page_title: We'wha
section_title: We'wha's and Stevenson's friendship
hierarchical_section_title: We'wha / We'wha's and Stevenson's friendship
caption_attribution_description: English: Identifier: newmexicolandofd00jamerich (find matches) Title: New Mexico, the land of the delight makers&#160;: the history of its ancient cliff dwellings and pueblos, conquest by the Spaniards, Franciscan missions; personal accounts of the ceremonies, games, social life and industries of its Indians; a description of its climate, geology, flora and birds, its rivers and forests; a review of its rapid development, land-reclamation projects and educational system; with full and accurate account of its progressive counties, cities and towns Year: 1920 (1920s) Authors: James, George Wharton, 1858-1923 Subjects: New Mexico -- Description and travel Publisher: Boston&#160;: The Page company Contributing Library: University of California Libraries Digitizing Sponsor: MSN View Book Page: Book Viewer About This Book: Catalog Entry View All Images: All Images From Book Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book. Text Appearing Before Image: Colorado River, towhich their canyon is tributary. It was an interesting meal in which the most scrupu-lous care was taken to please the guest, to see that he wasserved first and abundantly, and that everything was tohis pleasure. Let us watch Tsnaheys wife make the wafer bread,which is so strange and interesting at first sight. It ismade of corn meal finely ground. Of this a soft batteris made. Now it is ready to bake. A large flat stone israised so that a fire can be made underneath it. Whenthe stone is hot enough, a piece of mutton tallow is rap-idly rubbed over its surface, and then the hewe -makerdips her fingers in the batter and rapidly rubs them overthe hot surface. Almost the moment she touches the slabthe batter cooks into a thin, wafer-like sheet, so that, attwo or three dips and passages over the surface, thereappears a large sheet of the bread. Before it is per-fectly dry it is folded over and over again until it isabout the size of a shredded-wheat biscuit and then it is Text Appearing After Image: WE-WHA, THE REMARKABLE ZUNI CHARACTER WHO VISITEDPRESIDENT CLEVELAND. My Adventures at Zuni 63 ready to be eaten. Naturally it is dainty, delicate, andmakes a very palatable bread. The sleeping-arrangements of the Zunis are quite sim-ple. In one corner of every well-appointed house hangsa long pole, suspended by thongs of rawhide at each end.This is poetically termed the pole of the soft stuff.The term soft stuff includes sheep and goat skins, bear,coyote, mountain-lion, badger, and other wild-beast skins,together with the robes the Zunis themselves weave orpurchase from the Navahos. While a few blankets arewoven by the Zunis they have almost abandoned the art,as they are better potters than weavers. It is appropriate here that I give a brief account ofWe-wha, a noted Zuni woman, whose death caused atrial for witchcraft as related in another chapter. Shewas a remarkable woman, a fine blanket and sash maker,an excellent cook, an adept in all the work of her sex,and yet strange to say, Note About Images Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original work.
context_page_description: We'wha was a Zuni Native American from New Mexico, a notable fiber artist, weaver and potter. As the most famous lhamana on record, We'wha served as a cultural ambassador for Native Americans in general, and the Zuni in particular, serving as a contact point and educator for many European-American settlers, teachers, soldiers, missionaries, and anthropologists. In 1886, We'wha was part of the Zuni delegation to Washington D.C.; during that visit, We'wha met President Grover Cleveland.
  In traditional Zuni culture, the lhamana are male-bodied people who take on the social and ceremonial roles usually performed by women in their culture, at least some of the time. They wear a mixture of women's and men's clothing and much of their work is in the areas usually occupied by Zuni women. They are also known to serve as mediators. Some contemporary lhamana participate in the modern, pan-Indian two-spirit community.
  We'wha's friendship with anthropologist Matilda Coxe Stevenson would lead to much material on the Zuni being published.
context_section_description: Matilda Coxe Stevenson and We'wha met each other in 1879, while they were working with Mrs. Ealy. Stevenson wrote that We'wha was very friendly to outsiders and willing to learn English. We'wha was described by Stevenson as "the most intelligent person in the pueblo. Strong character made his word law among both men and women with whom he associated. Though his wrath was dreaded by men as well as women, he was loved by all children, to whom he was ever kind". By learning English, We'wha was able to interact well with white visitors, and this helped them build a friendship with Mrs. Stevenson. We'wha was visited by Stevenson in 1881, 1884, 1886, 1891–92, 1895 and 1896–97. These visits encouraged the cultivation of their friendship.
  In 1879, Stevenson introduced commercial laundry soap to We'wha's village (Southwestern tribes already had herbal soaps). She taught them how to wash clothes using this stronger, chemical soap and soon We'wha began washing quantities of clothes for the members of the Protestant mission, earning silver dollars for this service. We'wha then decided to move to Fort Wingate and wash for the soldiers as well as the captain's family. We'wha began to extend the business past the fort, and wash for white settlers as well. Few Zuni people worked for white people for pay. If they did work for pay, "the men wearing female attire being preferred to the women on account of their strength and endurance".
  Stevenson refers to her friend We'wha as "he" and at other times as "she", seeming to have made a choice for the latter sometime after 1904, writing in her diary, "As the writer could never think of her faithful and devoted friend in any other light, she will continue to use the feminine gender when referring to We'wha". 
  We'wha was hired by Stevenson to make Zuni religious pottery that would later be displayed in the National Museum in Washington DC. We'wha was a very accomplished potter, and followed the strict religious protocols that went with making Zuni pottery. They were also an accomplished weaver, weaving baskets, dresses, blankets, and sashes. It was said that We'wha had an eye for likable patterns and colors. George Wharton James, an expert on Native American weaving styles wrote, "She was an expert weaver, and her pole of soft stuff was laden with the work of her loom-blankets and dresses exquisitely woven, and with a delicate perception of colour-values that delighted the eye of the connoisseur".
caption: This image of We'wha (1849–1896) was acquired in New Mexico in 1920. It is unclear what year the photograph was taken.
exif: {}