Vintage HOPI ^^HARVESTER^^ Katsina / Kachina Doll

Description

Vintage HOPI ^^HARVESTER^^ Katsina / Kachina Doll
Native American Indian, Southwest, HOPI, circa 1980’s.  A hand-carved and hand-painted wooden Katsina/Kachina of traditional Cottonwood.  EXTRAORDINARY QUALITY (technical excellence & distinctive design) by Hopi artist  M. Sakic**? (can’t make out the last part of surname).  Approximately 10” Tall by 3.5” wide.  Top of head adornment (feathers) long gone with time.
A Hopi Harvester Katsina - one of the Corn Dancers who appear in late spring in regular Katsina dances.  Their function is to promote the growth of the corn crop.
Kachina figures are meant as gifts for children representing kachina dancers and the supernatural Katsinam beings they embody.
Plaza Dances may be either Mixed Katsina Dances (Soyohim) in which dancers representing all the different types of Katsinas attend, or a dance that includes only Katsinas of the same type.  Regardless, in addition to bringing about rain and fertility, all of the Katsinas have a distinct purpose.  Dances may be performed to commemorate a special event such as recovery from an illness, the welcomed return of a son from the army, or a birthday.  Nevertheless, these dances maintain a religion quality for the Puebloan Indians.
The Katsinam, supernatural beings who live in the high mountains of the San Francisco Peaks above traditional Hopi territory, speak to the Hopi through costumed dance and song.  These dancers emerge from the round ceremonial kivas that are at the center of their communities, singly or in groups, and dance to the music of drums, rattles, and song.  In imitation and representation of them are Katsina figures (Katsina dolls, Katsin-tihu), made of cottonwood root.  Cottonwood is culturally symbolic because the cottonwood tree, once abundant in traditional Hopi lands, grows where water flows - thus, looking across a landscape, lines of cottonwood trees denote a water source in the desert.  After carving, the figures are painted all over with whitewash, made from kaolin clay, and then painted in brilliant colors.  Originally these were done using yucca brushes.  Many of them are then decorated with other materials, like feathers, cloth, or fur.  Katsina dolls are often given objects to hold which indicate their roles.
Purchased from one of the following:
PALMS TRADING COMPANY – Albuquerque, New Mexico
,
ORTEGA’S INDIAN ARTS and CRAFTS – Albuquerque
or the
INDIAN PUEBLO CULTURAL CENTER – Albuquerque
in the 1980’s.
Due to the fragile nature of Katsina/Kachina dolls, We do not guarantee they will not break during shipping.  We do our best to pack them well, but due to their fragile nature and even with the best packing, small pieces can break.  If you are purchasing Katsina/Kachina dolls, please keep this in mind.
***All shipped so far this year have made it to their destination without damage.
Normal wear, tear and losses commensurate with age of artifact.
* Photographs often are the greatest testament to actual condition.  Please study the pictures carefully as they are the greater part of the description.
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All Sales Final - No Returns
’ policy due some ‘
bad apples
’, skyrocketing cost of shipping items, and the general all-around hassle with returns.
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***
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