The mystery of Tahoma’s family ties haunted us for years. He told everyone during his lifetime that he had no family.  Some people we talked to believed very strongly that he was raised by non-Indians. Partly they believed that because he had a damaged (or perhaps withered) arm. Since Tahoma never talked about his arm–in fact went out of his way to hide it–most people assumed it was a birth defect.  We were told in no uncertain terms that Navajo families would not adopt a child with a birth defect like that. In fact, if a child had been born back early in the twentieth century with a birth defect he would be put out to die.

Some of our interviewees were adamant on this fact, and anthropological books from the time seemed to bolster that opinion. A woman who had overseen the government nurses who served reservation communities told us that a nurse had rescued a Navajo baby whose family had put him out to die. A part-Navajo woman told us that her mother (a full-blooded Navajo) and her mother’s friends believed that had been Tahoma’s fate until someone rescued him.

Other people, however, were not so sure, and some even had examples of children who had born with defects who were raised by their own families.

The one thing that kept nagging at us about the theory that Tahoma had non-Indian adoptive parents, was the fact that many told us how steeped in the Navajo Way–Navajo beliefs– Tahoma was throughout his life.  He reportedly carried a pollen bag (popularly called medicine bag). We were told that he believed in witches and spirits and the power of evil forces to change from human to animal form.

How could he have such strong beliefs in Navajo ways if he was not raised by Navajos? Eventually we found two surprising answers to our questions.

Do you know someone who held on to his traditional beliefs, even when raised in a different culture?

Writing a biography of Quincy Tahoma took a lot of research verging on detective work. We started our research with questions.

• Where was Quincy Tahoma born?
• What was his clan?
• Were any of his family members still living?
• Was he, in fact, adopted, and if so, why?
• What caused the injury to his arm that many people mentioned?
• What did he do during World War II? (Many biographical sketches said he served in the armed forces, and some even said he was a Code Talker.)
• Why did he die so young?
• Where is he buried?
• Where are his paintings today?
• Why did he go from Arizona to Santa Fe for school?
• Who were his friends? Did he ever marry?
• Who influenced his painting?
• Where did he live during his life? Where did he travel?
• Did he ever return to the Navajo reservation?

Some questions were quickly answered, but we tried to verify from more than one source. Every time we found an answer to a question, we found more questions.  And we found no answers at all for some questions.

But what we did find amazed and delighted us.  We never dreamed that we would find so many people who knew Tahoma personally, or that children and nieces and nephews of people who knew him would be able to tell us stories passed down through their families.

If you continue to read these pages, you will see where we went to find answers and you will have an opportunity to help us answer more questions. And any time that YOU have a questions, please ask. We’ll be happy to try to answer.

In order to keep track of the entire journey, we encourage you to subscribe to the blog by RSS feed or by e-mail. And do tell your friends, won’t you?

Bundy's majestic stallion is quite possibly the last painting that Quincy Tahoma created.

In the 1950s, Abundio Armijo, Jr. was the Santa Fe Police Department’s photographer and investigator.  Bundy had a little lab at the jail which he let Quincy Tahoma use as an art studio of sorts whenever the painter was drying out from public intoxication.

One day, the Navajo artist brought a beautiful painting of a majestic stallion to the jail to give to Bundy in appreciation for his kindness.  Little did Bundy know that he would be called to Tahoma’s apartment just two weeks later to record the artist’s death.

To the best of our knowledge, this may be the last painting that Tahoma created. You can see Bundy and his 1956 painting, as well as some other owners and their paintings, in the slide show on the home page at our Tahoma web page.

Do you know of any other paintings Tahoma produced shortly before his death in October 1956?

Photo by Charnell Havens. All rights reserved.