Jimmy Yawakia
Jimmy Yawakia first started carving as a child using whatever materials he came across. His stepfather and brother taught him to carve, and he recalls serpents fashioned from the roots of the cottonwood tree as his first successful effort. He later moved on to carving in antler and then to turquoise and coral. And by 1990, one of Jimmy’s fetishes appeared in The Fetish Carvers of Zuni by Marian Rodee and James Ostler.
Jimmy spent many years working as an Emergency Medical Technician, but over time, the stress of the job became too much and he had to quit. When he stopped working he started carving full time and talks about how working in stone soon became a healing process. To Jimmy, his fetishes are "his children," and he can talk quite specifically about the meaning of each fetish he has carved. He thinks deeply about the stone and its meaning, and through a spiritual synergy with his materials, which often involves praying with the material; he creates a carving which evokes the spiritual essence of the animal. We think you will find Jimmy’s fetishes to be unique, subtly three-dimensional, and a very good value in today’s market.
Jimmy spent many years working as an Emergency Medical Technician, but over time, the stress of the job became too much and he had to quit. When he stopped working he started carving full time and talks about how working in stone soon became a healing process. To Jimmy, his fetishes are "his children," and he can talk quite specifically about the meaning of each fetish he has carved. He thinks deeply about the stone and its meaning, and through a spiritual synergy with his materials, which often involves praying with the material; he creates a carving which evokes the spiritual essence of the animal. We think you will find Jimmy’s fetishes to be unique, subtly three-dimensional, and a very good value in today’s market.
