Bear and Bear Paw in Southwest Jewelry: Field Guide to a Multi-Tradition Symbol
The bear and bear paw appear in Southwestern jewelry across Navajo, Zuni, and Pueblo traditions in distinct forms: the bear as a Zuni fetish animal associated with strength; the bear as a Pueblo clan totem documented in historic accounts; and the bear paw as a stampwork motif appearing on silver jewelry. Bedinger's primary account documents bear-paw amulets as items traded in the region's historic jewelry economy.
From the Library: Turnbaugh, Indian Jewelry of the American Southwest (2007)
2007 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2007, not today.
Captioning a Hopi silver overlay pin pendant of ca. 1980, William and Sarah Turnbaugh (Turnbaugh 2007) wrote:
“This stylized representation of the badger paw is a popular design element in Southwestern Indian jewelry.”
— Turnbaugh (2007), p. 60 [1]
Turnbaugh (2007, p. 61, caption) illustrated a reversible double-overlay Hopi pendant showing the "man in the maze" design, which they identified as the Pima Siuhu Ki design, on one face and a bear paw and maze on the other. [1]
Of a Hopi overlay pin, ca. 1985, Turnbaugh (2007, p. 85, caption) wrote:
“Many Hopi silversmiths draw their inspiration from nature. This stylized silver paw closely resembles the paw of a black bear.”
— Turnbaugh (2007), p. 85 [1]
From the Library: Wright, Hopi Silver (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
According to Wright (2003, p. 115), the Animal Tracks page of the Index of Hallmarks by Type alone listed twenty-one different Hopi smiths whose marks were a bear paw or bear claws, among them Watson Honanie, Andrew Saufkie, Del Fred Masawytewa and Elmer Setalla Jr. [2]
Wright (2003, p. 114) also listed bear, bear-claw and bear-fang marks under Animals, for smiths including Lawrence Saufkie and Fernando Batala. [2]
From the Library: Bassman, The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry (1993)
1993 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1993, not today.
Among rings all made in 1992, Bassman (1993, p. 30) pictured bear-paw rings by Clifton Mowa and Darrel Pooyouma alongside rings with water symbols, prayer feathers, clouds and corn. [3]
Among the pendants in her 1993 survey, Bassman listed:
“Reversible pendant with parrot design on one side and bear paw on the other made in 1977 by Milson Taylor.”
— Bassman (1993), p. 34 [3]
Bassman (1993, p. 50) described a 1991 reversible pendant by John Coochyumptewa with a village scene on one side and a bear paw on the other, the gold set on the pad of the paw. [3]
From the Library: Stacey, Turquoise Blue Book and Indian Jewelry Digest (1975)
1975 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1975, not today.
Jerry D. Jacka, writing in the 1975 Turquoise Blue Book:
“Lawrence, a member of the Bear Clan, uses the figure of a bear as his hallmark and has gained the nickname of "Little Bear."”
— Stacey (1975), p. 79 [4]
From the Library: Jacka, Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone (1995)
1995 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1995, not today.
These are an outside writer’s records from 1995 and the artists’ own words as she recorded them; the Diné themselves are the authority on their own beliefs and practices.
Richard Begay, explaining to Jacka in 1995 why bears appear in his work, said they were one of the four animals given to the First People:
“They were provided for protection and guidance, and to ward off evil. They embody power and wisdom.”
— Jacka (1995), p. 114 [5]
From the Library: Baxter, Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry (2000)
2000 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2000, not today.
Baxter, in her 2000 encyclopedia, cautioned about one popular reading of the paw:
“A popular, but probably nonauthentic, meaning assigned to the visual representation of the bear paw is that of inner strength.”
— Baxter (2000), p. 12 [6]
Baxter (2000) on how the paw works as a design element:
“In native jewelry design, paws and claws have lent themselves well to precise, or even abstract, geometric form, and can appear as interval or repetitive motifs for patterns.”
