Tanin, Marjorie Tafoya

Marjorie Tafoya Tanin (Kasawea) was one of the daughters of Mary Cain. Her grandmother was Christina Naranjo, her great-grandmother Sara Fina Tafoya. Marjorie grew up being exposed to every aspect of making traditional Santa Clara Pueblo pottery along the way.

However, she didn’t make much pottery for the marketplace. Instead, like many other Native Americans, she went to Hollywood and worked to become an actress. Seeing how hard it was for Native Americans to break into the movie business, she became active with the American Indian Registry, casting Native Americans in appropriate roles and serving as a consultant on television and movie projects. She was a prime mover behind the Native American Talent Directory that the Screen Actors Guild distributed nationwide. She has also served as an advisor for the Screen Actors Guild Native American President’s Task Force. Marjorie was also on the advisory board of Native Voices at the Autry (Autry Museum of Western Heritage).