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The Magic Hummingbird
This Hopi pourquoi tale
explains the cause of a great drought and the events that brought about its
end. In Oraibi, a drought-stricken village, two young children are
abandoned. To divert his thoughts from hunger, the boy makes a toy
hummingbird from a sunflower stalk. When his sister hurls it into the air,
it comes to life, first bringing the children food, then journeying to the
underworld to request rain from the fertility god, and finally reuniting the
youngsters with their parents. The full-color illustrations are both odd and
arresting. In form and layout they resemble the bold patterns of
Southwestern Indian artwork. However, the faces of the children and of
Muy'ingwa, the fertility god, have slits for eyes and mouths, giving them a
space-age look, as if they are wearing helmets.
Tribal Winds
"Tribal Winds" captures that breathless moment as the artist puts
the silent flute to his lips and then spins the first notes of the tune. It
is the story of the land, a story of sorrow and triumph. |
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