Billy Manuel is from the Tohono O’odham tribe in southern Arizona.  He is the brother of noted potter Annie Mauel.   This shape and design of this bowl represents a social round dance called, “Nawoj Hah’ah”.  It represents a social dance in which Indian and non-Indians alike are invited to participate. It has come to symbolize the strength that comes from unity of purpose in a community. First made by Rupert Angea, in the late 1970’s, they are now made by both the Angea Family and the Manuel Family of Hickiwan Village.  They are the only ones who make this type of O’odham pottery.  The clay is dug from a deposit near White Horse Pass.  The red paint is hematite, and the black is from the sap of the mesquite tree, which is also a traditional food source (the seed pods, not the seeds) and provides the wood that is used to fire the pot after it has been painted.  The jar is signed, “B. Manuel”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.