221107-473 Vintage Zuni Wolf Fetish By Edna Leki
ca. 1980
Size 2.5" H x .875" W x 3.5" L Stone 4" overall with feather
Hand Carved Green Steatite Wolf With Coral, Turquoise and Feathers
Excellent Condition
Edna Leki (c. 1924–2003) was a pioneering Zuni Pueblo artist from New Mexico, widely recognized as the first female fetish carver in Zuni history. Born to renowned fetish carver and lapidarist Teddy Weahkee, she learned her craft from him and continued his traditional style, which closely mirrored historic Zuni Pueblo forms. Initially working in channel inlay jewelry, Leki transitioned to full-time fetish carving later in life, assisting her aging father and eventually innovating with him by creating the first fetish bowls for commercial markets (rather than solely ceremonial use). She passed down her techniques to her daughters, Lena Boone and Dinah Gasper, establishing a multi-generational legacy in Zuni art. Her work is featured in books like Zuni Fetish Carvers of the 1970s, highlighting her prolific output during that era.