Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

June 1, 2002 - Issue 62

Kuwanhoya Tawahongva, Winner In Heard Museum Competition

POLACCA, AZ - Kuwanhoya Tawahongva took first place and five other Hopi High School students took home ribbons as Hopi High dominated the computer assisted art category at the Heard Museum’s Native American Student Art Show.

Tawahongva won first place with his "Seasons of Spring." Rolan Torivia placed second with "Midnight Mesa." Josh Polivema finished third with "Rain Prayer. Three students from Hopi High took home ribbons for honorable mention: Stewart Ryan Dukepoo for "Ogre Family," Daryn Melvin for "Spirit of the Eagle" and Louis Abeita 3rd for "Kachina Season."

Tawahongva, a 16-year-old sophomore, said, "it was cool to win first." He was also happy because his artwork was sold through the Heard Museum. "Seasons of the Spring" shows kachinas, hummingbirds and flowers as it captures Hopi culture. "It was fun and exciting to do on the computer," he said. "It was a learning experience and maybe I’ll get into this for a career."

Tawahongva has previously done hand drawings. He will continue to dabble in hand and computer art. "I like both. With computer art work you pick different shapes while with hand drawings you do your own thing," he said. Tawahongva, who is active in JROTC, hopes to go to college to study computers. He is the son of Janet and Andrew Casiquito from Kykotsmovi.

Tim Sargent, computer teacher at Hopi High, said the students’ computer assisted artwork this year was fantastic. He is teaching graphic arts this year as part of Hopi High’s Career in Technical Education (CTE) program. "The aptitude of Hopi High School students in art is so high. The students are very artistic," he said. Sargent said the Hopi High students use either Corel DRAW or Adobe computer assisted art programs.

He said this class recently took a trip to printing businesses in Flagstaff to learn about careers in graphic arts. He said graphic arts allows workers to design tee-shirts, posters and stickers among other products.

He noted that some of the workers were Native Americans at the Flagstaff businesses, which they visited.

"There are jobs out there for talented individuals," he said. Sargent said Abeita, who had won an award for putting together a booklet for Hopi Medical Center, has already had job offers.

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