Text & photos kindly provided by Kimberly Shaw, daughter of Howard Shaw:
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Somewhere along the line, someone decided that “Kakiki” was a Navajo Indian that made jewelry
and I’m doing what I can to correct that.
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Casa Kakiki was founded by Howard Shaw.
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He was a Cheyenne
Indian and hailed from the Cheyenne-Arapaho area of Oklahoma.
The part of his Native name I can share was Cimarron and he was a pipe carrier for the Bear Clan of the Buffalo Tribe (Native spiritual position).
The name Kakiki comes from the first 2 letters of my and my sisters’ names. That was Mom’s idea but Dad decided the final order (reverse age) of the letters.
Casa Kakiki was set
up at the Tigua Reservation outside of El Paso, Texas in the 1960s.
His jewelry was mostly designed by his family (my mother and me primarily) but unique designs from the silversmiths were always
considered and, often, produced.
The actual jewelry was made by my father, the Tigua Indians on the Tigua Reservation near El Paso and, to a limited degree, me.
All work was done at a studio located on the reservation.
The Kakiki maker’s mark was chosen long before the first piece left the shop.
From Day 1, my father personally hand-signed each and every single piece before they left the shop. None
of the silversmiths or family members were allowed to do that. It was the one thing about which he was absolutely unrelenting and no other mark was ever used.
Back in the late 60’s when Dad started
his business, turquoise wasn’t a big deal so he sold what he could to whom he could mostly at shows to Jobbers and Wholesalers. He rarely saw where the jewelry was going or where it would end up. And it
ended up everywhere.
Then, of course, it got to be a big deal and Dad was winning all sorts of competitions at the shows. I’ve got BOXES of blue ribbons he was awarded.
They even wrote him up in the Arizona Highways Blue Book.
Kimberly C. Shaw
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Tri Stone & Bird Claw Necklace |
Quad Stone Necklace |
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Dual Stone Claw Bracelet |
Inlay Buckle |
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