Jo Mora Carte 1936

Indians of North America

A list of Jo Mora's Cartes

Jo Mora’s Indians of North America original artwork was done in 1936

In the year 1904, Jo Mora and a friend, Walter Williams, traveled to Arizona. At the Hubbell Trading Post, they met Lorenzo Hubbell, and his wife who shared their wealth of information about the land and the people. Hubble Trading Post was a hub for supplies, news of happenings in the area and a place to meet the native people. Mora made connections with the Native Americans in the area, attended dances and ceremonies, learned the Hopi and Navajo languages and was eventually adopted by both tribes. He did many drawings and took many photographs during his time there from 1904-1906. In 1979 the Smithsonian recognized Mora's photographs as the greatest visual contribution a non Native American has produced on the Hopi culture. He collected many artifacts which he later used for reference in Indians of North America. Jo Mora dedicated this piece to his friend who he met in 1904, Lorenzo Hubbell ('Nakai Tso') a trader on the Navajo Reservation. The famous Hubble Trading Post is at the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.

Nigel Holmes in his book Pictorial Maps describes " Mora's shows respect for Native Americans in this . . . carte. this piece uses none of his humorous drawings, but like the other maps, it is crammed with details of Native American artifacts, shelters, dances, costumes, rugs, hunting equipment and different tribes. Mora spent a lot of time living with Native Americans, and he won their trust. Thus his work is more than that of a well documented traveling artist., it was endorsed by it's subjects."

First Variation 1941: Printed in color, 700 printed.
( The Jo N. Mora Publications, Monterey California )
24" X 31" image size 23" x 30" printed on glossy paper.

Second Variation 1980s: Jim Meyers Graphics - Santa Cruz California
25" x 31" -image size 23" x 30 1/4 on coated paper.