​​ᎧᎹᎹ / kamama / Butterfly

Collaborative work with
textile artist Kenny Glass (Cherokee/Wyandot)

The bag featured here was a collaborative work. Artist Kenny Glass created the bag. It is 9 inches by 9 inches and composed of wool cloth, cotton lining and trim, vintage trade beads, wool yarn tassels, glass beads, and silver pieces. I, Candessa Tehee, created an oblique fingerwoven strap 55 inches by 2.5 inches in wool yarn and glass beads. 

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The piece is titled ᎧᎹᎹ / kamama which means either butterfly or elephant depending on context. The similarity in appearance between an elephant's ears and a butterfly's wings are why this one word can represent both the animal and the insect.

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It was awarded a Judge's Choice ribbon at the Cherokee Homecoming Art Show and Sale at the Cherokee Heritage Center in August 2020.