Cayoni

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On the night of Joseph John's birth, it was snowing - a rare occasion on Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp.  His grandfather stepped outside, looked at the sky, and gave Joe his Indian name: Cayoni - Muskogee for "bad weather."

Today, Cayoni is the sole practicing traditional Creek Indian wood carver.  He continues the wood carving tradition he learned from his maternal grandfather by fashioning from logs the mythical beings of Creek rituals, ceremonies, and beliefs.  Reflected in his carvings is the inseparable connection the Creek feel between themselves and their natural environment.  Each figure seems to form at once the likeness of a human and of an animal, insect, or plant.

Cayoni's art represents a bridge between the traditions of his people and the Creek in modern society.  In it, he combines great personal vision and creative talent with an artistic tradition passed down for countless generations.

Cayoni served in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars as a sniper in the U.S. Navy.  In 1947, he received the Silver Star and a Presidential Commendation.  Active in local and national Indian affairs, Cayoni was the Chief of the Altamaha River Creek from 1982-1985.  He was employed by Harvard University from 1967-1990 where he was appointed Peabody Museum Indian Artist in Residence, Emeritus.

Cayoni's carvings can be found in the collections of many major museums as well as private collections in the United States and Europe.

Joseph Johns
PO Box 7
New Salem, MA 01355

Phone: (978) 544-3873