Allen Pooyouma — Silversmith
Overview
Allen Pooyouma (1922–2014) was a Hopi silversmith active from the 1930s through the 1990s, working in stamp work, cluster sets, overlay, cast work, applique, and stone sets. He was the father of Lawrence and Steven Pooyouma; uncle of Darrell and Gene Pooyouma; and nephew of Ralph Tawangyaouma. He worked alongside Tawangyaouma at the Santa Rita Indian Shop in Tucson, Arizona, sharing design ideas and stamps. His mark — an ear of corn, in two versions — has been in use since the mid-1940s.
The Mark
"Allen Pooyouma (1922-2014; Hopi). Active 1930s-1990s. Stamp work; cluster sets; some overlay; cast work; appliqué; set stones. Father of Lawrence and Steven Pooyouma; uncle of Darrell and Gene Pooyouma, and nephew of Ralph Tawangyaouma. He worked and shared design ideas and stamps with Tawangyaouma at the Santa Rita Indian shop in Tucson, AZ. The business card shown dates from the early 1980s. Mark: Ear of corn (two versions; mark in use beginning mid-1940s)."
— Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022), p. 254.
The mark as documented in Hougart's hallmark reference: Ear of corn (two versions; mark in use beginning mid-1940s).
References
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- Bahti, Mark. Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers. Tucson: Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2007. 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.
- Schaaf, Gregory, with Angie Yan Schaaf. American Indian Jewelry I: 1,200 Artist Biographies, ca. 1800-present. American Indian Art Series, Vol. 5. Santa Fe: CIAC Press, 2003. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.
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From the Library: Bahti, Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers (2007)
2007 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2007, not today.
Speaking to Bahti (2007), Allen Pooyouma recalled his start:
“It was hammer-and-file work first. I think I started when I was fifteen [1937].”
— Bahti (2007), p. 136 [1]
According to Bahti (2007, p. 136), Pooyouma learned silversmithing from his father and his uncle Ralph Tawangyaouma (1906–1973), and his father showed him an unusual way to make silver drops (raindrops): melting silver in a cup and throwing it on the floor, then sorting the drops by size. [1]
Bahti (2007, p. 136) reports that Pooyouma began using his Corn Clan hallmark sometime after World War II, when the Hopi Guild, founded under the GI Bill by Fred Kabotie and Paul Saufkie, encouraged each silversmith to adopt a hallmark; already a smith of two decades, he did not attend Guild classes. Before that he worked in Flagstaff for Doc Williams, making rings set with petrified wood. [1]
On his years at the Santa Rita in Tucson, Pooyouma told Bahti (2007):
“That's [also] where I get the saw for cutting silver instead of the chisel.”
— Bahti (2007), p. 137 [1]
According to Bahti (2007, p. 137), stampwork and overlay were Pooyouma's standard techniques (his uncle did some sand-cast work); he made many square pillboxes, preferred large stones, and left Tucson about 1970. [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. 89), his son Steven Pooyouma Kuyvaya of Hotevilla began in 1974, first working at Hopicrafts; he used his initials at first and a Medicine Bowl mark about 1977. Wright spells the father's name Allen Pooyama (Young Corn). [2]
Wright (2003, p. 90) lists his son Larry (Lawrence) Pooyouma of Hotevilla as beginning in 1975 after first working at Hopicrafts, with a recorded death year of 1991 and a mark labelled 'Young Corn'. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 77), Allen Pooyama (also written Pooyaouma and Nuvahoyouma), of the Corn clan at Hotevilla, began about 1937, learned from his father, Gene Nuvahoyouma, did commercial silverwork in Tucson for many years and moved to Holbrook in 1970; his mark is labelled 'Ear of Corn'. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 75), his father, Gene Nuvahoioma of the Coyote clan, moved to Hotevilla at the Split, learned silverwork from Ralph Tawangyaouma probably during the 1920s, was still working in the 1930s and died in 1973. [2]
Wright (2003, p. 77) records that Eddie Scott, Sr., of the Badger clan at Hotevilla, learned from Allen Pooyama, and that Harry Sakyesva may have learned from Ralph Tawangyaoma and Allen Pooyama in Tucson. [2]
From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Schaaf (2003) recorded his hallmark:
“(hallmark - ear of corn)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 260 [3]
Schaaf (2003, p. 260) recorded Allen Pooyouma as Hopi, active from about 1937 into the 1990s in stampwork, set stones and silver overlay, a son and student of Gene Nuvahoioma, the father of Larry Pooyouma and uncle of Darrell and Gene Pooyouma, and the teacher of Harry Sakyesva, with rain birds, clouds, corn and Sikyatki pottery designs among his favorites. [3]
Schaaf (2003) wrote:
“Allen Pooyouma was one of the early Hopi silversmiths who began working in 1937.”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 260 [3]
Schaaf (2003, p. 260) added that he worked at the Santa Rita Indian Shop in Tucson and, in the 1970s, in Holbrook, Arizona. [3]
Field Notes by Mateo James
Field Notes by Mateo James: Hougart and Bahti both call Ralph Tawangyaouma Allen's uncle. Wright's row for Allen's father, Gene, describes Ralph as a first cousin of Gene's wife. Family terms can be used more broadly than the English words suggest, so I show both descriptions as written.
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Name card shown; hallmark photo to come.