Timothy Edaakie

Nahohai Tribute Pot

I chose the Nahohai Tribute Pot because it honors Randy Nahohai, who was an inspiring potter for my people and me. People looked up to him and his family because, in the 1980s, when there were only five active potters and the Zuni pottery tradition was about to be lost, the Nahohai family revived the tradition. As a tribute to Randy and his work, I felt the need to honor him, because he was a mentor to me when I was just starting out.

Bobby built the olla using Zuni clay. After Bobby slipped the pot, Jaycee painted Randy’s favorite storm-cloud design on the neck and divided the body into four panels. Then we took the pot to the other potters Milford had chosen. Each was asked to use a favorite design of Randy’s that inspired them. Noreen chose his motif of a deer in its house, Anderson chose the whirlwind storm pattern, and Eileen painted Randy’s parrots onto the pot. I chose his abstract frog design overlaying a prehistoric Zuni design, because Randy and I are both members of the Frog Clan.

Each potter used their own red paint, which is why the red appears to be a different shade in each panel. The natural black paint was made by Bobby and was used by Noreen, Anderson, and me. Jaycee and Eileen used their own natural black paint, which fired a different shade of black.

We originally planned to gift this pot to Milford, but he suggested that the jar go to SAR for its permanent home. Randy, Milford, and their mother, Josephine, had all studied the IARC collection, so bringing the Tribute Pot back to the collection completed the circle. Because this pot is a part of me and the other potters, it is a lasting tribute to Randy, who continues to inspire me through his pottery skills and role as my teacher.