Sidney Sekakuku

Hopi Silversmith, Bearstrap Clan — Shungopavi, Second Mesa

Sidney Sekakuku, Jr. was a naturally gifted artist and one of the most respected Hopi silversmiths of his generation. Born into the Bearstrap Clan and raised in the village of Shungopavi on Hopi’s Second Mesa, Sidney was surrounded by the cultural richness and creativity that shaped his life’s work. His early fascination with jewelry began while watching his father at the silversmithing bench. When his father left silversmithing to work in forestry, he offered his tools to any of his children who wanted to carry on the craft—Sidney eagerly accepted.

During summers home from Indian boarding school, Sidney spent countless hours at the Hopi Arts and Crafts Silvercraft Cooperative Guild (Hopi Guild), quietly observing the artists at work. Remarkably, he learned the complex Hopi overlay technique entirely by observation—an impressive feat given its intricacy. “I’m a natural artist,” he once said. “I’m self-taught by observation.”

Though his creative path was clear from a young age, Sidney’s livelihood didn’t begin with jewelry. After high school, he studied computer science at the University of Colorado, Boulder, but left before completing his degree due to financial constraints. He went on to work in road construction while continuing to create overlay jewelry in his spare time. Eventually, his dedication to the craft became central to his life.

Sidney taught silversmithing for 15 years at the Hopi Guild and for another 8 years at Northland Pioneer College. He took great pride in mentoring a new generation of Hopi artists, many of whom went on to become successful silversmiths themselves. “There are no jobs at Hopi – there never have been,” Sidney said. “We are all born with a talent. You just need to apply it using your own two hands.”

Throughout his career, Sidney traveled to art shows, museums, and markets across Arizona and New Mexico. His work also found a discerning audience in Japan, where the appreciation for high-quality Hopi jewelry has long been strong.

While traditional Hopi overlay does not typically include stones, Sidney skillfully incorporated turquoise, coral, sugilite, gaspeite, diamonds, and birthstones into his designs, expertly hand-cutting bezels to hold them. This innovation never compromised the cultural integrity of his work. “There is tradition in all of my pieces,” he said. “If it’s too contemporary, it’s not Hopi.” His designs drew deeply from Hopi symbolism—representing creation stories, cloud and water motifs, birds, animals, petroglyphs, and harvest imagery. Many of his pieces were inspired by dreams, and he kept a pencil and paper by his bed to capture them the moment he awoke.

Sidney Sekakuku, Jr.'s passing was a profound loss to the Hopi community and to the world of Native American art. His life and work remain a lasting testament to the power of tradition, the strength of cultural identity, and the quiet brilliance of a man who created from the heart.