Iva Honyestewa

The Pootsaya Basket, a Hopi Innovation

Iva Honyestewa (Honwynum, Female Bear Walking), is a Hopi/Navajo weaver and jeweler. She has been weaving both poota (coiled baskets) and tutsaya (sifter baskets) for over two decades. These baskets are typically made up of yucca, willow, and three-leaf sumac. Honyestewa is most notable known for her creation of the “pootsaya” basket, which has been named a “rare innovation in Hopi basketry”, and is a combination of the poota and tutsaya. Honyestewa’s baskets are often adorned with geometric, pictographic, and figurative designs.

“When creating this basket the purpose was woven into this unique basket. The coil portion is woven tight [... as] a tight foundation for the community. The yucca strands as they are tied onto the coil represent bringing our people back together so we can become one again and make a better community for our future children. Not only for the Hopi community but for all communities throughout the world. That is the purpose behind the pootsaya.” 

Honyestewa was born in New Mexico to Richard Casuse (Navajo) and Shirley Casus (Sun Clan, Hopi). She initially began as a silversmith in the early 90s, following in the footsteps of her father. While her grandmother Esther Honanie taught her how to weave her first coiled basket as a child, it wasn’t until 1996 that she would revisit basket weaving alongside her cousin. She presently resides in Second Mesa, Arizona.

Ivy Honyestewa is nominated by the School for Advanced Research to represent the United States.