Zuni Teaching Tree

Disclaimer: This "teaching tree" is a best effort on our part to determine who the potters are in this group and arrange them in a generational order.

The pottery tradition at Zuni almost died out until Daisy Hooee (granddaughter of Nampeyo of Hano, Hopi-Tewa) took on the job of teaching pottery at Zuni High School in 1960. She was recruited for the job by Catalina Zunie, a Zuni potter who had spent several years just trying to get pottery on the school curriculum. Daisy also spent a year working with Catalina to become a consummate Zuni potter herself before she started teaching.

There have been several teachers at Zuni High since then and for some students, learning from their parents (who were former Zuni High students) has helped to strengthen the tradition. This diagram is subject to change should we get better info.

    Daisy Hooee Nampeyo taught 1960-1974
    • Shirley Benn
    Jennie Laate taught 1974-1990
    • Carlos Laate
    • Gabriel Paloma
    • Agnes Peynetsa
    • Anderson Peynetsa & Avelia Peynetsa
      • Anderson Jamie Peynetsa
      • Dominic Laweka
    • Priscilla Peynetsa & Daryl Westika
      • Gaylon Westika
    • Paula Quam
    • Brian Tsethlikai and Yvonne Nashboo
Noreen Simplicio - learned from Jennie Laate, taught 1990-1992
Gabriel Paloma - learned from Jennie Laate, took over class from Noreen Simplicio in 1992

Some of the above info is drawn from Southern Pueblo Pottery, 2000 Artist Biographies, by Gregory Schaaf, © 2002, Center for Indigenous Arts & Studies

Other info is derived from personal contacts with family members and through interminable searches of the Internet and cross-examination of the data found.

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