This Native American husband
and wife team are recognized Shawnee and active with their tribe. June's canny business sense allows Dow... "MACHINQUE PESHEWA"
to devote his time in re-creaiting reating
tribal items of everyday use that appear to have been made centuries ago.
His skills and training in the film, television and stage building props and
scenery have given him the proven ability to make these unique recreations.
His works are found in the treasured displays of discriminating collectors
world wide. He regularly supplies studios and producers with "artifacts" for
their productions for both the big and little screen. His work is recognized
to be of museum quality and anthropologists collect his work to study how
the remains of tools and weapons in their collections may have been used.
Machinque was born in a log cabin in the Appalachian, southern Ohio village
of Lucasville " falling timber" His People, the Shawnee Blue Creek or Tawakila
sect have always lived in this area along the Ohio River between this small
town on the shores of the Scioto west to the great ceremonial mound work of
his " Fort Ancient" People high on the banks of the Great Miami River near
Cincinnati ; With the Great lakes to the north! With the Shawnee trail crossing
through the center. Dow "Machinque" relates, " During my younger years I learned
from my Father, Uncles and Grandmother the many ways to live off the land.
They taught me such abilities such as gathering wild foods, sacred herbs,and
in a proper way how to hunt and fish and trap... How to live with all the
other People, the plants and stone people the four-legged, winged and finned,
and yet survive." After a stint in the U S Army during the Korean Conflict,
Dow moved to Los Angeles ,Ca. where he went to work in the entertainment industry.
He spent the next thirty five years building sets, scenery and props for all
the major studios and legitimate theaters. He is now "retired" working as
a fine artist re-creating and preserving the heritage, culture and history
of his People. He gets great pleasure in the study of his ancestors. That
pleasure is shared with his clientele in the many one-of-a-kind "artifacts"
he is continually creating. No serious collector of Native American art should
be without one of Machinque's fine pieces. "From the gift you give, so shall
you gain. " Kiji Nappe." Adhering to this precept, both Dow and June share
unselfishly with their fellow tribal People, many Native American schools
and charitable organizations. In a moment of introspect, Dow speaks of how
important it is "to be able in my small way , to preserve and stop the vanishing
of our traditions and culture." Anyone who knows these two will say that they
are succeeding. Take care of mother "EARTH" and she will take care of you!
MEMBERS
OF IACA (Indian Arts & Crafts Association)