her clients not to be just customers but friends. And she considers her pieces not as a commodity, but instead regards them to be her children. Always talking to them when making them, Nequatewa says she becomes very happy when she sees them again worn by their owners or on display at shows. And, again, one might expect from a master that s/he might wish for a person to learn the craft and carry forward the tradition. So far, no one has stepped forward. Yet, Verma is very philosophical about this. For her, if a family member or someone else does come forward to learn, then she would welcome it; but it would have to be their choice, their path. Clearly, perpetuating her jewelry legacy is not of Verma’s concern.
But what does concern Nequatewa are her people and her culture. She notices young people leaving the villages as they don’t see career opportunities on Hopi, or they simply want to explore other things. She is also concerned that a fair number of young people don’t know their language, and therefore don’t understand the songs or the prayers. She believes they need these skills to understand the ceremonies that are at the very core of Hop
life.
Verma also believes young artists need to embrace patience. She sees many young people who want to rush to market, thinking that having made a few pieces they are ready for gallery representation and high prices. While recognizing this is a difficult thing for a young person to understand, Nequatewa points to her own experience – noting how “rushing” to market is counter intuitive to the true artist’s path. She refers to her personal journey – describing to the time she has worked in the field, the number of lessons she has learned, how much time each of her pieces take, and how much she still needs to learn. Most importantly, she notes that “it takes a lot of patience to listen to your inner voice.”
All of this makes sense, of course, when we realize what Verma has achieved. This is a person who has listened to her inner voice, a voice informed by her people and their unique geographic place. This master jeweler has embraced her culture and teachings and pushed them ever so slightly forward in new ways out of respect. That is why she is who she is: a master. It is also a lesson we should take to heart. It is why she is, Sonwai.
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