Hayden Haynes
Seneca Nation
About the Artist
Hayden Haynes is an antler carving artist working deeply in cultural arts revitalization and teaching. A member of the Seneca Nation and Deer Clan, Hayden is a self-taught artist. His art practice involves working across the mediums of antler, found objects, mixed media, and digital photography. Hayden’s work is always created through a self-perspective framed Native lens sharing his experiences, knowledge, and observations of living among his community.
Portrait of Seneca Name Giver, Alexia John, wearing Hodi’nyögwai:yö’ (They are Deer Clan) necklace by Hayden Haynes
HOWÖDIHSËNÖWIS
“She Names Them” Series
This project is dedicated to acknowledging, recognizing, and honoring the eight Seneca women who serve as Name-Givers on the Seneca-Allegany Territory. For generations, these women have carried out their responsibilities quietly, with little written record of who they were, what they looked like, or the families they belonged to. Their presence has shaped community life in profound ways, yet their stories often remain unrecorded.
At the heart of this work are necklaces created for each of the eight Seneca clans. Inspired by ancestral designs yet expressed in a contemporary style, these necklaces were made with deep intentionality. Each one carries the memory of the past while speaking to the present role of the Name-Givers who wear them.
The portraits created alongside these pieces bring visibility and permanence to lives that might otherwise pass unrecognized in the public record. More than images, they are touchstones—reminders of lineage, responsibility, and the continuity of Seneca tradition.
By pairing original artwork with portraiture, this project creates a lasting archive of the Name-Givers’ presence. It not only honors them in this moment, but also provides their families and future generations with images, stories, and cultural markers to carry forward—a testament to both the endurance of Seneca tradition and the women whose voices sustain it.
In Conversation With
With Hayden Haynes
The Women’s side of the Cold Spring Longhouse, inspiration behind “Hodi’nehisi:yö ga’sä:de’ (They are of the Snipe Clan) by Hayden Haynes (right)
Collaboration and Community
From the outset, Hayden recognized that documenting the Seneca Name-Givers could not—and should not—be approached as an individual pursuit. The responsibility required a collective vision, rooted in cultural knowledge and trust. That vision expanded through his collaboration with artist and curator Randee Spruce (Seneca, Heron Clan).
Randee, raised in Ohi:yo’ (Seneca-Allegany Territory) and deeply connected to the Cold Spring Longhouse, brought cultural precision and a female perspective that shaped the entire process. Her presence ensured the work remained grounded in ceremony and community, transforming it from a record of women into a collaboration led by them.
“This is female space, and I just wanted to be the person to facilitate the documentation of these women. It felt fitting to collaborate with Randee in making these very special necklaces, working together on the photo shoots, and the photos themselves.”
What emerged was a partnership that extended far beyond logistics. Together, Hayden and Randee created space for the Name-Givers to be seen on their own terms—through clan necklaces that honor ancestral designs while carrying a contemporary sensibility, and portraits that document their presence with accuracy and care.
This collaboration is both artistic and cultural—an act of reciprocity that prioritizes comfort, respect, and truth. The resulting body of work does more than commemorate. It affirms the central role of women in Seneca society and establishes an archive that is as much about presence as it is about preservation.
Read more about the importance of this project from Radee’s perspective on our Journal.
HAYDEN HAYNES | 1ST PLACE RIBBON, SWAIA 2025