The Rainmaker is a milestone in the legacy acclaimed bronze sculptures created by Dave McGary. It depicts a Jornada Mogollan shaman of the 12th Century.

The prehistoric Mogollon culture ranged in the area we now know as eastern Arizona to the Rio Grande River. The Mogollon people have disappeared into the mists of the past and have no known living groups.

The Jornada Branch of the Mogollon lived in southern New Mexico which included the areas surrounding Sierra Blanca. They supported themselves with farming along the valley bottoms and hunting and gathering. They also developed a widespread trade network.

Through time, the population of the Jornada Mogollon grew and they formed small villages in more well-watered areas. Their early agricultural population lived in semisubterranean pithouses, but in a later period they lived in above ground contiguous adobe structures. By the time the Spanish arrived in the mid-1500's, the Jornada Mogollon had ceased to exist.

The Rainmaker is depicted with a beautiful Jornada Mogollon olla pouring water which signified life. The inhabited area of these people received limited amounts of moisture during the year and this life-giving gift from the sky determined the size of their crops. This water was carefully stored and, in some areas, irrigation was developed to sustain crops. This water was literally a matter of life and death. Certain members of the group processed knowledge to invoke the power to bring the vital rain. These were the shamans. They were honored and held in the highest esteem.

The Rainmaker is depicted with a sacred macaw resting on his shoulder. These birds, revered for their beauty and ability to speak, were considered the carriers of the sun. They were obtained at great cost in trade from people much further south. Carrying this bird is another indication of the shaman's status.

The place upon which he stands to perform this ceremony is symbolized as an altar by the sacred petroglyphs on the rocks. These symbols are found throughout the southwest and were used to record spiritual events and places. The ones on The Rainmaker are replicas of those found at the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site at the base of Sierra Blanca. Between 900 and 1400 A.D., the Jornada Mogollon people created more than 21,000 images on stone at this very spiritual place.
The Rainmaker Memorial was commissioned by the developers of the new Rainmaker community. This cluster community of fine homes and townhouses will be complimented by a championship level golf facility designed by Robert Trent Jones.

Archaeologist Don Clifton headed a team, voluntarily funded by the developers, that examined the area for archaeological information. They discovered four Jornada Mogollon sites and two historic sites within the community property. Four of the Jornada Mogollon sites are temporary campsites on the residential site. This site will be preserved in a park and used for dispensing information about the prehistoric culture. Homage will also be given by naming the streets for prehistoric tribes of New Mexico and by authentic petroglyphs inscribed on the flagstone and wood street markers.

The Rainmaker memorial will be 1 and 1/2 life size and will stand near the Spencer Theatre for the community's enjoyment. Dave McGary is proud to have been chosen for the prestigious assignment and for the opportunity to introduce many people to the Jornada Mogollon culture that contributed so much to the prehistory of the southwest.

Maquette Bronze with Patina and Paint,
Edition of 75, Year Cast 2002