In the Park's Permanent Collection

From time to time Tohono Chul Park will showcase pieces from the Park's Permanent Collection. Our Collection houses more than 250 mostly Native American fine crafts, including pottery, baskets, weavings and carvings.

Frog Fetish   artist: Anderson Weahkee, Hopi (see photo, right)
Donated by: Richard and Jean Wilson
H:2”  W: 2 1/8” 
87.2.2

The Zuni people believe that all elements of the water, earth and sky are interconnected and belong to one great system. The gods, being not of the earth, are considered to be closely connected to the phenomenon of nature. Animals, being mortal and similar in physical make-up, are considered closer to humans. To understand the unknown phenomenon, humans created animals out of stone that closely resemble nature. For example, a snake would be the animal symbol for lightning because of its shape in the sky resembling the movements of a snake and because both can strike without warning. Another way to understand the connection of animals and nature is to pass down through the generations the myths of the past. These myths give the Zuni people an understanding of their connection to all other living and inanimate things of this earth, and explain the power of the fetish. 

All tribes in the Southwest create and use fetishes but the Zuni carvers of New Mexico have the reputation of being the most skilled in the art. Other tribes will barter with the Zunis and trade items for fetishes that will protect their flocks of animals. The fetishes are used for protection, but also to help a person in meeting problems that will be faced in a lifetime. In the Southwest, these problems could be the lack of water, diseases of sheep or cattle, or the desire for a successful hunting trip. If taken care of properly, the fetish is thought to bring good luck to its owner.

Fetishes are owned by individuals, small groups of people, or they can even protect an entire tribe. The difference between a carving and a fetish is the matter of belief in the object. The fetish is looked upon as a living being that lives inside stone. There are ceremonies that the Zuni participate in that feed the fetish by giving it cornmeal, and after the ceremony is finished, the fetish is placed in a special jar.

This stone frog is 2” high, 2 1/8”wide and 2” deep. It is made of serpentine marble, a gray and cream colored stone. Serpentine is popular with carvers because it is easy to acquire and has the reputation of being easy to carve. Serpentine marble is a serpentine rock (an igneous rock from the earth’s mantle – the layer below the earth’s crust) that contains other minerals, a sort of rock hybrid. It is also the state rock of California . This fetish, like many, is carved with a “heartline”. This represents the path that leads to the magical power that resides in the fetish heart.

Traditional fetishes do not include the frog, but frogs are very popular in all Zuni artwork and contemporary frog fetishes are not uncommon. It can be seen as an animal with a special bond with life and living. The frog is associated with rain and moisture, an important part of living in the desert. They are used in ceremonies asking for rain, and many fetishes have been found buried near natural water holes such as lakes and streams.

Frogs are considered one of the most important, if not the most important rain bringing fetish. It also has associations with fertility and abundance. Women might keep a frog fetish by their beds in hopes of becoming pregnant. These reasons might explain why this animal is one of the most frequently carved fetishes by the Zuni.

Anderson Weahkee is part of an important carving family. His mother was Edna Leki, who was best known for “old style” carvings. His grandfather was Teddy Weahkee, a prominent carver in the mid twentieth century. He was known for his paintings, inlaid jewelry, human figurines, and or f course, fetishes. Anderson Weahkee does not carve anymore, but his work is still well respected in the Zuni community, and the “old style” carving that his mother taught the family is still represented in his sisters, Lena Boone and Dinah Gasper’s work.

On November 10 and 11, Tohono Chul Park will host a Zuni Fetish Sale. Come and visit us in the Wilson Room (10am - 4pm each day). Free Admission.

Bennet, Hal Zina.Zuni Fetishes: Using Native American Objects for Meditation, Reflection, and Insight San Francisco : Harper Collins Publishers, 1993

Branson, Oscar T. Fetishes and Carvings of the Southwest Marceline : Walsworth Press Company, 1976

Cushing, Frank Hamilton. Zuni Fetishes Las Vegas : KC Publications, 1990

McManis , Kent . Zuni Fetishes and Carvings Tucson : Rio Nuevo Publishers, 1998

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