Talachy, Joe and Thelma
“Have faith and show respect to everyone, your surroundings and the earth.”
Born in 1946, Thelma Talachy’s ancestors were from Pojoaque Pueblo but she grew up at Santa Clara Pueblo. After she married Joe, they chose to move to Pojoaque.
Politics at Pojoaque Pueblo is different: women and men both are allowed to serve on the pueblo council and in elected positions of leadership. Thelma served three terms as Governor of the pueblo. She’s also served as Lieutenant Governor, Secretary and Treasurer of the pueblo.
Joe Talachy, born in 1940 at San Juan Pueblo (Ohkay Owingeh), moved to Pojoaque Pueblo after he and Thelma were married in 1970. Joe had an Associates Degree in tool design from Allied Institute in Chicago. He also studied business at Haskell Indian Nations College in Lawrence, KS, and served in the US Navy before they were married. After marrying, Joe had a long career at Los Alamos National Lab as a designer of tools and fixtures.
Relaxing in their spare time, Joe and Thelma made pottery. Differently than most pottery-making couples, Joe made the pots and Thelma painted the traditional polychrome designs.
Thelma’s grandmother was Pasqualita Gutierrez, the younger sister of Sarafina Tafoya. Her mother was Petra Montoya and her sisters were Goldenrod, Lois Gutierrez and Minnie Vigil. She grew up surrounded by some of the finest potters of both Santa Clara and Pojoaque Pueblos.
Joe, on the other hand, is the grandson of Luteria Atencio and son of Crucita Atencio Talachy, both of whom were members of the women’s group who redefined San Juan/Ohkay Owingeh traditional pottery in the 1930s and began a revival of traditional pottery making on the pueblo.
The redefined Ohkay Owingeh pottery tradition is based on some pottery that was unearthed in an ancient ruin on pueblo lands on the west side of the Rio Grande. That pottery was dated to have been made just before the Spanish entrance into New Mexico and, as such, represents the high point in the evolution of true traditional Ohkay Owingeh-Tewa pottery. They named the style Potsuwi’i.
Joe grew up surrounded by some of the finest potters at San Juan/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. You know that if he wasn’t making pots himself, he had his hands in the clay preparing it for his mother.
Joe and Thelma were exhibitors at the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show for years, earning multiple ribbons for their work. They are no longer making pottery (2023).