Você está na página 1de 48

A Guide To Collecting

Hopi Kachina Dolls


This River Trading Post guide will give you tips on how to
start a great Kachina Doll collection. Well show you twenty
of our favorites for building a beautiful collection. (Note that
there are over 400 different Kachina spirits, so this guide
doesnt even scratch the surface.)
There are many great reference books on the complex
subject, and this is not one of those. But this, hopefully, can
help to guide you as you collect these fascinating Hopi
creations.
We cannot emphasize enough Hopi Kachina Dolls, as there
are many on the market today that are not made by Hopi
people, though some made by other Pueblo people may be
acceptable. Avoid Navajo made kachina dolls. They simply
are not the real deal, and will indeed spoil a collection.

2
3
The Hopi Kachina culture is one of the most complex in
contemporary Native American cultures. Indeed, it is based
on a belief set about the nature of the world, and the human
relationship to all things, that dates to pre-recorded time.
From their earliest years, Hopi children learn about the
Kachinas, those spirits that help to guide and protect them
throughout life.
Carved wooden dolls help the children become familiar with
the many Kachina spirits that will form them as Hopi people.

4
5
There are many styles of Kachina Dolls.
There are wonderful old antique dolls, that are getting very
rare and also very pricy. But they are wonderful pieces.
There are dolls that actually are great sculptures, and are
highly detailed. (Our Hopi friends call these White Guy
kachinas.) The tourist trade made these popular.
Our focus is on the new traditional dolls, as they are closer
to those found in Hopi homes. They are carved from
cottonwood root, and generally are decorated with natural
pigments (rather than acrylics). Some are crude, some are
fancy. But in todays world, they best represent the Hopi
Kachina tradition.

6
7
The Palhik Mana is one of the more spectacular dolls,
though not actually a kachina. She also is known as the
Butterfly Kachina Girl, and she does appear in certain
dances.
We know many collectors who choose to collect only these
dolls because of their beauty.

8
Logan Koopee
Augustine Mowa III

Ryon Polequaptewa

9
Earth God (Masauu) is a deity that controls the earths
surface, as well as the Underworld. He controls the passage
of the dead into the Underworld.
Masauu is a favorite of many carvers, and of collectors
alike.

10
Randy Brokeshoulder Kevin Sekakuku

Valjean Lalo
Edward Seechoma
Wayland Namingha

11
The Eagle (Kwahu) Kachina is a center of many collections.
The Eagle appears in the early March dances at Hopi.
The images at the right, all by very top carvers, show the
range of expressionfrom the most traditional through the
highly detailed kachina doll sculpture.

12
Ramson Lomatewama
Merlin Kopelva

Coolidge Roy, Jr.

13
There is no English translation or direct Anglo concept of
Hilili. He may have arrived at Hopi from another Pueblo,
either Acoma or maybe Zuni. He sometimes is known as the
Witch kachina, and is very fearsomeespecially to the
women.
Carvers, and collectors alike, love this creature which has a
definite spot in every collection.

14
Edward Seechoma

Ramson Lomatewama

Cordell Naseyoma

Augustine Mowa III

15
Animals play a major role in the Kachina world, and there
are many of them.
A nice representation of animals is great in any Kachina Doll
collection.

16
Dog
Badger
Merlin Kopelva
Edward Seechoma
Lizard
Cow Brent Brokeshoulder
Clark Tenakongva

Turtle
Augustine Mowa III

Horse Goat Pair


Merlin Kopelva Raynard Lalo
White Bear
Cordell Naseyoma
17
The birds and the insects also have Kachina spirits, and dolls
to teach about those.
There is a huge variety of birds and insects. The images to the
right are but a few.

18
Cricket
Chicken
Augustine Mowa III
Brent Brokeshoulder

Kildeer
Clark Tenakongva
Turtle
Augustine Mowa III

Honey Bee
Prairie Falcon
Brent Brokeshoulder
Philbert Honanie
19
Plants are very important to the Hopi, especially corn.
The plant Kachinas bring their own water to Hopi so that
corn may grow.
Some collectors specialize in collecting plant Kachina Dolls.

