ABOUT THE ZUNI PUEBLO CORN MAIDEN:

Corn is one of the most sacred plants known to Native American cultures on both continents, North and South America, where this staple has been a main food source for the native communities since time unknown.The Corn Maidens play a special role, symbolizing the prayers of the people for a bountiful harvest.The Corn Maidens of Zuni personify the bounty of life giving corn that grows in six different colors & in Zuni tradition, long ago Corn-Maidens saved the Zunis from famine and drought by nourishing them with sacred corn kernels from their bodies.

There are 3 Maidens: The young unmarried woman who will have whorls of hair on the side of her head, signifying that she has not had a child. The mother fetish also can be emerging from the corn (the corn mother) and she will have children with her or look pregnant. The grandmother usually has a shawl over her head and no corn represented on her body.

********************************

THE STORY BEHIND THESE CORN MAIDENS,CORN MOTHER & BUTTERFLY FETISHES:

Totally reversible, both corn maidens, the center corn mother & butterfly fetishes are all 1960's Vintage & were hand made by a well known Zuni Pueblo woman who is known for her fetish carvings. Federico got them from her decades ago & have been in his collection all this time, that is until he found a creative way to incorporate them by accentuating their symbolic beauty with his more recently made channel inlaid turquoise bench beads! Federico was saying, he see's this artist every now & then & came in contact with her at last years "2021 Santa Fe Indian Market". BUT for the life of him,he said he just can't remember her name. (If I ever find out her name,I will update this listing)

********************************

THE NECKLACE:

What is so wonderful about this necklace is that the fetishes are reversible! (see photos/video) On both sides, the center Corn Mother is shown with long carved hair & is adorned with a ceremonial "Tablita" headdress that has dots of Coral & Turquoise embedded into it & on one side it looks like there's a Dragonfly carved into the headdress (See photo 4), where as the other looks like 2 crosses.On both sides her striking beauty is emphasized by a turquoise face. Where they're different, is in the body(See photos 4 & 5)

Separated by 2 beads, are butterflies that are the same on both sides.,Separated by 2 more beads are the smaller Corn Maidens that are reversible. (see photos 5,6,7) All the fetishes made of black Jet & are all hand carved.

********************************

THE BEADS:

These are Federico's most popular bead that are VERY time consuming to make & are totally made by hand! The center is done in a channel mosaic inlaid style where each tiny rectangular cut of turquoise is precisely cut so they can then lay side by side all the way around the center of the bead. This technique is something that ONLY a skilled artist can do & is something that just can't be learned over night! You have to have mathematical skills & great dexterity (And eyesight!) to do this type of work this well! Each have a 14 mm diameter (Just over 1/2" round) The necklace is fairly light in weight,that is not so heavy that it will not hurt the neck.(see weight below)

FYI:

** These sterling beads are made the same way Navajo Pearls are made, by cutting a circle of sterling & then doming each one & then by soldering the 2 domed pieces together to make the bead. Only with these,the channel inlaid turquoise is applied. Also just like Navajo Pearls,these beads are hollow, with no bead being solid.. The weight of the bead is determined by the gauge of sterling the artist chooses & then of course how big the bead is & the length (More beads) **

Wearing this will allow you to express your love for the Native Culture in a cultural/ historical sense, while having the beauty of Federico's work throughout!