- Also styled:
- We:wa, Wewhe, or We’wah
- Born:
- c. 1849, Zuni River Valley [now western New Mexico and eastern Arizona]
- Died:
- c. December 1896, western New Mexico
We’wha
-
Who was We’wha?
We’wha (circa 1849–1896) was a well-known A:Shiwi (Zuni) cultural ambassador, textile artist, potter, weaver, and spiritual leader. The A:Shiwi are an Indigenous North American group residing in west-central New Mexico, along the Arizona border. We'wha was lhamana, the A:Shiwi term for a "two-spirit" person who embodies both male and female attributes.
Born male, We’wha often dressed in women’s clothing and performed tasks associated with both genders. Being lhamana was a recognized third gender role that held an honored position within the tribe. We’wha was among the first of the Zuni tribe to sell textiles and pottery. In 1885, We’wha went to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness for the Zuni tribe.
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To which Native American group did We’wha belong?
We'wha (born c. 1849, died c. 1896) was a member of the A:Shiwi (Zuni) group, an Indigenous North American group in west-central New Mexico. We'wha was a Lhamana, a Zuni term for a "two-spirit," or someone who embodies both male and female spirits. Lhamanas held honored positions in the community. We'wha was a potter, textile artist, weaver, and spiritual leader. They were also one of the first members of the Zuni tribe to sell their pottery and textiles.
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What kind of art did We’wha create?
We’wha, a member of the Zuni tribe, was a talented potter and textile artist. We'wha was one of the first members of the A:Shiwi to sell their pottery and textiles. Since the early 19th century, A:Shiwi craftspeople have been known for making high-quality silver and turquoise jewelry, baskets, beadwork, animal fetishes, and pottery.
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What is the significance of We’wha’s role as a cultural ambassador?
We'wha (c. 1849–1896) was a cultural ambassador for the A:Shiwi (Zuni) people, and a well-known lhamana, a Zuni term for a "two-spirit" person who embodies both male and female attributes. We'wha's vast knowledge of A:Shiwi history and culture impressed Matilda Coxe Stevenson, an anthropologist, who facilitated We'wha's trip to Washington, D.C., to foster cultural exchange.
During this visit, We'wha assisted the Smithsonian Institution with ethnographic research, explaining the cultural significance of A:Shiwi artifacts and demonstrating weaving techniques. We'wha also presented President Grover Cleveland with a handcrafted wedding gift, raising awareness of the A:Shiwi tribe, although the U.S. Office of Indian Affairs continued its assimilation policy.
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How did We’wha’s identity as a lhamana influence their place in Zuni society?
We'wha, born around 1849, was a member of the A:Shiwi (Zuni) tribe and is considered the most well-known lhamana. The A:Shiwi use the term lhamana for an individual who embodies both male and female attributes, a "two-spirit" person. Lhamanas held a socially recognized third gender role and were often honored in their communities.
We'wha's identity as a lhamana influenced their place in Zuni society because they took on social and ceremonial duties typically carried out by women. We'wha was taught both male and female tasks and was known for skills in pottery and weaving. They also joined the men’s kachina society and the Beshatsilo:kwe medicine society. These memberships helped to deepen We'wha’s understanding of A:Shiwi history, culture, and traditions.
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What impact did We’wha have on the understanding of Zuni culture by outsiders?
We’wha, a Zuni cultural ambassador and lhamana (a Zuni term for "two-spirit"), significantly impacted the understanding of Zuni culture by outsiders.
We'wha's deep knowledge of A:Shiwi history and culture impressed anthropologist Matilda Coxe Stevenson. As part of an effort to foster cultural exchange, We’wha accompanied the Stevensons to Washington, D.C., assisting Matilda with ethnographic research and explaining the cultural significance of A:Shiwi artifacts. We'wha's visit raised awareness of the Zuni tribe, even as the U.S. Office of Indian Affairs continued to enforce its assimilation policy, which dismantled Native American cultures.
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We’wha (born c. 1849, Zuni River Valley [now western New Mexico and eastern Arizona]—died c. December 1896, western New Mexico) was a potter, textile artist, weaver, spiritual leader, and A:Shiwi (Zuni) cultural ambassador who is perhaps the most well-known lhamana. The A:Shiwi people’s term for “two-spirit,” a lhamana is an individual who takes on attributes of men and women. Like other lhamanas, We’wha was born male but usually dressed in women’s attire and practiced the tasks of men and women. According to the National Women’s History Museum, which is based in Washington, D.C., “Lhamana constituted a socially-recognized third gender role within the tribe and often held positions of honor in the community.”
Early life
We’wha was born in the Zuni River valley (now western New Mexico and eastern Arizona) to a mother who was a member of the Donashi:kwe (Badger People) and a father who was part of the Bichi:kwe (Dogwood People). In 1853 both parents died, possibly during a smallpox epidemic. We’wha and his brother were adopted by a paternal aunt from a wealthy and influential family.
Pursuits
We’wha was taught both traditionally male and female tasks. He received religious ceremony training designated for boys but also learned such domestic skills as grinding and preparing cornmeal as well as cooking. He was recognized for his talents in such crafts as pottery making, often associated with women, and weaving, a skill identified with men, and became one of the first A:Shiwi to sell his crafts. We’wha also joined the men’s kachina society, in which he performed ritual masked dances, and the Beshatsilo:kwe (Bedbug People), the medicine society, for which he performed curing rituals that involved walking barefoot across hot coals. Each of these memberships helped to further We’wha’s knowledge of A:Shiwi history, culture, and traditions.
Friendship with Matilda Coxe Stevenson and visit to Washington, D.C.
In 1879 We’wha met anthropologist Matilda Coxe Stevenson, who was on an expedition for the U.S. government’s newly created Bureau of Ethnology. She and her husband, James Stevenson, were seeking to collect artifacts and to document the customs of the A:Shiwi people. We’wha’s vast knowledge of A:Shiwi history and culture impressed Matilda Stevenson, who described We’wha using the pronoun “her” and said, “She was perhaps the tallest person in Zuni [A:Shiwi]; certainly the strongest, both mentally and physically.…She had a good memory, not only for the lore of her people, but for all that she heard of the outside world.” Over the years they developed a friendship. At the end of 1885 We’wha accompanied the Stevensons to Washington, D.C., as part of their effort to foster cultural exchange. Over the next six months, he assisted Matilda Stevenson with ethnographic research for the Smithsonian Institution, explaining the cultural significance of A:Shiwi artifacts, posing for photographs to document A:Shiwi weaving, and offering a couple of pots for the museum’s collection. He also met Pres. Grover Cleveland, who had just married, and presented the couple with a handcrafted wedding gift. We’wha’s visit was written about in a number of newspapers, in which he was variously described as an “Indian princess,” “priestess,” and “maiden.”
Later life
In 1896, during the Shalako festival in December, We’wha died from heart disease at the age of 47. His death was considered a “calamity” by the A:Shiwi community. Matilda Stevenson wrote about being present at the time of We’wha’s death, noting that he said, “Mother, I am going to the other world….Tell all my friends in Washington good-by. Tell President Cleveland, my friend, good-by. Mother, love all my people; protect them; they are your children; you are their mother.”