Pottery in the Contact ZoneIt is almost impossible to discuss Native American art without taking into consideration the effect that Western culture has had on it. Native American art, in its purest sense, no longer exists. In its place is an amalgamation of an art form that was once entirely Native American and the values ​​that Western culture has placed on that art form. This cultural phenomenon is what Mary Louise Pratt called the "contact zone", used to refer to "social spaces where cultures meet, clash and clash, often in contexts of highly asymmetrical power relations such as colonialism, slavery. or other consequences as experienced in many parts of the world. (Pratt 34) What Pratt is referring to is the situation that is created when two completely separate cultures, which operate on completely different levels, attempt to interact. Each culture brings with it certain values ​​and traditions that the other may not fully understand. This difficult situation often leads to confusion, misunderstandings or sometimes worse. The meeting of Western and Indian cultures created exactly this “contact zone” situation that Pratt defines. The consequences of the situation have been both positive and negative and have simultaneously posed a threat to the art form while providing opportunities for artists. Before contact with the Western world, pottery making among the Hopi-Tewa Indians was a communal activity that served to strengthen social relationships with members of the tribe who were not related. Pottery thus objectivized valued social relationships where sharing with individuals not belonging to one's matrilineage was both important and necessary for the functioning of households. (McChesney, 13) Like most Native American tribes, the Hopi-Tewas strove to maintain a strong social network by dividing labor and working together to accomplish it. Immediately, differences can be seen between the social structure of Native American cultures and that of Westerners who value individuality over community. With the introduction of the railroad to the areas of northern Arizona where the Hopi-Tewas lived, new social challenges arose. which threatened the Native American way of life. In an attempt to operate in an American cash economy, many Native Americans began making pottery to be sold at trading posts to collectors and tourists..