This Note Card With No Face Doll in Yellow features the original artwork of Penelope S. Minner, Onöndowa’ga:’ (Seneca)-Turtle Clan. Inside, the bi-fold card is blank so you can write any message, for any occasion.
About no face dolls:
The Creator told the corn spirit that a doll could be formed from her husk. So she made the doll from her husk and gave the doll a beautiful face. Then, the beautiful doll went from village to village. Everywhere she went everyone told her how beautiful she was. It wasn’t long before she became conceited. The Creator called to her. But, before she went to the Creator, she looked into a pool of water to admire herself. The Creator talked to her and told her that if she kept thinking that she was better than everyone else a terrible punishment would come upon her, but he wouldn’t tell her what it would be. So, again the doll went from village to village, and again everyone kept telling her how beautiful she was.
It wasn’t long before she became conceited again. The Creator called her and once again she looked into the pool of water to admire herself. The Creator then said to her: “I have given you a warning, now a punishment will come upon you.” But he still wouldn’t tell her what it was. When she left the Creator, she again looked into the pool of water to admire herself, but this time she didn’t have a face. The Creator had taken it away.
Since that time, the Hodinöhsö:ni’ people do not put a face on their corn husk dolls. This is to remind people, never to think that they are better than anyone else.
Penelope S. Minner works in a variety of mediums including black ash basketry, painting, beadwork, corn husk and digital art. Her work has been collected by several museums across the country.
