Pair of Iroquois Mohawk Dolls. Both finely detailed with lace and intricate beadwork. Wearing traditional clothes with silver buttons and crown headdresses, one holding a basket. Red doll with tag having hand written note that reads "Corn husk doll made by Mohawk craftsman Jim Sky." Reverse side holds contact information for Christina Jock, an accomplished Mohawk basket maker, who also made dolls, beadwork, and ribbon shirts and managed the Woodland Indian Gift Shop. Longest 10", shortest 8"
We believe the red doll was made by Jim Sky, the director of the Jim Sky Iroquois dancers and distributed by Christina at her shop.
The blue doll was made by Iroquois Oneida doll maker Kim Cornelius Nishimoto. She is a member of the Oneida Bear Clan and has been making cornhusk dolls since 1987.
Iroquois corn husk dolls are traditionally made without a face. One story says that cornhusk dolls were originally made with a face, but the dolls were so beautiful they became conceited from all of the complements they received. In their vanity, they forgot that they were made for the children to be played with. The Great Spirit or Creator then took their faces away as punishment, and children were taught not to think of themselves more highly than anyone else or they could face an equal consequence.
PERIOD: Mid 20th Century
ORIGIN: Northeast - Iroquois, Native American
SIZE: Longest 10", shortest 8"