20
Cocklebur
Raynard Lalo

Squash
Clark Tenakongva

Corn
Edward Seechoma

Bean
Raynard Lalo

Mustard Seed
Cactus Ramson
Raynard Lalo Lomatewama
21
Now the Warrior Mouse isnt actually Kachina, this
character is a must for every collector.
There is a great Hopi legend about this little hero defeating a
mean old chicken hawk that was eating all of the village
chickens.
He is a wonderful addition to any collection.

22
Ryon Polequaptewa

Nuvadi Dawahoya

Ryon Polequaptewa

23
The Hopi have several borrowed kachinas, the Hemis
Kachina, or Jemez Kachina, is one of them. Kachinas
are borrowed from other pueblos because they appear
particularly effective in bringing rain or in exercising
their other attributes.
These are very beautiful carvings.

24
Raynard Lalo

William Seweyestewa

Edward Seechoma

25
Kokopelli is the hump backed flute player. It is said
that he bears gifts in a sack on his back, seduces women
and generally makes his presence known by flute
playing.
A wonderful character.

26
Ryon Polequaptewa
Merlin Kopelva

Freddie Panana
Wayland Namingah

27
The Mud Head (Koyemsi) is a collectors favorite.
He is a clown that appears in nearly every Hopi dance, and
perhaps came to Hopi from Zuni. Mud Heads often play
games with the little kids in the dance audience.
The images to the right illustrate the differences in creations
by different artists, and differences a single artist
incorporates from carving to carving of the same doll.

28
Raynard Lalo
Ramson Lomatewama

Raynard Lalo

29
The Koshari Clowns abound at Hopi, providing some
fun during pauses in dancing.
Be sure to include at least one of these in your
collection.

30
Merlin Kopelva

Philbert Honanie

Clark Tenakhongva

Clark Tenakongva

31
The Sun Kachina (Tawa or Dawa) is a deity in the Hopi
culture.
One of these should be considered a must have in
your collection.

32
Raynard Lalo

Kevin Sekakuku

Edward Seechoma

Philbert Honanie

33
This is the Broad-Faced Kachina (Wuyak-Kuita). He is
a guard in the Bean Dance ceremony at Hopi.
Here you can see that each carver has a little different
style and a little different interpretation, based on their
on experiences at the Bean Dance ceremony.

34
Edward Seechoma

Freddie Panana

Ramson Lomatewama

Philbert Honanie

Merlin Kopelva

35
The Buffalo Maiden appears in the plaza dances at the
beginning of the winter season, with mixed Kachinas. As a
symbol of the first snow, she has a dusting of white on her
headdress. Technically she is a dancer and not a kachina,
though she is a carvers, and collectors favorite subject.

36
Augustine Mowa III

Kevin Sekakuku

Merlin Kopelva
Edward Seechoma

37
The Mocking Kachina, or Mocker is a clown who puts a bit of
light heartedness into major ceremonies on the Hopi mesas.

38
Ryon Polequaptewa

39
The Chasing Star or Meteor Kachina usually appears in pairs
at Hopi ceremonies, and is rather spectacular. Some say he a
planet, while others say it is a meteor.

40
Ryon Polequaptewa

Ramson
Lomatewama

Ed Seechoma

41
Crow Mother is considered to be the mother of all Kachinas.
Among her responsibilities is the introduction of children into
the Kachina Society.

42
Philbert Honanie

Jerel
Quamhongnewa

Merlin Kopelva

43
The Warrior Maiden represents a warrior spirit. She takes
up weapons to fend off an enemy until her father arrives. She
is a fearsome warrior.

44
Ryon Polequaptewa

Kevin Sekakuku

Mitchell Karty

45
The Left-Handed Hunter has his weapon reversed and has to
get his arrow out of his quiver with his right hand, which is
not usual. A peculiar guy, he still is an excellent hunter.

46
Augustine Mowa III

Merlin Kopelva

Ryon Polequaptewa

47
A Guide To Collecting
Hopi Kachina Dolls

Você também pode gostar