Paqua Naha, Original Frog Woman, Hopi Pueblo Potter

Paqua Naha (c. 1890-1955) | The Original "Frog Woman"

Hopi-Tewa Matriarch & Ceramic Pioneer

Paqua Naha was a master Hopi-Tewa potter and the founding matriarch of one of the most famous lineages in Southwestern ceramic art: the Frog Woman potting dynasty. Respected throughout her lifetime for her technical mastery, symmetrical hand-coiled forms, and flawless brushwork, Paqua helped reshape modern Hopi ceramics while creating an iconic family legacy that continues to be celebrated by museums and collectors worldwide.

For the majority of her prolific career, Paqua crafted classic Hopi polychrome pottery finished with traditional warm yellow or cream-colored clay slips. However, in the early 1950s-during the final three years of her life-she developed a revolutionary, bright white slip decorated with bold red and dark brown/black mineral paints. This striking white-ware format marked a dramatic departure from standard Hopi yellowware and quickly became the signature hallmark style of the Naha/Navasie family.

Paqua derived her hallmark signature directly from her Hopi name, Paqua, which translates to "Frog." To authenticate her work, collectors look to her distinctive frog pictogram drawn on the base of her vessels: Paqua's hallmark frog features straight, unwebbed toes, whereas her daughter, Joy Navasie (Frog Woman II), updated the family signature to a frog with webbed feet.

Paqua Naha passed away in 1955 shortly after perfecting her white-slip technique, leaving behind an exceptional body of historic work and passing her knowledge down to her daughter Joy Navasie and her descendants, who carried the Frog Woman white-ware tradition into the 21st century.

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Contemporary Pottery, Hopi Pueblo, Joy Navasie