Augusta Poocha Nampeyo (1921-98) was a daughter of Nellie Nampeyo and a granddaughter of Nampeyo of Hano.  She was a sister to Marie Koopee, and Zella Kooyuattewa.  She made very little pottery over the years and this is the only piece we have had in the gallery.  It is a large coil-built jar and painted with bee-weed (black) and red clay. The design is a migration pattern with 16 bird wings.  There are 8 above the shoulder and 8 below.  The lines are very tightly painted.  The jar was traditionally fired and has blushes on the surface.  It is signed on the bottom in bee-weed, “Augusta Nampeyo”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  Definitely a rarity in Hopi-Tewa pottery!

Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo said of  the migration pattern:

“This is the one design that was really stressed for us to use, the migration pattern. Nothing but lines, representing the migration of all the people to all the places, including down below and up above. It has seven points at the top and bottom. All the x’s represent life from the bottom and top, telling you the universe is one. The thin lines, I just wanted to paint them real fast and real close to try and include everyone.”  Dextra Quotskuyva Nampeyo, Spoken Through Clay