During the initiation ceremony of young boys, the Katsinas use yucca leaf whips to ceremonially whip them.  It is not serious whipping but ceremonial whipping.  The artist has presented us with a painting of a Hopi-Tewa initiation ceremony.

Hopi-Tewa artist Raymond Naha was born in the village of Polacca in 1933. He had the fortune of studying under master Hopi artist Fred Kabotie for a year while in high school. Later, he took art correspondence courses so that he could study on his own. He also was a student at the Phoenix Indian School.

For the most part, Naha painted with casein, but, occasionally, he was known to work in oils, pastels, ink, and especially acrylics beginning in the 1960s. His painting was usually flat and he used color to create depth in his works in the traditional Hopi way.

Naha passed away at age 42.  He achieved a lot during his short career but it would be interesting to see how much more he might have accomplished had he lived into the latter quarter of the 20^th century. 

Condition:  The painting appears to be in original excellent condition although it has not been examined out of the frame.

Provenance: from the collection of Katherine H. Rust

Recommended Reading: Southwest Indian Painting a changing art by Clara Lee Tanner