Prayer for the Corn

On August 4, 2001, I witnessed a Ke-Wa Indian “Corn Dance” at the Santo Domingo Pueblo, South of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Standing in silence, I seemed to travel backing time as I watched hundreds of these people (men, women and children) dance as their people have danced for centuries. On one occasion, I stood watching this dance when it started to rain. With water, six inches deep, the dance continued. I was welcomed into the home of every Indian I met. I feel both fortunate and privileged to have witnessed this dance of “prayer” for a successful crop.

• The dominating feature for the women of the Corn Dance is the unique headdress that adorns all of their heads. It fastens to a piece of tie string that is secured under the neck and to the hair in back. Feathers plume off of the headdress from the sides.
• All of the dresses are black.
• Under each dress the women wear a white tunic garment that appears to drape off the shoulder to mid-calf.
• Turquoise and Shell and necklaces are worn around the neck.
• The women dance in a slow rhythmic pace. Usually not looking up but keeping their eyes downward – for they are “dancing a prayer”.

Everyone who saw the dance was warned against photographing, video taping, sketching, painting or reproducing the dancers ‘on location’. I could only stand in awe and marvel while mentally memorizing their ceremonial dress. Fortunately, after sculpting this piece, and Indian, who was a “Corn Dancer” and a maker of ceremonial dress saw the clay piece and critiqued it for accuracy. Her desire was for me to represent her people as accurately as possible.