Rick was born in Sacaton, Arizona in 1950. He is registered with Gila River Pima through his mother and with the Tohono O’Odham through his father. He grew up on the Tohono O’Odham reservation in the Santa Rosa Village and is usually referred to as Tohono O’Odham. Rick is a self taught silversmith. He began experimenting with overlay in 1976 having honed his cutting skills by sawing out the bison and Indian head on coins. His first overlay pieces used desert scenes from the area around his village. Rick’s work draws upon the land, people and the traditions of the Tohono O’Odham. His creation bracelet draws inspiration from the maze motif found in basketry of the Tohono O’Odham. Overlay jewelry has become his trademark. Rick now gains inspiration for new designs from ants, horned lizards, plants, basket weavers, games the tribe plays, collection of the saguaro fruit and the traditions of the Tohono O’Odham. Rick has sold his work in Montana, Taos Pueblo and New York to the Museum of American Indian. Several people who have been apprentices of Rick’s now pursue careers as silversmiths.
Calvin Begay is an award-winning Navajo artist, jeweler, designer and master craftsman. He was born in Gallup, New Mexico in 1965 and raised in Tohatchi, New Mexico. He designed his first piece of jewelry at the age of 10. He learned the art from his mother and uncle. He has won many awards for his work and his jewelry has been featured in Arizona Highways and Southwest Art magazines. Calvin has the ability to translate traditional Navajo inlay techniques with an elegant and contemporary flair. His stunning jewelry reflects his Native American heritage. His jewelry is prized by collectors in the U.S. and throughout the world.
Effie Calavaza is a Native American jewelry artist from the Zuni Pueblo. She specializes in sand casting and incorporates stones and her snake designs into her pieces. In 1956 her husband, the late Juan Calavaza, taught her how to make jewelry. She incorporates both her husband’s and her own designs into her work. Her pieces are stamped EFFIE C. ZUNI. This is the family hallmark used by Effie and some of her daughters. Effie has had many imitators and even had to go to the Supreme Court to gain copyright protection of her work and design. Despite many rumors, Effie is still making jewelry to this day and her work is collected throughout the world.
One of the oldest mystical legends in Native American History. His image appears throughout the Southwest U.S., Mexico and South America. His music brings fertility and abundance to the tribes and to the land. His hump is a bundle of sacred objects and medicine he brings to heal us and open our hearts. Kokopelli plays his magic flute to remind us that magic is only a change in awareness.
Love is magic. His magic encourages us to drop any old limiting ideas and move forward.
The legend behind the man in the maze has many variations. The is the version most often repeated by today’s Tohono O’odham people. In the beginning a power or creator brought about a rave of people in the desert. These people lived for several generations, and as time went on they became sinful… all except for one, Litoi, also known as Elder brother. The creator saw that Litoi was true and told him that a flood would soon kill all the people in the desert. The creator placed Litoi high up on Baboquivari Peak, the sacred mountain of the Tohono O’odham, and let him witness the disaster. Afterward Litoi helped create the Hohokam people from whom the Tohono O’odham and Pima descended. He helped them by teaching the right way in life, and they lived in harmony for many years. However some of the people turned on Litoi and killed him. His spirit fled back atop Baboquivari Peak, where it remains today. From time to time Litoi’s spirit, a form of a very small man would cunningly sneak into the villages and take things from people. In an attempt to catch him they would get confused in all the deceiving turns he made going back to his home atop the peak. Thus in the maze one can see Elder Brother at the top and see his mysterious and bewildering turns on the journey to his mountain home.
The legend does not stop here; it evolves into deeper meaning. To the Tohono O’odham the man at the top of the basket symbolizes birth of the individual, of a family, of a tribe. As the figure goes through the maze, he encounters many turns, many changes. Many of the elderly Tohono O’odham often talk of a turn in their life and liken it to a turn in the maze. Progressing deeper and deeper into the pattern one acquires more knowledge, strength and understanding. As the figure nears the end of the maze he sees his death approaching; the dark center of the pattern. Interestingly, he is able to bypass death and retreat to a small corner of the pattern. It is here that he repents, cleanses himself, and reflects back on wisdom he has gained. Finally pure and in harmony with the world, he accepts death.
Where did the design come from? No one is sure. The maze was found on the old adobe walls at Casa Grande National Monument, probably there long before any Spaniard encountered the structure. Furthermore, ancient coins discovered near the Isle Crete in the Mediterranean were stamped with the same design. It’s conceivable to think that religion, weapons, cooking utensils, even the wheel could have derived separately in both worlds, but to have an intricate design on both continents is staggering.
