(1919 – 2012)
Tribal Affiliation: Hopi
Joy Navasie was among the most famous of Hopi-Tewa potters. She learned the skill from her famous mother, Paqua Naha, the first Frog Woman. Joy was born in 1919 and recalls that she started making pottery when she was about 17 years old. During the 1950s, just a few years before Paqua Naha passed away, she developed the white ware pottery style. Joy Navasie picked up the tradition and continued it until her retirement in 1995.
Joy specialized in traditional styled white slip Hopi pottery. All of the steps used to make her pottery were taught the traditional way, from gathering clay, cleaning, molding, and coiling the pottery, slipping, polishing, painting, and finally the outdoor firing with sheep dung. Joy coiled many shapes of pottery like: wedding vases, jars, and bowls. Joy taught her family members all of the knowledge that she acquired over the years, so that they may continue the tradition which her mother, Paqua, started back in 1935. Now, her daughters (Marianne Navasie, Leona Navasie, Natelle Lee, Loretta Navasie Koshiway and Grace Navasie Lomahquahu) have continued the tradition.