Wa-Wa Chaw was born in Valley Center,
California in 1883. According to her account, she was given
by her Luiseno mother
to Miss Mary Duggan of New York City. Miss Duggan had been
traveling through the territory at the time of Wa-Wa’s birth and
had assisted the mother in the delivery. Miss Duggan
returned to New York with the baby and raised her with the help of
her brother, Dr. Cornelius Duggan. Wa-Wa Chaw’s
artistic talents took shape at a very early age as she began doing
medical sketches for Dr. Duggan. She later painted huge
canvases in oil, some of which depicted subjects related to the
social problems she observed. Wa-Wa Chaw became an advocate
for Indian and feminist causes and was well known for her social
writings as well as her art. She married Puerto Rican Manuel
Carmonia-Nunez. Nunez was a businessman and very active in
the Cigar Worker’s Union. After her marriage, Wa-Wa Chaw
went by the name of Benita Nunez. Their only known child
died in infancy. Wa-Wa Chaw died in New York, in May, 1966,
at the age of 83.
Sources:
Steiner, Stan.
Spirit Woman; The Diaries and Paintings
of Benita Wa Wa Calachaw
Nunez.
San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1979.
