About CLOUD WOMAN

  CLOUD WOMAN  

The subject of the sculpture is my interpretation of the Kokumthena (Our Grandmother), the female deity known to Shawnee Native Americans as the Creator. Paboth'kwe, or Papoothkwe, is another Shawnee name for this matriarchal figure, meaning "Cloud Woman."According to Shawnee mythology, Our Grandmother descended from the Sky World and created Earth, all bodies of water and tracts of land, and rested her newly created world on the back of the turtle. It can be said that Kokumthena is the most important figure in Shawnee religion.

The four shining feathers at the tip of each wing, and the four twigs in each of her hands, represent the eight messages Kokumthena revealed to the Shawnee people. The twigs are also a reference to the great Shawnee chief and warrior, Tecumseh, who once said, “A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong.”Tecumseh was likely born near Chillicothe, Ohio, in the Scioto River valley in 1768.

Near the water’s edge are five rabbitsfoot mussels (currently listed as a “threatened” species), representing sacred bundles extremely significant in Shawnee religion.Kokumthena presenteda sacred bundle (Messawni), which represented the key mediums of relating to Our Grandmother,to each of the five Shawnee divisions. Each bundle contained items that were reminders of sacred beliefs, special blessings, powerful totems critical to the survival of the Shawnee, and certain events that were particularly significant for each division.The individual totem bundle (Pawaka) emerged as the personal form of the Messawni, and became the personal sacred bundle. Elements of the Pawaka were earned by worthy accomplishments and personal preparations rather than by free gifts from Our Grandmother.

This sculpture captures a dynamic and expressive moment of transformation and liberation. Cloud Woman is portrayed mid-motion in an upward movement, suggesting flight and freedom. Portrayed as a figure that combines human and avian elements, Cloud woman creates fluidity and harmony between people, Mother Earth and the spiritual realm. Her flowing hair evokes a sense of natural elegance and grace, inviting viewers to connect emotionally with her joy and release. The positioning of the figure, with one leg elegantly raised and her face tilted upward, adds to the feeling of aspiration and hope.