walk a sculptor and tribal gallery manager George Rivera is convinced that Native people will adapt successfully to whatever conditions the fickle art world dictates. Maintaining artistic integrity as they always have in the past and they're such a huge demand for the pottery and artwork from this region so. I think it's it's. It's not going to go away for a long long time. For National Native News I'm Richard Mahler inside a famed National Native news features are made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts.

This is National Native news. Our producer is not only more engineering by Kevin Smith and Christabel like music by Mickey Hart for the Alaska Public Radio Network. I'm Diane Hamilton.