"The Images and Faces of Native Americans" -->[link]
watercolor/paper. 42 X 59,4 cm. 2008 year
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Big Thanks to Amber [link] ! She told me this amazing story about the No - Face Doll!

The Iroquois people (this is a group of tribes in the northeastern US) have what they call the three sisters, the "sustainers of life". These sisters are called Corn, Beans, and Squash.

Corn Spirit was so happy that she was one of the sustainers of life that she decided she wanted to do something special for the people. So the Creator made a doll for her from her husks, which he gave a very beautiful face. The doll was then sent it to Iroquois children to play with, and to make them happy.

The doll traveled from village to village playing with the children and doing whatever she could to make them happy.

Everywhere she went, people would tell her how beautiful she was until, after awhile, she became extremely vain.

When the Creator noticed this, he spoke to her and explained that this was not the right kind of behaviour. She agreed not to be this way anymore. The Creator also told her that if she continued he would punish her but he did not say how he would do it.

She agreed not to act that way again, and things continued on as before.

Then one day she was walking by a creek and she glanced into the water. As she admired herself, she couldn't help thinking about how beautiful she was, because she really was very beautiful.

The Creator saw this and sent a giant screech owl out of the sky and it snatched her reflection from the water. So, when she looked again she had no reflection. This was the punishment the Creator gave her.

In the Mohawk tradition, when a mother makes or gives a doll to her child, she tells them this legend. This is to remind children that it is wrong to think they are better then any one else.