— Baxter (2000), p. 11 [6]
Baxter (2000, p. 11) named makers for whom the bear had become a trademark of sorts: Jesse Monongye (born 1952, Navajo) for colorful inlaid bear profile pendants and pins, Carlton Jamon (born 1962, Zuni) for a hollowform bear figure used on necklaces and pendants, and Ben Nighthorse (born 1933, Southern Cheyenne) for bear and horse inlay on silver pendants. [6]
Field Notes by Mateo James
Dubin's North American Indian Jewelry survey provides the fullest primary account of the bear as a Zuni fetish: "Powerful Southwestern spirits dwell in rocks that naturally resemble an animal or human and are believed to be petrifications of these forms, with the soul or breath of the spirit inside. Made into fetishes, they act as mediators between people and supernatural beings, and they empower the owner with the strength of the animal represented." Joe Tanner, a documented dealer, is quoted in the same section quoting David Tsikewa: "these fetishes were alive at one juncture of time.. If you want the fishing ability of a bear, the hunting savvy of a coyote, you get that when you own the fetish, feed it and treat it properly."
This documentation comes from a book-length study of the commercial fetish-carving trade — a tradition that Zuni artists developed for sale to collectors. The six directional guardian animals, which include the bear (associated with the West), are part of the public-facing documentation of this tradition as Zuni artists have described it for collector audiences.
Bedinger documents "arrowhead, and bear-paw amulets" as items within the historic silver jewelry economy — placing the bear paw not just as a design motif but as a specific amulet form traded in the late-nineteenth-century period.
Bedinger also records "clan totem — bird, pipe, butterfly, bear, tobacco" in the context of Pueblo clan associations — establishing the bear as a documented clan animal in the Pueblo record, distinct from its Zuni fetish context.
Collector's Handbook
What to look for: Bear forms in Southwest jewelry appear as Zuni fetish carvings (stone, turquoise, jet), bear-paw stampwork on silver, and clan-design references in overlay. Each form carries different tradition context.
Zuni fetish carvings: Commercial fetish carvings were and are produced for sale to collectors. Primary sources document Zuni artists describing the tradition openly for a general audience. These are legitimate art objects; they are also a publicly documented commercial tradition.
Bear-paw stampwork: The bear paw as a silver stamp motif appears in the historic trade and in contemporary silver. It is decorative as well as symbolic depending on the maker and context.
Cultural note: The six directional guardians are documented in Zuni tradition as meaningful; we present that documentation here as the artists and their community have shared it publicly through books intended for collector audiences.
A note on accuracy. We strive for accuracy, and this page is continuously updated with new information from the artists, their families, and the community. Corrections welcome.
References
- Dubin, Lois Sherr. North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment (1999).
- Bedinger, Margery. Indian Silver: Navajo and Pueblo Jewelers (1973) (bear-paw amulets); (bear as Pueblo clan totem).
- Turnbaugh, William A., and Sarah Peabody Turnbaugh. Indian Jewelry of the American Southwest. Foreword by Barry M. Goldwater. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2007 (copyright 1996 and 2007; first published 1988). ISBN 0-7643-2577-9. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2007.
- Wright, Margaret Nickelson. Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Revised edition. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2003. Originally published by Northland Publishing. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.
- Bassman, Theda. The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry. Photography by Gene Balzer. Walnut, California: Kiva Publishing, 1993. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1993.
- Stacey, Joseph, ed. Turquoise Blue Book and Indian Jewelry Digest. Arizona Highways Collectors Series. Phoenix: Arizona Highways (Arizona Department of Transportation), 1975. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1975.
- Jacka, Lois Essary. Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone. Photographs by Jerry Jacka. Flagstaff: Northland Publishing, 1995. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1995.
- Baxter, Paula A., with Allison Bird-Romero. Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry: A Guide to History, People, and Terms. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 2000. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2000.
From the T.Skies Journal