The origin of the War Twins as part of
the creation story
With the beginning of the world, the Zuni
people moved from place to place,
seeking a home. When they finally came
to the area that would become their
permanent dwelling place, they had to
face many hostile forces. To aid and
protect them, Sun Father created the
War Twins and endowed them with
special destructive powers. Through
their help, the Zuni overcame their
enemies and made a home, called
Hepatina ("the middle place"). There
they live today, protected still by the war
gods, whose great powers aid all
peoples everywhere.
http://aras.org/selection_war.aspx
www.thepostcard.com/walt/indian/indt/nn932.gif
A Photograph of the Ahayu:da
“War God” has been removed
from this internet version of the
lecture, but may be found at:
www.dirtbrothers.org/pbone/Zu
niWG.jpg
Repatriation Debates
1) Formalistic concerns vs. cultural
context
2) The meaning of objects as socially
constructed. Do all social constructs
have equal validity?
(Week 10 Ames and Warren)
Curatorial Prerogative (academic freedom)
vs. sharing power
www.legendsofamerica.com/photosnativeamerica...
Formalistic concerns vs. cultural context “’Primitivism’ in 20th Century Art: Affinity of the Tribal and the Modern”
Museum of Modern Art , 1984
William Rubin, Museum of Modern Art – “Pairing modern artworks with examples of
the African and Oceanic art that had influenced them, the show emphasized
formalism at the expense of the larger context both modern and non-western art
had developed. The exhibition set off a debate between Thomas McEvilley who had
negatively reviewed the show in Artforum”
http://www.dictionaryofarthistorians.org/rubinw.htm
A Photograph of the Ahayu:da
“War God” has been removed
from this internet version of the
lecture, but is included in the
museum catalogue essay
described here.
Figure (War God) Zuni. Arizona or New
Mexico. Painted wood and mixed media, 30
½” (77.5 cm) high. Museum für Völkerkunde,
Berlin.
Paul Klee. Mask of Fear. 1932. Oil on burlap,
39 ½” X 221/2” (100.4 X 57.1 cm). The
Museum of Modern Art, New York, Nelson A.
Rockefeller Fund.
Formalistic concerns vs. cultural context Economics
'There is no market for Zuni war gods anymore,'' said Bernard
de Grunne, director of the tribal and American art division at
Sotheby's New York office. ''They are simply too much trouble to
handle.'' Zunis' Effort to Regain Idols May Alter Views of
Indian Art
By ROBERTO SURO, SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: August 13, 1990
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE4DD153EF930A2575BC0A966958260&s
ec=&spon=&pagewanted=2
http://search.denverlibrary.org
Andy Warhol's 15 minutes of
repatriation
Some will argue that Warhol was one of
the biggest burglars in art history for
quoting and reworking the images of other
artists for his own pictures; but that wasn't
theft, it was homage, and the end product
always looked like a Warhol, even when it
was the :Mona Lisa.”
When representatives of Warhol's estate
heard about the war god's background
(1988) , they immediately volunteered to
return it. They said Warhol could not have
known of the war god's religious
significance or its shady past. Ed Hayes,
then the attorney for the estate, recalls the
decision-making process as speedy:
"When the issue came up, Fred [Hughes,
Warhol's business manager, who died in
2001] said, 'We are not in the business of
fencing Zuni war gods.' It took about two
seconds."
http://newsgrist.typepad.com/robertgoldwaterlibrary/2007/03/andy_warhols_15.html
Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987) American
AMERICAN INDIAN SERIES
(RUSSELL MEANS), 1976
Acrylic and silkscreen on canvas
Height 84 inches Width 70 inches
http://tours.daytonartinstitute.org/accessart/object.cfm?T
T=ct&ID=31&COM=aa&F1=warhol&F2=&F3=&F4=&F5=
&F6=&F7=&F8=
The meaning of objects as socially constructed
“If there are no ‘natural meanings’ is it nothing more than a contest
of power to determine whose meanings prevail?" (Layton 1993)
“Acknowledging that meaning is a cultural construct that can be
contested in a political arena is helpful in explaining how nonIndians may understand the cultural and legal aspects of
repatriation, but…Zunis seek to recover the Ahayu:da not because
they want their meanings to prevail, but because they believe the
that the world is endangered is the Ahayu:da are not at their
shrines where Zuni priests can attend to them” (Merril, Ladd,
Ferguso
Example: Prohibition of women handling certain objects when
federal law prohibits sexual discrimination in the workplace
Varying conceptions of Material Culture – meaning of objects as culturally
constructed
Ladd “What is real? Whose belief system is to be applied?”
Zuni – Ethical
Smithsonian - Legal
Recovering all stolen Ahayu:da Question of setting precedent
will restore harmony to the world
Ahayu:da not an object but twin
gods, protectors of Zuni people
Formation of a tribal museum
pre-requisite for return of sacred
objects
Preservation = deterioration
Preservation = stability
Communally owned, no one has Public trust concern
authority to remove them after
they have been “retired” any
Each repatriation request
Ahayu:da removed has been
considered on own merits
stolen or illegally removed