Water Jar

This tapered water jar with a highly polished black surface has a bear-paw motif on its neck. Alluding to the Santa Clara legend of a bear that led people to water in a time of drought, the bear paw is placed upright, as if in prayer asking for rain and everlasting life. The bands around the jar, referred to as rainbows, are also considered prayers, to keep the water from evaporating. According to Margaret Tafoya, the bear paw and rainbow designs are gifts from her Santa Clara ancestors.