Transmission of jewelry techniques and symbols within a Hopi family of jewelers

Abstract

This study examined the methods in which the techniques utilized in the creation of Hopi jewelry were transmitted within generations of one Hopi family. The qualitative methodologies of ethnography and narrative inquiry were used to explore the questions: (1) How are the symbols and techniques of the Hopi overlay designs being transmitted within generations of a Hopi family of jewelers?, and (2) How can the teaching methods utilized by this Hopi family of jewelers inform jewelry curriculum in a public school setting? The study was conducted within one family of jewelers to seek understanding of the pedagogical means utilized and to ascertain if the methods employed are applicable to a classroom setting. In an attempt to experience the teaching methods used, I became an active participant and interned with the patriarch of the family. The jeweler had also begun teaching one of his granddaughters so I was able to witness his teaching style as he conducted her lessons as well. In addition to my experience of being an intern, interviews were conducted with three family members and the lessons were also videotaped. Analysis revealed that lessons were not usually conducted in a formal setting as we see in a traditional classroom. Instead, most of the lessons were learned by the younger family members by observing the older family members. The setting was more akin to an apprenticeship and would be very difficult to replicate in a classroom.