Native American Hopi Carved Three Sisters Sculptures

Description

Native American Hopi Carved Three Sisters Sculptures by Sandra Suhu

The Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) coined the term The Three Sisters, although they weren’t the only tribe to use the reference. The Three Sisters is a combination of three plants working together; corn, beans and squash. This style of planting utilizes these three crops to their full potential in one space to create a circle of interdependence based on giving and receiving.

Sister Corn provides the support for Sister Bean’s trailing vine. (white face)

Sister Bean fixes, or makes available in plant form, nitrogen from the air. (yellow face)

Sister Squash provides ground cover to hold moisture and maintain healthy soil environment while deterring animal invaders with its spiny stems. (blue face)

The Hopi pay tribute to these sisters on their Tihu or flat Old Style Katsinam, those that have the three red stripes on the body. Each stripe represents a plant. Sandra pays tribute to the plants and their give-and-take relationship which helps each and all of them to thrive.

These three Corn Maiden Katsinas (Katsinamana) represent the Katsina spirits who bring the seed to the Hopi people.