Southwest Indians
If you have had the opportunity to look at the beautiful Indian art in public
museums, chances are you have witnessed what the Southwest Indians are known
for. Art was and still is extremely important to the Southwest Indians. It
is a tool to help them communicate their dreams, visions, and beliefs to each
other and to the rest of the world. The Southwest Indians are most known
for their pottery and basket making skills; however that is just a sample
of what the Southwest Indians could do with their hands.
The pottery they produced was made for everyday use, including cooking, storage,
bathing, and religious ceremonies. All of the pieces were painted and carved
carefully with designs that told a story. Nobody knows just how long these
pieces took to create.
Earthenware, as we know it today, is the closest to the ancient art of the
Southwest Indians. However, it is considerably softer and coarser in
texture than the authentic Indian pieces. Outside of pottery, the Southwest
Indians were probably more skilled in making baskets than any other Indian
group of their time. They were exquisitely decorated with colors and
patterns. They were very symbolic, like all of the art they created.
Another example of their ancient art was Kachina dolls, dolls that were hand
carved out wood by the Zuni and Hopi Southwest Indian tribes. After they were
carved to their liking, they clothed them in masks and costumes to look like
the men who dressed up as Kachina spirits. They were also given to children
as a means of learning about the Kachinas, or Gods. The Southwest Indians believed
that the Kachinas would come down to earth and help them tend their fields;
provide wisdom about agriculture and government. Drawings of these Kachinas
have been found on cave walls.
Looking for something different? Search our site.
|
|
Native American Tribes:
Native Americans
NativeNet Archives
|
