Suina, Ada

Born into Cochiti Pueblo in May, 1930, Ada Cordero Suina loved making nativities and storyteller figures, preferably with lots of children attached. Her older cousin, Helen Cordero, is said to have created the first pottery storyteller. But Ada learned how to make pottery the Cochiti way from another cousin: Virginia Naranjo.

Ada was considered the pre-eminent storyteller and nativity artist at Cochiti for many years. Her younger sister is Stephanie Rhoades, the inventive figure-maker also known as Snowflake Flower.