Suina, Dena

In September 1961, Dena M. Suina was born into San Felipe Pueblo, the daughter of Joe and Juana Trancosa. As there was virtually no pottery being made at San Felipe at the time, Dena wasn’t really exposed to the pottery-making process until she married Ada Suina‘s son and moved to his home at Cochiti Pueblo.

After that, she learned how to make storytellers by watching her mother-in-law make them. A difference is that Dena makes really tiny babies on the storyteller. Sometimes she makes a lot of those tiny babies on one storyteller.

Dena was a participant in the Santa Fe Indian Market, New Mexico State Fair and Gallup InterTribal Ceremonial for years, earning multiple ribbons at each for her storytellers.