Buffalo dance

Awa Tsireh (1898-1955)


Item type:
painting
Date of creation:
ca. 1925-1930
Height:
28.5 cm  (11 1/4 in.)
Width:
36.2 cm  (14 1/4 in.)
Technique / Medium:
watercolor and ink on paperboard
Place of creation:
New Mexico (United States)

    Item location

  • Smithsonian American Art Museum
    [Museum inv. no.: 1979.144.31]Corbin-Henderson Collection, gift of Alice H. Rossin

Description

Ceremonial dances, which are central to the religion, spirituality, and community ties of the Pueblo peoples, are among the most important subjects of Awa Tsireh's paintings. Many ritual events are held to unify families and to ensure agricultural success, and are tied to the seasons of the year. Awa Tsireh depicted primarily the dances of his own San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico, but unlike most of his peers, he also painted rituals held at our Pueblos. Many of the dances are open to the public, but others are reserved only for members of the village. Awa Tsireh was careful to guard the secret rituals from outside eyes. (Smithsonian description)

Iconclass

12R213
making music and dancing ~ American Indian religions

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Cylindrical drum [2532]
Rattle [3036] (gourd rattle)

RIdIM images


Smithsonian American Art Museum

Image URLs

image link 1

RIdIM record id

5102