Kachina Doll Item Number: 2010.6.7 from the Brooklyn Museum
Description
Ogre's Uncle (Oötsawihazru) Kachina Doll. This is a tall, slim Kachina with a large, snarling snout, red lips with open, teeth filled jaws. His mask has long, curved, green and black striped horns on either side of the head, and black goggle eyes. The back of his head has a feather bundle and he wears a fur ruff around his neck. He wears western style white pants, a concho belt with studs with turquoise circles painted in them and a purple, tailored shirt with painted white buttons. He wears painted tall, red boots with real yarn ties at the top. His PR hand is raised brandishing a bloody knife. His PL hand carries a bow (broken). He has a real hide cape tied in the front under his PR arm but he is totally carved with details underneath the cape. As an Ogre's Uncle he is a little more patient than the Black Ogres, not as active but still fearsome. Ogres (Soo'so'yoktu) appear during the ceremonies in the last stages of the Powamuya usually held in February depicting the final stages of the world's creation where Kachina spirits are implored to carry out the purification of life.
Credit Line
Gift of Edith and Hershel Samuels
Signed
H. Shelton, drawn arrow underneath the name, located on the bottom
Label
Oötsawihazru Kachina is an Ogre’s Uncle, a so-called White Ogre. These Kachinas are a little more patient than the Black Ogres, such as Chaveyo (seen nearby). Ogres, collectively called Soo’so’yokto, appear near the end of the Powamuya (Bean Dance) ceremony held in February, in which the participating Kachina spirits are implored to carry out purification of all life. Their role as Ogres is to scare people into behaving properly and following the rules.
Kachina Oötsawihazru es el Tío de un Ogro, conocido como Ogro Blanco. Estos Kachinas son un poco más pacientes que los Ogros Negros, como Chaveyo (ver Kachina Chaveyo). Ogros, llamados colectivamente Soo’so’yokto, aparecen hacia el final del Powamuya (Danza del Frijol), ceremonia realizada en febrero en la cualse les implora a los espíritus Kachinas participantes la purificación de todo lo vivo. Su rol de Ogros es asustar a la gente para que así se comporten apropiadamente y sigan las reglas.
Item History
- Made by Henry Shelton between 1960 and 1970
What
- Name
- Kachina Doll
- Identification Number
- 2010.6.7
- Type of Item
- doll
- Material
- cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, hide, feather, fur, yarn and silver metal
- Overall
- length 21.0 in, width 8.0 in, height 6.5 in
Who
- Culture
- Pueblo and Hopi
- Creator
- Henry Shelton
Where
- Holding Institution
- Brooklyn Museum
When
- Creation Date
- between 1960 and 1970
Other
- Classification
- Sculpture