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- 221107-373 Pair of coral snakes 3 1/2"L + 1 3/4"L By Leekya Deyuse (d.)
221107-373 Pair of coral snakes 3 1/2"L + 1 3/4"L By Leekya Deyuse (d.)
Price and availability on request.
Pair of coral snakes 3 1/2"L + 1 3/4"L
Leekya Deyuse, Zuni Carved Coral Snake Fetish
Leekya Deyuse was the head of the famous Leekya family of Zuni fetish artists. As one of the Zunis hired to work on the excavation of Hawikuh Pueblo in the 1920s, Leekya saw first-hand the work of his ancestors and incorporated it into his fetish carvings.
Leekya’s energy and creativity resulted in animal fetishes ranging from simple carved turquoise leaves to fat bears and graceful birds to elegantly carved figurals. Early on, he understood that he must honor and protect his tribal origin, so he purposely refrained from replicating the work of his ancestors, finding a new way to depict the animals and figures that figure in Zuni culture.
Leekya’s early work was targeted at the trainloads of tourists who passed through Gallup, New Mexico each year. Travelers collected Leekya’s happy animal carvings, which became more popular as the years progressed. The whimsical, peaceful countenances on his animals provided travelers with a charming reminder of Native American harmony in their homeland.
During the 1920’s, Leekya produced very little jewelry, concentrating instead on his rock carvings. Because the carvings sold for extremely low prices at the time, he had to create a great many of them in order to make a living. Joe Tanner speaks of purchasing milk pails full of necklace fetishes from Leekya for three dollars apiece!
As was the custom of the time, Leekya's carvings were mounted in Navajo silverwork. As best we know, Leekya did not do his own "Zuni inlay" work. However, he did create elegant inlaid birds. According to Lena Boone, her grandfather Teddy Weahkee was the first modern Zuni to commercialize the Zuni inlay style in fetish carvings. Ruth Kirk, wife of one of the Kirk brothers (whose general stores flourished throughout Zuni, Gallup and Manuelito), has been credited with suggesting that Leekya carve his birds small enough to string on necklaces. Leekya’s Zuni animal and bird necklaces were among the first of this eminently popular style of jewelry.
By the 1930s, most fetish necklaces were strung by traders or their wives. As other carvers began to add fetish necklaces to their offerings, necklace stringers mixed fetishes created by multiple artists into a single necklace. Many necklaces had strikingly carved flying birds (also known as “flybirds”) as centerpieces. Leekya may have done a few of these. There was a friendly competition among the Zunis to see who could create the best flybirds. Leo Poblano was among those whose birds were considered the most elegant. The fact that the flybirds were carved by others does not cheapen the artists’ necklaces.
Leekya Deyuse passed away in 1966; his was the largest wake ever held in Zuni, taking place for three days and nights. Leekya’s heritage continues to influence the Zuni Pueblo and its art. Thankfully, members of the Leekya family continued making art.